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Vinyl Window Covering

Should You Use Vinyl Window Covering Film for Privacy and Energy-Efficiency?

A few years ago we owned a home where the previous homeowner had built a sunroom off the back. This glassed-in space looked out to the mountains on all sides, and the view was spectacular. We put furniture out there, planning to use it as extra living space. However, we soon found that our plans weren't going to work. When the weather was even warm, so much sun shone in the windows that the room was unbearably hot. Even though the room was air-conditioned and had a ceiling fan, it still heated up like an oven. I just wish that we would have known about vinyl window covering then, because we could have used it to solve our problem.

Vinyl film is a great invention, because it provides a perfect solution to the problem of sun shining into your home and fading your furniture and carpets. You can choose a vinyl window covering that has various patterns and colors which will highlight your room as well as provide privacy for your family. For example, having sidelights around your front door may seem like an attractive idea, but it doesn't take long to realize that they also allow people an unobstructed view into your private life. Window film can take care of this problem both easily and cost effectively.

Vinyl Window Covering: Imperfect Solutions?

Unfortunately, vinyl window coverings aren't perfect. Manufacturers will tell you that it's very difficult to produce film that both blocks solar rays and lets an acceptable amount of light through a window. As a result, with most types of film, you sacrifice natural light in order to block the harmful rays of the sun. With some reflective films, as much as 85% of all desirable light can end up being blocked. Therefore, it's critical that you choose your window film with care. You want a film that is truly spectrally selective. While many brands claim that they are, very few really have this quality.

You need to have at least 70% sunlight coming through your window film. Human beings function better when they are exposed to sunlight, becoming more alert and productive. Spectrally-selective films will cost a bit more, but they will also give you optimum performance in keeping harmful rays out while letting sunlight in. Used correctly, vinyl window covering can be a true blessing for any home or business owner.