The 3M window people installed the stuff. As I recall, the cost was not exorbitant. Might call around.

Basically, you clean the window, the wet it, and apply the stuff. I think you had to let it dry for 24 hours, too. But since the windows had been cleaned, who needs to muss them up? I was not home when it was installed, but I expect they trimmed to the window with a blade once it was on there.

Here's a FAQ from 3M

Wow, this thread reminds how badly my 1970's windows need serious replacing ... and sadly, how I'm not spending money on that sort of thing. Uh-uh.

I have just spent lots of time quizing my window guy about film, duel pane windows, etc. I'm not sure I can regurgitate it all, but I think I know what we need to do.

It is cool to see my 1927 doors coming to life again!

Well, Casa Swank is a fabulous cool bungalow.

It is like my dream home, very cool and very few up here, like I could afford one. :(

Can you at least summarize? What was his take on the film?

It would mean a little extra wiring, but if we do fans I'm eying something like this. Not sure if that particular one would work with a ceiling fan, but the key is to have both a wall switch AND a remote. That way the light can be turned on when we walk in the room without having to worry about remembering to replace the remote by the door every time we leave the room (which I guarantee we won't), while the remote would let us kill the light while in bed.

OK, this is what Milt said (with the disclaimer that he is an old house guy):

He said that the window film may help a little bit, but it is not only the windows that are heating things up. The walls absorb - and hold - heat much more than the windows do. But, a filter will block UV rays and protect the furniture/floors from fading. But, a curtain or blind would do that as well.



Ceiling fas/and fans in general, just move air around. They don't cool. But, if you have circulation problems with your AC, fans may be an option to get the cooler air moving.

Keep curtains shut during the day and open the windows at night to cool the upstairs. Heat rises.

He's also not a huge fan of dual-pain windows. He finds that it is abig expense for us here in So Cal. Now, if we lived in MN, by all means get them! We also got to talking about insulation and the theory that a well insulated house takes longer to cool down than a poorly insulated one.

We talked about a lot of stuff that I know nothing about, so my brain was sort of swimming at the end of the conversation (plus he was getting all of my neighbors stopping by and asking questions. Windows are a popular subject when it is super hot outside and you live in a 1920's neighborhood. ;)

So, I also talked with an insulation contractor today. In his words, I live in a leaky old house and new roof insulation would do nothing for me. The insulation we already have is fine. Now, if I had central air or heat, drywall walls, and tight window seals - well, then maybe insulation would be cost effective. But, it's not something he recommended.

HOWEVER, he DID recommend an Orange County company to do window film. He said they are miles above anything else out there. Their name is Tint Pros and the contact is Loni. This is their web site.

From our own experience with the sliding glass door, the double paned, UV blocking glass made a HUGE, noticeable difference in our kitchen temp. And that's even with another large window in that room that we haven't touched. That said, it would be tough to say the cost is worth it. We only did it because our door died and needed replacement anyway.

In reading some reviews it seems the Gila stuff may be a bit annoying to apply as it's an adhesive, but it does a better job blocking heat than Energy Film, which is a cling. Some of the reviews say plainly that the Energy Film does not work...

I'm aware that fans don't cool air, but moving air is always better than stuffy stale air. I'm in what will be the baby's room right now and even the tiny little space heater turned to "fan" makes a world of difference. So I have no doubt in my mind that a ceiling fan will be a marked improvement (especially since the room really needs a ceiling light to begin with, so if I'm going to be doing that, I might as well make it a fan).