Are you looking for a way to keep your home’s interior nice and cool? Installing window tinting is one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent heat build-up inside your property, especially during the warm summer.
In this post, our team at Sun Tint answers the question: “How do tinted windows reduce heat?” We also discuss the effectiveness of various window tinting types in reducing indoor heat and explore the benefits of a cooler indoor environment.
Does Window Tint Help With Heat?
The sun’s energy reaches the earth as solar radiation, a spectrum of electromagnetic waves. These heat energy waves include:
Visible light
Infrared light
Ultraviolet (UV) light
All three of these wavelengths emit heat. Infrared has the most significant heating effect, despite carrying less energy than UV and visible light. This is because the sun emits much more infrared than UV or visible light photons.
When you stand in the sun, the heat you feel on your skin is due to infrared radiation, which the human eye can’t see. The UV radiation and visible light from the sun also heats your skin, but to a much lesser extent than infrared rays.
That said, while ultraviolet light doesn’t emit as much heat as infrared, these UV waves are damaging. For example, your sun tan and risk for skin cancer result from UV light exposure, which radiates at a higher frequency and shorter wavelength than infrared.
So, how does window tint reduce heat?
When the sun shines on your home, infrared, UV, and visible light waves pass through your windows, heating and illuminating your interior.
Window tinting selectively blocks or reflects the infrared and UV portions of the sun’s radiation while allowing some visible light to pass through. The degree to which tinting wards off these heat rays depends on the type of tinting.
Heat Reduction and Tint Types
A window film’s effectiveness in reducing interior heat build-up depends on its type and intended application. The sections below discuss some of the standard glass tinting and window film types:
Solar Window Tints
A solar window tint is designed to reduce solar radiation through your windows. At Sun Tint, we recommend and install our latest generation of Cool & Clear window films. These multi-functional films offer complete protection against sun heat and damage while allowing natural light into your home.
Our Cool & Clear window films reduce infrared heat by 98%. Because infrared makes up half of all solar radiation, this feature significantly reduces heat build-up inside your home.
Additionally, this tint film reduces UV radiation by 99.9%. We know that skin exposure to UV light causes sun tanning and potentially skin cancer. However, did you know UV radiation can damage your flooring, furniture, curtains, and other belongings? By blocking UV rays, the Cool & Clear window films protect your interior against discoloration, warping, decomposition, and degradation.
Our Cool & Clear window films allow visible light to pass through. While it is true that visible light waves emit some heat, it is nowhere near the levels of infrared radiation. In other words, with our Cool & Clear window films, you get plenty of natural sunlight but no damaging and uncomfortable solar heat inside your home.
Privacy and Decorative Window Films
Privacy window films are ideal for blocking outside views into your home. Various types of privacy films are available, including one-way, translucent, and opaque films.
Decorative window films enhance windows’ appearance. Some decorative films, such as frosted films, also give privacy to occupants.
While these window films may have thermal rejection properties to help keep your home cool, they typically allow infrared radiation through.
Security Window Tint
A security window film has a reinforcing structure to prevent intruders from smashing the window and gaining entry to a home. These films also prevent windows from shattering due to accidents, vandalism, or natural disasters.
Most security tint options feature a polyester film layer with a unique adhesive, with thicknesses ranging from 100 to 350 microns. Like privacy window films, security films often have built-in thermal insulation, which can help to reduce indoor heat during warm days.
The Benefits of a Tinted Window Application
Applying solar tinting to your windows has various benefits:
Indoor Comfort
The most significant benefit of a solar window tinting installation is indoor comfort. In addition to blocking solar heat on hot days, these films’ thermal capabilities can help keep your home warm in winter. These films prevent other issues, including high humidity levels and mold growth, by aiding in indoor temperature regulation.
Lower Utility Bills
After installing a solar window film, your home will be significantly cooler, even when the sun shines through your windows. As a result, your HVAC system doesn’t need to operate at capacity to keep your house cool, and your utility bills will decrease. These long-term cost savings means a solar window film installation is an investment rather than an expense.
Protect Furniture and Flooring
By keeping UV radiation out of your home, solar window films protect all your belongings, including furniture, flooring, and interior walls, from deterioration. These films protect sensitive electronics, such as your television, surround sound system, and consoles, from the sun’s heat.
Other Benefits of Tinting Your Windows
Some solar tints double as security or privacy films, providing optimal value for money. Also, while these films allow visible light into your home, they work the same way as a filter and will reduce indoor glare. For example, if the sunlight shines directly on your television screen during late afternoons, these films can help eliminate annoying reflections.
Let Us Help You Choose the Best Tint for Your Windows
While you may understand how window tinting helps with heat, choosing the suitable window film for your home may be challenging.
At Sun Tint, we can help. Our professional team provides tinting installations throughout Kentucky and Indiana, and we offer an extensive range of window tinting products. Please schedule a consultation with us today to learn more about our window film options and receive a free estimate.