Solar - Everywhere we look!
Many of us install film on our car windows to assist with reducing sun glare, absorption of heat and Ultraviolet (UV) light into materials within the car, more importantly our skin.
Our homes really aren’t that different when it comes to unwanted heat and UV light entering through the windows. Windows are the highest contributor of solar heat gain into your home when no window shade or reflective solutions are provided. Solar heat transmitted through your windows is then absorbed by materials within your home, becoming the responsibility of your cooling system to remove.
Best practice is to firstly reflect solar radiation attempting to transmit through your windows. This can be achieved with the installation of tinted window film or external roller shutters, both of which have similar benefits.
Solar - Reflect or Reject
Depending on the level of window shade there may always be some form of solar heat gain entering your home through your windows, this will be in the form of Infrared, Visible Light and UV radiation.
Window film is designed to reduce the amount of solar heat entering your home. It also reduces sun glare and can add additional privacy.
Roller shutters can provide almost 100% block out of visible light with the added benefit of deterring burglars.
The heat transmitted through your windows is absorbed by objects and air within your home. This means your cooling system must work harder to remove unwanted heat.
Properties of Solar Radiation
Below are the components of solar radiation that window film and roller shutters assist with limiting entry of through your windows.
IRR – Infrared Rejection – This is more commonly known as thermal radiation, the heat that can transmit through your windows and impact your level of comfort. Our films are capable of reflecting up to x% of Infrared Radiation.
VLT – Visible Light Transmission - This is the level of visible light the window film allows into your home. A low VLT value will typically reflect a darker film and a higher TSER value detailed below, resulting in power savings. Our films are capable of reflecting up to x% of Visible Light.
UVR – Ultraviolet Radiation – The UVR wavelength spectrum is dangerous to the human body, it causes sunburn and increases the risk of skin cancer. UV is also responsible for fading furniture, floor materials, wall paint, pictures and degrading of plastic products,. All of our window film products reject a minimum of 99% UVR.
TSER – Total Solar Energy Rejected – This the amount of energy our film is capable of rejecting in consideration of IRR, VLT and UVR above. Our films are capable of rejecting up to 75% of heat attempting to enter your home.
