Solar window screens

[ST77]

My wife is considering get these installed I was wondering who has them here and if you noticed a real difference in your electric bill?

[brewercm]

I installed mine into our house shortly after moving in. Not sure about a difference in bill (although it has to have a difference) but I could tell a huge difference when just walking by one of our windows.

If you are fairly handy you can save a bundle by making and installing them yourself. Very easy to do.

[picman]

I had them installed on west facing windows in a bedroom.
I cannot say for sure there was a change in electric bills, but there was a big difference in comfort level.
Shoot for the middle of the road in screen density. When we were looking, the densest screens darken the room too much for our taste.

[mgphotos]

We went with new double-pane windows a few yrs back and all though the electric rates change about the same time we did this it did make a huge difference in the heat and cold coming in but not real sure on the electric bill. Big difference in price on the windows and screens though. There are a lot of people in the neighbor hood getting these screens.

[danchez]

you talking about something like this: Gila Film Products : Innovation. Protection. Style.

Awesome stuff and makes a huge difference.

[brewercm]

Originally Posted by danchez

you talking about something like this: Gila Film Products : Innovation. Protection. Style.

Awesome stuff and makes a huge difference.

I have something similar on an upstairs back window and it helps quite a bit also. What he was talking about I think is actual screen that takes the place of regular screens if you have them. They both make a big differrence on the heat coming through the windows.

[ST77]

Thanks, looks like we will be getting some screens

[Cajungaltx]

Sean - Brad and I did our own - it's ridiculously easy, you'll need a hacksaw to cut the framing pieces, and a weekend to do the entire house with two people.....it saved us a a huge amount over buying them premade....

Lowes & Home Depot sell everything you need to do it yourself... check your HOA for deed restrictions for the color the screen has to be... we put on the darkest one we could find, and it made a HUGE difference...

[ST77]

Thanks all, I would make my own but I have a problem once they are made and that would be getting them installed. I don't do heights

[L Stegall]

Any screens in particular that anyone has a link to? I'm interested in putting something on my dining room window - it faces our west side yard and is really unusable mid-day from the sun coming through the very large window. Since it's a very old and very ornate piece of leaded glass we've not put shutters or curtains on it as the window itself is a significant architectural detail. I'd love something that I could put outside and we could still see through, but that allows people inside to see the detail in the window. And, did I mention it's large? Like about 110" wide, so it's been a challenge to come up with something.

[shamrock]

I installed them around this time last year. Just checked the energy use analyzer that our electric provider provides, and it appears that for June and July, we used about 200 kwh less electricity each month than last year. At that rate, i'll have recouped the cost of the screens in about 8 years.

[ndsimm]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

Sean - Brad and I did our own - it's ridiculously easy, you'll need a hacksaw to cut the framing pieces, and a weekend to do the entire house with two people.....it saved us a a huge amount over buying them premade....

Lowes & Home Depot sell everything you need to do it yourself... check your HOA for deed restrictions for the color the screen has to be... we put on the darkest one we could find, and it made a HUGE difference...

How much will you and your husband charge me to come do my windows?

[JohnT]

I got them all the way around a few years ago, and I really like them. Huge difference in temperature in my son's west-facing bedroom and east-facing kitchen and living room. They also provide a degree of privacy when the blinds are open during the day. Not sure, though, on the energy savings. Probably some since the temp stays down more in the house.

[Night Owl]

We have 80% all the way around and the difference is astounding. We already have double-pane windows, but the downstairs is actually chilly when the thermostat is set at 77, as opposed to before when you'd break a sweat.

Looking back, however, I think I'd have preferred reflective film. We got an estimate from a guy in Katy who did my Mazda's tint. It was horrendously expensive, but the 3M film that keeps your window intact when it breaks is just another level of security.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by Night Owl

We have 80% all the way around and the difference is astounding.

That's what I have, and I can really feel the difference when the sun is shining on the window. I've done a comparison, and it's huge.