When choosing a location and orientation for a home or business in Florida, you need to know and understand the sun. If you are building a new home or office, you may be able to choose the angle of the construction in relation to the sun. If you purchase an existing property, you won’t have that luxury. And either way, there will be rooms where you need to control the sun – or at least control the amount of light, heat and glare that enter the rooms.
Know the Sun, Control the Sun
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and that affects the view, the amount of light and heat and the potential for glare and sun damage. But it’s not that simple, of course. The sun only rises due east and sets due west two days each year, the Spring and Fall equinoxes. Between those two days, the sunrise ranges from its northeastern most to its southeastern most points, and the sunset ranges from its northwestern most to southwestern most point.
Perhaps more importantly, it’s the south side of a home or building that actually gets the most hours of sunlight during the day. South-facing pools or yards will get the most sun, but southern exposures can mean harsh sunlight and glare indoors. North-facing rooms receive consistent and flattering natural light. West-facing rooms will be flooded with warm afternoon sunlight.
Especially when combined with floor to ceiling windows, sliding glass doors and open plan architecture, east or west exposures may allow too much light in. Unless you like waking up with the morning sun, you may not want an east-facing bedroom. On the flip side, east or west exposures allow you take in Florida’s gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.
You also need to consider the elevation when thinking about sun control. A tenth-floor condo or office will have very different sun exposure than a one-story building.
Window Film for Sun Control
Rooms flooded with Florida sunlight can be beautiful, but they can also be the cause of increased temperatures and cooling bills. Fortunately, there is a window treatment that allows you to control the sun’s light and heat while preserving the view and architecture.
High quality solar control window films from 3M let in the beneficial light while blocking up to 99% of the damage-causing UV rays and up to 60% of heat transfer. This means no worry about your furnishings and interior surfaces fading in the sun, no hot spots and reduced energy costs. By reducing the heat coming through the windows, window film such as the 3M Sun Control Window Film Prestige Series, lowers utility costs and reduces your HVAC system’s workload.
Window film is available in a range of neutral colors or crystal-clear options, allowing you to choose what matches the style of your home or building. Window film can be combined with traditional window treatments or take the place of them for a minimal, modern style.
If your home has impact or thermal pane glass, 3M Sun Control Prestige EXTERIOR Series films can be applied to block the sun and heat from the outside.
Beyond Sun Control
With privacy and security features available, window film can do more than control the sun. 3M™ Privacy Films are available in several options that block the view one way or both ways. From white matte translucent film to blackout film to one-way mirror privacy film, there are plenty of options in privacy window films.
3M™ Safety & Security Window Film is designed to hold broken glass together. This reduces injuries from broken glass and offers protection against burglary, intrusion, blast and explosions, seismic events and more. Learn how 3M Safety and Security Window Film is used in schools.
If the nighttime view is one of the things you love most about your home or business location, you can control the sun during the day and without sacrificing your clear vision at night. Learn more about how 3M Sun Control Window Films, Night Vision Series gives you enhanced views, even after dark, while reducing heat transfer, glare and UV rays during the day.
Peace of Mind
Select 3M Window Film to give you peace of mind from a company with a proven record. When professionally installed, 3M window films come with a comprehensive, limited lifetime warranty for residential installations. For more information or an estimate on residential window film in the Pompano Beach / Miami area, Request a Quote, call 954-960-0212 or visit www.windowtintusafl.com.
Learn Why Your Window Film Installer Should be 3M Certified
Want to see how the film would look in your home? Check out the 3M Residential Window Film Simulator.