Is Window Tinting Worth The Expense?
Thinking of ways to cut down on energy costs in 2016? Replacing your old, dated windows with low-E windows are the best options in keeping warm air in and keeping cold air out. Rather than spending the money to fix your windows, some homeowners might take a different route to get the job done: tinting.
Tri County Windows & Siding knows how to get the most out of your windows, as we provide Northern Virginia with the highest quality window products with unmatched customer service. While tinting does have some advantages, nothing does the job like replacing your windows with low-E windows from one of our high-end manufacturers.
Why Consider Tint?
Many people are familiar with window tinting on cars and commercial buildings, but adding protective film to your windows is a relatively new phenomenon. Tinting does block some UV rays from your windows. A popular reason for adding tint is to preserve many of the nice things on the inside of your house from harmful sun rays — things like your floor, artwork, furniture. As light pours in from your window, these things can fade and overtime lose value or are ruined.
What Tint Doesn’t’ Do
Despite those advantages of using a tint there are two major talking points why tinting your windows can in fact be more expensive in the long run.
- It doesn’t give your house the energy saving benefits of low-E windows. Putting a film on might keep UV rays out of your house, but it’s not going to trap warm air in while keeping cold air out.
- In many instances you’ll void the manufacturer’s warranty if you add tint on your windows. Read that sentence again and let it sink in. You may void your manufacturer’s warranty by adding tint. So, if your window needs replaced, you’ll pay for it!
What are low-E windows?
Low-E stands for low thermal emissivity, referring to the surface condition of glass — such that it emits low levels of radiant thermal energy, or heat. From a scientific standpoint, everything has emissivity. On a scale from zero to one (one being material that absorbs 100% of thermal energy and zero being material that reflects 100% of energy), window glass by nature emits a high level of thermal energy. Because it lets so much heat pass through, manufacturers add either very thin film coatings or antireflection layers (sometimes both) to windows to improve the insulation, thus keeping heat inside while blocking air from the outside.
Over time, the investment in low-E windows pays off greatly in energy costs, so make sure you’re doing the right thing in improving your home. We offer products from Alside, Atrium, Adnersen, Gorell, ProVia, Simonton, and Soft-Lite. If you receive an estimate lower than ours for the same products or services, we will not only match the price but also give you a guaranteed 5% discount.
November is a great month to get your windows replaced, so call us today!