Whether you recently had a home energy audit to help cut high costs or you have been an energy conscious consumer for years, you know how much money you can save by taking conservation measures in your home. While switching to low-energy bulbs and using energy saving settings are helpful, using a residential window tint is also a very effective way to cut costs and save energy.

Cost-Effective Strategy

According to Home Energy magazine, using a residential window tint is the most cost-effective strategy to use in home energy conservation. While initial application is inexpensive, the savings mount year after year while the film blocks up to 99% of Ultraviolet light from entering the house and raising its temperature. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the average homeowners spend 43% of their energy bill on heating and cooling alone. Contrasting this cost with the $6 to $14 per square foot average cost of tinting, the savings start adding up within the first year of use. Homeowners with energy efficiency tax credits in mind may want to begin with a window film.

Keeping Homes Cool

While solar heat may be welcome on a chilly day, it is a huge summer expense. Solar heat, according to BOMA-Kingsley Quarterly US EPA Energy Star, accounts for at least a third of a home’s cooling costs. Residential window tint has the capacity to block out most of the sun’s heat, effectively lowering the temperature of a home to the point where air conditioning may not even be necessary. Homes with window tinting save at least 7% off energy costs annually just by requiring less cooling services. Some experts say that combining residential window tint with sturdy shade trees over a home can reduce indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit on a hot, sunny day.

Holding in Heat

The reverse is also true in regards to a home’s temperatures while using residential window tint. The heat used to combat cold temperatures is remarkably kept in the home with the help of window tint, using its insulating properties to hold in heat instead of allowing it to seep through windows. Heat is instead reflected back to its source: in this case, radiant heat returns. Window tinting can reduce the amount of heat lost by a home during the winter months by up to 40%, cutting the amount needed to heat the home by nearly half.  Homeowners interested in environmental awareness enjoy the reduction in their carbon footprints with the help of a powerful tint as well.

With tinted film lasting up to 25 years or more in many cases, it makes a lasting investment that is paid back quickly through savings in energy cost reduction. With so many additional benefits, from preventing fading from UV rays by up to 98% to reducing the glare in any room, it is beneficial to every member of the family, providing comfort and promoting wellness within the home without sacrificing the view, cutting environmental corners or costing much.