Having a lot of direct sunlight coming through your windows is a great thing during the colder months, but it can be a different story in the summertime. The amount of heat that comes through your windows through direct sunlight can significantly impact your energy bills and put extra strain on your cooling system.
How Sunlight is Converted Into Heat Inside Your Home
When sunlight enters your home through glass windows, it’s converted into heat, which gets trapped inside your home. If you’ve ever sat by a window in direct solar radiation or sunlight, you’ll feel hotter, even if the room is cooler. A person can experience a heat gain of roughly 20 degrees Fahrenheit in Mean Radiant Temperature.
While plenty of natural heat and lighting is a good thing, too much solar radiation or direct sunlight can cause your cooling system to work harder and raise energy bills.
How to Reduce Heat From Direct Sunlight Coming Through Your Windows
There are ways to reduce the solar heat entering your home through the windows without significantly affecting the amount of natural light.
Solar Window Film
Solar film is one of the most effective ways to lower the amount of harsh sunlight entering your home’s windows. If you have rooms with a lot of windows, window tinting film can diffuse the sunlight and reduce heat accumulation.
Some estimates indicate that your peak cooling load can be decreased by 19 kWh for every square foot of window tint. In addition, Solar Film is less expensive than other types of window shading. Using insulating window film can also help lower your heating bills during colder months by keeping warm air inside your home.
Awnings
Awnings are another way to protect your home from the sun’s searing rays. When used in conjunction with solar Film, awnings can add a unique appeal to your home’s exterior. Keep in mind that awnings are one of the more expensive forms of window shades because installation and maintenance can be costly.
Window Treatments
Drapes and curtains are a great way to block and control the amount of sunlight entering your home while adding to your home’s interior decor. Curtains, drapes, and other window coverings work great with insulated window film to help control the amount of sunlight and heat entering and leaving your home through windows.
Adding to the beauty and functionality of your home with window film is an excellent, cost-effective option for controlling the amount of direct sunlight entering your home. Window film can also enhance the comfort and view in sunrooms and windows.
