Home Improvement : Screening Windows Against Sun’s Hot Rays
QUESTION: I have a problem with the hot sun shining in my windows. It’s hot and it fades my furniture. What can I put on the windows in the summer that won’t block the view or the winter sun for solar heating?
ANSWER: In addition to increasing your air-conditioning bills and making you uncomfortable, the sun can do significant fading damage to your furniture and drapes. The bright sun also often creates enough glare to force you to close blinds and turn on a light. This wastes more electricity.
There are several window sun-control options to satisfy your needs. Standard see-through tinted window film is the most effective method to block the sun’s heat and fading rays. Unfortunately, it is on year-round and it blocks some of the passive solar heating rays in the winter.
There is a new type of durable non-reflective vinyl sun-control window film that can be removed each winter and reused the following summer. Therefore, it won’t block the beneficial winter sun’s heat. It is very easy to apply and remove yourself each year.
This lightly-tinted vinyl film holds itself in place on the window by its natural static electrical charge. This same type of clear film is used as labels on new TVs and other surfaces. It feels like it is glued to the glass, but it just peels off cleanly.
You can apply this new reusable static-cling vinyl film either on the inside or outside surface of the window glass. To apply it, first clean the window surface. While it is damp, lay the piece of vinyl on it and smooth it out. It slides easily while it’s still damp underneath.
The tinted vinyl film blocks more than 50% of the sun’s heat and glare and 95% of the ultraviolet fading rays. There is also an opaque (dark brown or ivory) type of static-cling film that is perforated. This blocks much of the sun’s heat and fading rays, yet you can still see outdoors. It’s like looking through a coarse window screen.
Another option is the use of one of the indoor see-through tinted film pull-down window shades. These use a tough, heavy-gauge polyester window film. You can get either spring-loaded or rope-operated shades.
These are available in many colors and varying degrees of reflectivity. They are very attractive and give you total control over the amount of light and heat you want to enter your room. The polyester material blocks 95% of the sun’s fading rays and the various tints offer varying degrees of solar heat rejection.
You can write to me for Utility Bills Update No. 286 listing the suppliers of the new do-it-yourself static-cling window films and pull-down tinted film shades, performance specifications, and a small sample piece of each to try on your windows. Please include $1 and a self-addressed business-sized envelope. Send your requests to James Dulley, c/o Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.
How to Get Perfect Bead for Caulking
Q: All my windows and doors in my house need to be re-caulked, but it costs a lot to have it done. When I caulked my previous house, I had a problem keeping an even bead. Any suggestions?
A: A good-looking and effective caulking job is an art and requires practice. Select an easy-to-use caulk material, like siliconized acrylic latex, which cleans up with water. True silicon is excellent caulk, but more difficult to work with. Another option is getting a cordless electronically-controlled caulking gun at a builders’ supply outlet. You should be able to lay a perfect bead of caulk with one on your first try.
Letters and questions to Dulley, a Cincinnati-based engineering consultant, may be sent to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.
