Tinted windows when strategically placed on homes and vehicles can help to reduce the worst effects of a hot summertime sun while 
helping to keep residences cool and electrical costs lower. But it isn’t always good to put tint on windows. In most homes, tinting some windows will prove beneficial while tinting others at best will have no net effect. Choosing which windows need tinting and which don’t depends on their exposure to the sun. The longer the sun beats down on a window during the day, the more beneficial it can be to tint a window and reduce the sun’s UV rays by up to 90 percent.
Southerly Exposures Catch the Most Sun
In colder climates, homes generally are built with more windows facing the south to capture the heat of the sun and reduce heating costs. In a desert, that’s not a good idea. Generally, any windows facing south could benefit from being tinted. Windows facing the east and west also are candidates for tinting. Those facing east generally have their sun exposure only in the morning, so it could be worthwhile to leave them bare to help heat the home on cool mornings. On hot days, the sun generally will have bypassed them. Westerly windows also might not need tinting but generally would before windows facing the east due to late afternoon heat.
North Needs No Tinting But for Privacy
If tinting windows increases privacy and the tint is a type that also increases a window’s shatter resistance then using such tints can be productive. But, tinting windows facing north generally does no good if the intent is to reduce cooling costs. It can help to have family rooms facing the north when possible. Those facing the south are subjected to more sun exposure. And many homes have their largest windows in their family rooms. When those are facing south, natural windows and a hot midday sun can create a lot of greenhouse heat.
Do you have any rooms that get uncomfortable due to the summertime sun?
Originally posted 2014-05-13 13:08:53.
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