TL;DR
- Solar window films offer the following key benefits:
- Save energy by reducing load on air conditioning systems
- Block 99% of UV rays, preventing damage
- Block out harsh reflections on screens and other reflective surfaces within homes
- Privacy in the daytime without sacrificing natural light
- Temperate indoor temperature
- Boost your home’s appeal and value
- Make glass more shatter resistant
- Low-maintenance and long lifespan
What is Solar Window Film?
Minnesota homeowners face unique challenges with intense summer sun streaming through south-facing windows and harsh glare reflecting off winter snow. Solar window tint offers a practical solution that addresses multiple problems simultaneously, including those skyrocketing air conditioning bills and quickly faded hardwood floors.
An alternative to heavy curtains or blinds that block our natural sunlight and your view of the outside, solar tint for home windows invisibly rejects heat and UV rays.
At Sun Control of Minnesota, our family-led team has installed residential window film across the Twin Cities since 1978, helping thousands of homeowners reduce energy costs and protect their interiors. Working with experienced home window film installers ensures an application devoid of bubbles, gaps, or peeling issues.
What are the 8 Major Benefits of Solar Window Tint for Homeowners?
Here’s how homeowners can benefit from installing solar window tint:
1. Dramatically Lower Your Energy Bills
Regular old glass allows solar radiation to pass through, prompting your air conditioning system to work harder to combat the unwanted heat. A high-performance solar window tint film reflects and absorbs solar energy, bringing you significant cost savings (no more aggressively cranking down the thermostat!).
In the Twin Cities, where our summer temperatures tend to overshoot the 90°F mark and air conditioning runs continuously from June through August, these savings can add up quickly.
Solar tint also provides insulation during Minnesota’s brutal winters. Low-E (low emissivity) films reflect interior heat back into your home rather than allowing it to escape through the glass.
2. Protect Your Interiors from UV Damage
UV radiation can wreak havoc on an average home’s interior, costing you thousands of dollars due to early fading and quicker deterioration.
Here’s how UV rays can damage your home:
- Hardwood flooring losing color and finish
- Carpets and rugs fading in sunny spots
- Upholstered furniture becoming discolored
- Artwork and photographs bleaching out
Solar window tint repels up to 99% of harmful UV rays, essentially creating invisible sunscreen for your home’s interior. Our team at Sun Control of Minnesota has worked with countless St. Paul homeowners who discovered too late that their expensive hardwood floors had developed permanent streaked fading patterns from unprotected sun-facing windows.
3. Eliminate Uncomfortable Glare
Harsh sun glare can make otherwise comfortable rooms practically unusable for several hours of the day, forcing you to retreat deep within your home or forcing you to close the blinds and lose the sunshine completely.
Here are the typical issues with glare:
- TV screens washed out during daytime viewing
- Computer monitors unreadable near windows
- Dining tables too bright for comfortable meals
- Reading areas requiring constant repositioning
Solar window tinting reduces glare by 50 to 90% depending on the film darkness you choose, allowing you to enjoy natural light without the accompanying discomfort. Our technicians help Minnesota homeowners select the right level of glare reduction for each room’s specific use and window orientation.
4. Increase Privacy in the Daytime Without Losing Light
Privacy concerns prompt many homeowners to draw their curtains closed or keep the blinds tightly shut, creating dark interiors that feel entirely disconnected from the outdoors (not the most desirable outcome, is it?).
Reflective and tinted solar tints create a mirror-like effect during the daytime, blocking the view from the outside to your interiors but allowing you a clear field of view from the inside. This one-way privacy works whenever interior light levels are lower than exterior brightness.
5. Stabilize Indoor Temperatures and Increase Comfort
Scorching hot and suddenly cold spots throughout your home can be irritating. Solar window tint can moderate this and offer the following benefits:
- Eliminate hot zones near large windows
- Reduce temperature variations between rooms
- Make sunrooms and porches more usable
- Improve sleep quality in bedrooms with morning sun exposure
For 40+ years, Sun Control of Minnesota has aided homeowners in reclaiming previously uncomfortable spots in their house by installing solar tint.
6. Enhance Your Home’s Appeal and Value
Beyond the many functional benefits that solar window tint offers, it also offers an important aesthetic benefit. Here’s how the cohesive look of a window tint can benefit your home:
- Uniform appearance across windows
- Solves the problem of mismatched blinds or curtains that were placed in visible spots of the house
- Creates an ultra-modern final look that signals a well-maintained property
- Final look is attractive to potential buyers (if considering selling your home)
7. Safety Benefits
While solar tints are usually installed for their energy and UV benefits, solar window tint films also boost basic home security measures. Here are the advantages you get:
- Holds shattered glass together during storms or break-in attempts
- Slows forced entry through windows
- Protects against flying glass during severe weather
- Reduces injury risk from accidental glass breakage
Minnesota’s severe thunderstorms and occasional tornado warnings make this added protection particularly valuable for Twin Cities families.
8. Low-Maintenance & Long-Lasting Performance
Unlike their alternatives for sun-blocking, solar window tint comes with minimal maintenance obligations. Here’s what you need to know:
- Clean with standard glass cleaner and soft cloth
- No moving parts (like with blinds) to break or replace
- Resistant to peeling, bubbling, or discoloration (when professionally installed)
- Typical lifespan of 15 to 25 years with proper installation
At Sun Control of Minnesota, our CNC-cut precision and on-site installation by trained technicians ensure your solar tint window film performs flawlessly for years.
Secure Your Home and Boost Comfort
Solar window tint can bring with it many compelling benefits that noticeably boost comfort, lower your usual ownership costs, and protect your home.
Our family-led team at Sun Control of Minnesota has spent over four decades perfecting residential window film installation across St. Paul and the Twin Cities, combining industry-leading technical standards with professional service that makes upgrading your windows simple and worry-free.
Get in touch: (651) 490-1060
FAQs
1. How long does solar window tint last on home windows?
Professionally installed solar window tint can last between 15 and 25 years when properly maintained. Lifespan depends on sun exposure, film quality, and installation ability.
2. What are the disadvantages of solar control glass?
Installing solar window tint may come with a higher upfront cost. It is also recommended to seek the services of experienced installers to avoid issues arising from a lack of precision. However, in the long-term, solar window tint pays for itself.
3. Can I install solar window tint myself?
While DIY window tinting kits exist, professional installation by experienced solar window tinting specialists delivers superior results. Most technicians use precision cutting equipment, professional-grade films, and proven techniques to reduce change of failure.
