Windows & Conservatories

Though modern life offers ways of heating and cooling that werenât always available, many people are looking for ways to control the climate of their home in a more cost-efficient manner. For some, thereâs an extremely simple solution: installing shutters in the home.

Particularly in the winter months, windows a especially single-pane windows a are a major source of heat loss, allowing interior warmth to escape while cold air enters. In the summer, windows allow sun to enter homes, which can increase the need for air conditioning and other cooling measures, which cost even more money.

Shutters reduce energy costs in several ways. With a well-insulating shutter, heat loss can be dramatically reduced. This lessens reliance on the thermostat, keeping homes warm without cranking up heating bills. Similarly, during warmer times of the year, shutters can be used to block excess sunlight that overheats homes.

In particular, a shutter with a high R-value, or ability to insulate, is a better choice for reducing heat loss and blocking excess heat. A high R-value shutter can increase the R-value of a window by two or three times. Certain shutters can even âupgradeâ a single-pane window to the equivalent of a double-pane window.

One great choice for insulation are interior shutters. As the name suggests, these are installed on an inside wall instead of on the exterior of a house, as is often typical. They are usually made of wood or other similar materials, and have slats that can be adjusted to expose or cover windows. This makes them particularly useful for blocking sun overexposure during the summer months, which keeps a home cooler without relying heavily on air conditioning or other forms of electric cooling. Because these shutters are not outside in the elements and don't suffer the damage of traditional shutters, they require relatively little maintenance.

Another thing to consider is that shutters can also reduce the reliance on artificial light. Certain types of shutters are perfect for adjusting light levels in a room while maintaining privacy for the inhabitants of the home. Less reliance on artificial light means, again, reduced energy costs.

Additionally, in certain countries, there may be tax benefits to installing shutters in the home, as they are an energy-saving measure. This, of course, depends upon the location and the type of shutters installed as well as other criteria, but it is another money-saving incentive.

All of these are relatively straightforward ways that installing shutters can be a money saver for homeowners. Since major amounts of heat escape in drafts surrounding windows, a simple fix is reinforcing the escape routes with extra insulation. This makes a home infinitely more energy-efficient as well as more comfortable after all, few people want to sit by a chilly window or in a baking patch of sunlight. With decreased reliance on energy-consuming forms of in-house climate control, simpler forms of insulation and saving money are within anyone's grasp.

Reference:www.usinghome.com

The first and undoubtedly the most important thing you need to know about window film is the difference between good quality window film and bad window film. Here’s why: Good quality window film will last for the life of your windows but bad window film is likely to last less than 3 years, especially in extreme heat.

HOW TO GAUGE THE QUALITY OF A WINDOW TINTING SERVICE

The only way for a non-professional person to discern between premium and poor quality film is price and guarantee. When inquiring with a supplier, be sure to ask how long the film is guaranteed for. If it’s not at least 12 years save yourself the pain. And also beware of the unscrupulous operator who offers you a guarantee on low quality film and hikes the price, to make it look like it’s good film, but will either not be around, or simply do nothing if you get back to them because your tint has degraded. And remember, if your only motivation in getting quotes is looking for the cheapest possible price, then you will naturally gravitate towards the poor product and the real price you pay will be in 2-3 years when your windows start to blister, fade and/or peel and just look awful. Be warned, the cheapest price is most likely to lead to regret!

BENEFITS OF INSTALLING WINDOW TINT

There are a lot of different advantages you can get from window tinting, and each particular film brings together different advantages, so the first thing you need to be sure of is the most important reason for installing window tint, so the first thing you need to be sure of is the most important reason for applying window tint in your situation. Lets look at each advantage in a tad more detail so you can better figure out the most suitable solution for your environment.

The primary advantages of good quality window tinting are:

Heat Rejection: Premium window film rejects heat by blocking up to 73% of Total Solar Energy through windows. That really is cool!

UV Blocking: Good quality window film prevents up to 99% of IR radiation from penetrating windows. And as a bonus, it also eradicates 93% of glare, which massively improves for your view and means things look cool!

Privacy: The right film will also provide daytime privacy, enabling everyone inside to be cooler, enjoy the views, and at the same time have total privacy from prying eyes in daylight.

