Serendipity wrote:

Ok, here's the the promised report on the solar film installation. We
had the Solar Guard Bronze installed today. The way it works is it
gives privacy as well as energy savings. In the summer it reflects heat
out of the house before it gets in; in the winter it allows a small
amount of solar gain offset by reflecting heated air back into the room
making our over all heat loss significantly less. We paid extra because
we had two huge picture windows. We have already decided to have the
additional windows (8) done at a cost of $250. Here's what we have so far.

Cost - $807 CDN

Installation - 10 windows, time 2 hrs

Inconvenience - on a scale of 1 - 10 I would rate it a 3 but you get
your windows cleaned free

Look - You can tell it is there from the inside but it give a very nice
mellow pale peach look. From the outside, it does not look industrial
and goes really well with the house. Actually, it accentuates the
architecture, something I am rather please about!

Privacy - From the sidewalk that is rather close to the front of the
house, you can see shadows but anything close to the front window you
can vaguely make out. There is a reduced privacy issue if you have a
window adjacent or directly in line with the tinted window as light will
allow shadows. Nothing major, just so you know. From across the road,
you can't see a thing! I should almost add another point is the
neighbour **** off factor. We live next to a small apartment building.
The tennants are snoops and and general pain in the keiseter but we
try to keep good neighbour relations. As I type this, three are having
huffy fits. I can see them but they can't see me Anyway, once they
realize they can't see it, the novelty will wear off. Then on the other
side is our adorable but annonying retiree neighbour who I swear to God
knows everything we have in our house. He's having his own little huffy
fit. All I can say is this the the best thing we have done in a long
time. Well worth the money if only for the privacy!

Energy savings are predicted at 25%. I can handle that! That means the
film should pay for itself in 3 years. For the naysayers regarding
solar gain, with the size of our windows, the solar gain was
considerably less than the solar loss. All around a good choice for our
situation.

HTH

I doubt you will save any energy or money with the Solar Film.

You will probably lose out on incoming sun rays.

Alex