1
In the middle of a very well written article about keeping cool and lowering energy bills contains 4 paragraphs about window films:
The same holds true with 3M’s Prestige series of performance window films, which preserve the view from inside the home. They allow natural light into the home while blocking up to 97 percent of the sun’s heat.
…
Prestige comes with a lifetime warranty against bubbling, peeling and color change. It costs about $9 to $11 a square foot, depending on the scope of the job and style of window.
While it is great to see window films deservedly making it into articles such as this, I am continually disturbed to see that only the most expensive films are being written about. The 3M marketing manager in this case has a new high-end film product they wish to publicize; however, I think most of the newspaper audience would be scared away by a product that costs $9 to $11 per square foot especially in these hard economic times.
It is just my opinion, but I believe the reader would be better served by a true range of costs for window film. Here is a comparison between Prestige and what TC thinks is the best bang for buck window film in 2009.
- Blocks 50-59% of total solar energy.
- Costs $9-$11 per square foot.
- Blocks 50-80% of solar energy
- Costs $2.65 per square foot for DIY install (Additional 30% off tax credit available)
- Costs $5-$6 per square foot for professional install
With this information, I feel consumers are better able to make a cost-effective choice regarding window film purchases.
Nice critique. Don’t miss the claim that the 3M product blocks 97% of solar heat while letting natural light in. That might be a stretch, obviously. Half the sun’s heat is in the (invisible) infrared range, about 47% of solar heat is in the visible light range, and the remainder is UV. So, to block 97% of solar heat, you would have to block almost all the visible light too. In the immortal words of Scottie, “you cannot deny the laws of physics, Captain.”