When you think about getting your home ready for summer, you probably think about busting out the lawnmower, checking the sprinkler system, and tuning up the air conditioning. We think you should also think about your windows as the temperatures rise.

Upgrade Existing Windows

If you live in an older home, you may not have the best windows. They might be missing screens or feature only single panes vs double. While they may still provide a good view of the neighborhood, they may not be doing the best job at regulating your home’s temperature.

Existing windows can get summer ready with the application of window tinting. The right tint, such as those offered by Simply Cool, can reduce your energy bill as you attempt to keep your home cool.

Tinting Energy Efficient Windows

Did you know that Low-E and Energy Star windows are not the same as tinted windows? While they offer benefits to homeowners, such as blocking light, they don’t block heat transfer like a window tint. So while you may love your new Energy Star windows for their sound blocking and light reduction, you may still be letting in unwanted heat this summer.

You can get a custom tint on your home’s Energy Star and Low-E windows to further increase their efficiency. With a tint, your windows will not only block UV and infrared light but thermal waves as well.

Differences Between Low-E Glass and Window Tints

Low-E is a treatment for glass that does not change the appearance of the panes. A tint is an alloy material that may alter how the glass looks to the naked eye. You can choose a transparent, opaque, or even a decorative film from the Simply Cool catalog.

Low-E Windows

  • Block UV rays
  • Block infrared light
  • Allow natural light to penetrate
  • Colorless coating

Tinted Windows

  • Block UVA and UVB rays
  • Prevent thermal transfer (both into and out of the home)
  • Add privacy
  • Can be decorative

If you’re looking to add privacy to your home as well as increase energy efficiency, window tints are probably the better choice.

Add Strength

Are the kids spending more time outside, tossing balls and threatening your windows? If so, a window tint can actually help add strength to the panes. While they may still crack, the film can serve as an extra layer of protection. Since home window tinting is applied with an adhesive backing, it can help hold the windows together even when they break. While there’s no guarantee that an errant baseball won’t find its way inside the house through a windowpane, a window tint might hold some of the bigger pieces of broken glass together.

Increase Security

If you’re going to be traveling this summer while the kids are out of school, having window tints can increase security at your property. In addition to outdoor cameras and motion sensor lights, tinted windows can add security to your home. By obscuring the view through your windows, tints may deter would-be thieves from targeting your home. 

Reflective or security home window tinting are popular choices because either one allows you to have a clear view from inside your home, but people from the outside can’t see in.

Add Value

Truthfully, homes in this real estate climate don’t need a lot of help when it comes to value. But, it’s still worth it to make upgrades to your home whether you plan to sell now or not. Increasing the energy efficiency of your windows with a solar or decorative tint is a small investment to make in the overall value of your home. 

In addition to increasing curb appeal, tinted windows will likely pay for themselves in a couple of years. Let’s say your annual utility bill is $1,500. Your new home window tinting saves you 22% each year, equal to $330. The average cost of window tinting is $587, so before two years are up you’ve saved enough on energy bills to pay yourself back for the installation.

Is Summer a Good Time to Install Window Tint?

In Utah, our dry, warm summers are actually a good time to install home window tinting. The heat can promote quick drying of the tint adhesive, making the job a little bit faster. We suggest you don’t wait too long, however, to get your windows tinted! You want to beat the heat and have them installed before the temperatures rise too high.