Here in Colorado, we get a lot of sun and we are at a higher altitude too. Which means the sunlight here is more intense and heats up homes faster than at lower elevations. So it makes sense that one of the most common requests from our potential customers here is–” which window films keep the heat out?”. The simple answer is those that block solar heat gain because this is what is responsible for your home being 20-degrees hotter than it is outside and rooms that are too hot to sit in–even with the A/C blasting. Luckily we carry window films specifically made to combat this heat gain. But to understand which window films are best at keeping that heat out you must first understand a bit about the heat itself.

Where Excess Heat Comes From

The sun’s rays through and onto glass are primarily what make you home uncomfortably hot. But the sun’s rays are made up of three parts. The part that is responsible for heat is the infrared rays. By addressing the infrared part of solar radiation, you will stop most of the heat that is making you uncomfortably hot in your Denver home. But there is another factor involved. The air you are cooling with A/C is escaping–primarily from the glass on your windows. Glass is a poor insulator and some window films is a good one. Therefore to solve your home’s excess heat problems–a window film must block infrared rays and insulate.

Which Films Work To Block Heat Causing Infrared Sunlight

Any reputable window film will reflect infrared light away from windows to some degree. If you are looking to really prevent heat build-up on the glass of your Denver home and lower temperatures Low-E window films are a good solution. E stands for “emissivity” and the lower the emissivity or e-value of a window film, the better it is at reflecting heat off glass. For regular films, the e-value is around 87% but on Low-E window films the e-value typically ranges from 7%-65% (7% keeping the most heat out). But, as we mentioned before, insulation is also something to consider. Therefore, window films that are both Low-E and have superior insulation properties are the best way to keep your Denver home cooler. These films will both keep heat out and keep the air you pay to cool in, saving you money and making your home incredibly more comfortable. Some of our favorite Low-E films (that we often recommend to our Denver customers) are Enerlogic, Solar Gard Silver AG and 3M Thinsulate.

To find out more about which window films keep the heat out and are most cost-effective for your home here in Denver–contact us at Denver Home Window Tinting today!

Mike Kinsey has sold and installed over 250,000 square feet of window film. As the Operations Manager for Denver Home Window Tinting, Mike oversees all aspects of sales, product education, and customer relations. He is also the project manager for all residential window film installs. Mike's extensive product knowledge and years of experience give him the ability to select the perfect window film for any home. From privacy and decorative to energy efficiency, security, and more, Mike is well versed in all the top innovations and products available on the market today. He and his team have completed hundreds of projects in the Denver metro area, as well as the surrounding areas of Aurora, Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Centennial, Englewood, Thornton, and Littleton.