Impact Safety and Security: These specialist films stop glass from fragmenting on impact. Safety films are designed to withstand the force of human impact, while security films can withstand an explosion without shattering. Since the collateral damage from accidents where windows are broken comes from shards of glass spraying like shrapnel, or large sections of glass falling like a guillotine, the major risks around safety are mitigated. It also stops your windows from becoming a soft and easy entry point for burglars, because both the impact and noise required to break and enter is so noticeable burglars would rather just move on in search of an easier, ‘softer’ victim.

Style: Good quality window film also makes windows look good; and for many people it’s the aesthetic charm that tinted windows add that is the major reason for installing them.

USING DARK TINT

The next point I want to discuss is relevant to car/vehicle owners and it concerns installing the darkest legal tint on your car, truck or work vehicle.

In most Australian states the darkest legal tint allowed on a vehicle is one with a VLT (visible light transmission) level of 35%, on all vehicle windows (excluding the front windscreen, which cannot have any window tint except for a visor strip across the top). The only exception to this are in the NT and WA. In the Northern Territory you are permitted a minimum VLT of 15% for windows behind the driver; and in WA you are allowed 20% VLT on windows behind the driver.

So here’s the critical point. Most vehicles already have a slight tint in the glass in their front windows, so this needs to be taken into consideration when adding tint to a window. Here’s what I mean. If the factory glass on your car already block 30% of light, when a film with the “darkest legal tint” of 35% is added to this window, it will emit only 35% of light into a window that is already only emitting 70% of light, so the end VLT reading will be calculated by the combination of both VLT ratings.

This is critical because if a driver accidentally fails to comply with tinting laws, the result can be a fine. But even worse, if a vehicle is involved in an accident and its illegally dark windows are considered by the court to be a contributing factor, this could result in the cancellation of your insurance policy, leaving you exposed to the full financial culpability of the accident. Additionally criminal charge could apply if property is damaged or people are injured.

The final thing to consider is that by modifying a vehicle with darker than legal windows, the vehicle is deemed to be unroadworthy, which means you can’t drive the car again until it has been put through roadworthy testing, in which case the illegal tint will have to be stripped off the windows. That’s why the combined VLT of both the glass and film really should be considered when you’re selecting the appropriate tint.

So what do I really want you to get from this article? When it comes to window tinting, make sure you use a good quality film and that your installer has the expertise to be able to offer you the right solution for your situation, otherwise you’ll end up with a bunch of unintended problems that could have serious consequences. Checkout my business, http://precisionwindowtinting.com.au if your in Perth, or if you live somewhere else check your local window tint association, where you should find a list of reputable installers.

The housing market is facing a significant crisis that is likely to be played out over the next few years. While the previous global meltdown that we experienced was the worst of its kind since the great depression, all the factors are there to indicate that we will be moving headlong into the same type of problems that engulfed us before.

So how does that impact the average homeowner that wants to secure a property for their children? Will your children ever leave home? And how can you afford to move into a larger property?

The main problem with moving to a larger property is that while you can revel in the fact that the value of your home has increased since you purchased it, the reality is, so has the property that you most likely will move into.

So moving means taking on more debt and your costs will increase as global economic factors change. Meaning that the cost of your loan will increase over time and when interest rates are really low you can expect that to be balanced by job uncertainty.

How does the average homeowner that wants a more space and a stress free life achieve that balance in an uncertain world?

There are two options that we have identified that can really help to improve the quality of your life:

Option 1 : Move to a larger but cheaper property

This is a viable option when you consider that in the UK we have a great north south divide with regards to house prices, wages and the overall economy.

Living outside of the city in most countries means that property prices are cheaper. If you are able, nearing retirement or flexible about work, then sell up and move to further outside the city, or to a cheaper city altogether.

The difference can be astronomical. Swapping a 3 bedroom terraced house in the outskirts of say London can net you a 4 bedroom detached house in the outskirts of Swindon. Still maintaining great commuter links to London if you need them.

Option 2: Increase the size of your home

This is an option that many homeowner are already employing. Loft conversions, basement excavations and extensions being built daily, all being valid options that you can use to increase the space in your home. They can provide that extra room for your growing children.

One of the cheapest options though, is to build your own self build conservatory. The conservatory is already a much used add on to many homes, as it provides great space for socialising and all year round light and heat.

For prices starting around £2000, you can save yourself a really penny if f you are prepared to put some of your own time into the build.

With a solid roof on your conservatory, it will be more like an equivalent extension that would have cost around £30,000, but you will easily save over £20,000 in the process when you opt for a build yourself kit based conservatory.

So for those of you that want a better quality of life and are concerned about what the future holds, at least now you have a couple of options about what to do next.