Solar Control Films

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Federal Tax Credit
A provision in the recent American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 (ARRA) has significantly changed the existing tax credit opportunity for window films installed in residential structures. Under the new policy, qualifying credit has effectively tripled from 10% to 30% of film cost with a maximum total credit of $1,500, up from the previous cap of $500. The new policy goes into effect retroactively from January 1, 2009 through to December 31st of 2010.

The trend towards more open floor plans and areas that bring the outdoors inside is unmistakable. Today's homes and commercial buildings use more glass than ever before. As attractive as this is, it leads to a host of problems ranging from excessive glare, heat build-up and high energy costs to the premature fading of carpets, furniture and draperies.

Lumar and Vista window film can effectively alter these problems while providing increased comfort and lower overall costs. With today's push to "Go Green", window film provides energy conservation and an almost zero carbon footprint, making our planet a healthier and more confortable place to live.

Solar Control Films has been providing window film installation since 1978 and pride themselves in timely professional work. We consider what is of primary importance to you when it comes to the type of film recommended for your home or business. With a large palette of film finishes and performance, you will get exactly what you need.

Solar Control Films also serves as a warranty service center. This prevents you from having to deal with third party warranty groups. Confidence and time tested results have produced low warranty claims in the Llumar and Vista brand of films.

Don't wait. Contact us today for a FREE home or business quote. For more information about window film, visit the FAQ section of our website.

October 2010: Save Energy In Every Season Did you know that your windows account for about one-third of your annual heating and cooling costs? They do. If you're serious about energy efficiency - and saving money - your windows must be well insulated. Until now, the best way to insulate your windows for all season performance has been to replace them with better windows. But that's both expensive and intrusive.

Simply by having your windows covered with Enerlogic's revolutionary , micro-thin coating, your window glass can get up to 92% more insulating power! Single-pane windows will get the annual insulating power of double-pane windows, and double-pane windows will get triple-pane insulating power. And unlike neutral or reflective window films, Enerlogic saves a significant amount of energy in winter as well as in summer.

September 2010: Glare People are spending more time at home with family, work and entertainment. Two areas that have a huge impact are watching TV and using the computer. Glare intrusion from the outside of your home can make this a very uncomfortable situation and cause eye strain which can result in headaches. Pulling down the blinds isn't always the answer since this can trigger the "sleep mechanism" in your body and reduce your ability to concentrate.

Window film can reduce the glare and keep you productive, while bringing in natural light to keep you going. Call today for a FREE estimate!

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy
"Energy costs represent 30% of a typical commercial building's annual budget and is the single largest operating cost. Solar heat gain through windows contributes to one-third of a building's cooling load."
SOURCE: BOMA-Kingsley Quarterly/US EPA Energy Star

July 2010: Nearly Clear High Energy Rejection What would you say if you could have a nearly clear film and still get 44% energy rejection? Pretty cool idea! Llumar has introduced a new product line called LS65GN at 44% energy rejection and LS75GN at 40% energy rejection. Both films offer 99% ultraviolet block and an awesome visual clarity that leaves your windows with no "tinted" appearance at all. Contact us today for more information and a FREE estimate.

June 2010: Optical Clarity When it comes to looking out the window, nothing brings more joy than a crisp clear view. Window film can improve that view by reducing the amount of glare that comes through the glass. Vista window film holds the highest marks in optical clarity of any window film on the market today, giving you a rich crisp view of your surroundings. If you have that "million dollar view", why not make it better with window film.

May 2010: Reputation Is Everything! Today it is very important to know who you are dealing with and how well do they perform their task. Finding quality work from reputable companies is a challenge for the consumer, particularly when they are researching new services. The best thing to do is first, ask around. Talk to those who have used this type of service. Next, see how well the ocmpany is known in your area. What do they do to promote their business and how professional are they. Then call and talk to the company and see how much they know, how helpful they are and what kind of phone manners do they have. We hope you find Solar Control Films one of the companies you are comfortable using and referring to your friends.

April 2010: Professional Installation or "Do It Yourself"? Many people are budgeting money these days and rightfully so. Today's economics have changed and many are evaluating whether it is cheaper to have the professionals do the work or just do it yourself. While installing window film yourself may save a few dollars, you are limited to just a couple of choices, no warranty and an end result you may not be happy with.

March 2010: "Case Study of Temperature Control" During the summer of 2009 a couple had an addition built on to their home. The room contained three double hung windows, a set of French doors and one transom panel. City code required that all the glass be dual pane Low-e windows with a "U" value of 38. They felt this would be sufficient to control heat and energy all year, but it wasn't.

During the summer the room stayed cool enough. However, when winter came along, the temperatures were typically 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house. After many months of enduring the cold, they had Vista window film installed on all the glass. That very day, the room temperature increased by 8 degrees. After further testing, the average temperature is only off by 2 degrees to the rest of the home. Yes, window film can add comfort, temperture control and even save you money.

February 2010: With the cost of living going up up up, the only way to really battle the trend is through reducing the impact we have on natural resources and consumables. Window film can reduce the amount of energy loss from your windows by up to 40%, thus translating into saved dollars for you. Since window film does not require periodic renewal, there is little waste to no waste to effect the environment.

A home energy audit is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. An audit will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time. During the audit, you can pinpoint where your house is losing energy. Audits also determine the efficiency of your home's heating and cooling systems. An audit may also show you ways to conserve hot water and electricity.

One way to save money on energy costs is to install window film to control energy loss through your existing windows. Different films offer different control properties. Window film is one product that will work for you all year round.

*Consumer Information: Window film has been labeled as window tinting, glass coating, glass tinting, tinting, film, laminate, sun blocker, solar film, safety film, security film, shock film and by many other names. The most commononly used term today is window film. Solar Control Films has made it a goal to educate people in the Roanoke Virginia area on the terms and practicality of window film technology. With the world today focused on going "Green", we feel education is the best method to changing our environment. Whether you have a home, condo or business, everyone can benefit from the effects of window film and start saving money now!

We are proud to serve the residents and businesses of the Roanoke Valley, New River Valley, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Radford, Pulaski, Lexington, Smith Mountain Lake, Rocky Mount and other communities.