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Opalux Window Film Blog
Winter conservatory use is much pleasanter with the right window film in place
The colder, darker and wetter months may not be a time of year when you would ordinarily expect many heat and glare problems at your home. However, the fact remains that these issues can occur during any season. In fact, the low-lying sun might make glare an inconvenience that necessitates some kind of urgent solution – including in your conservatory, or wherever rooflights are installed.
This is where such solutions as the solar reflective films for polycarbonate that we supply here at Opalux can really come into their own.
These are both heat and glare reduction films that differ from the many other such films we provide, given their special adhesive that prevents them from bubbling up when applied to plastic rather than glass. But what else makes these films so different and special?
Take your pick from our interior or exterior product
As is the case elsewhere in our range of heat and glare reduction films, our solar reflective films for polycarbonate come in versions that are designed to be installed on the outside surface of the conservatory window or rooflight, and on the inside.
The interior film is the widely acclaimed Opalux Suncool (SO-10SC-iBF) product that takes the form of a translucent metallised film. It can be depended on to provide immediate shading and relief from the sun’s harsh rays, during those times – even during the winter – when there can be an outbreak of such sun.
If, however, you are specifically on the lookout for a film that can be applied on the outside surface of your rooflight or conservatory window, it is another Opalux product – the External Reflective Silver 20 for Polycarbonate film (SO-20RS-eBFSR) – that can come to your rescue.
This film’s performance statistics tell their own story about its effectiveness in repelling heat gain and glare. Not only does this product reflect 50% of solar energy and absorb a further 35%, but it also reduces glare by 81% and filters out up to 99% of harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. All of this is good news for your interior furnishings, as well as your own health.
The appearance of this film from the outside, meanwhile, is silver reflective during the day, and a much less noticeable light tint on the inside.
Benefit from a much more hospitable interior space this Christmas
The festive season may bring a whole host of priorities that don’t apply at any other time of year, but one of the last things that you will want to have to experience is unexpected heat and glare making for a less-than-pleasant experience in your conservatory or similar space.
This is why our technical department here at Opalux would be delighted to assist you in your efforts to select the most appropriate film for your own setting, even visiting your site if necessary, before providing a competitive and accurate quote.
Call 0845 026 1125 or email solutions@opaluxwindowfilms.com today for a more in-depth discussion of your requirements, so that we can guide you to the most suitable options among our acclaimed heat and glare reduction films.
Both convenient and sophisticated, our anti-graffiti window films will give you peace of mind
Graffiti is a truly unwanted blight on our communities. However, it can be even more problematic when found on windows, given the need it often causes to have entire vandalised panels replaced – unless, that is, some kind of protection has been applied to the glass beforehand.
It is such protection that can be provided by the anti-graffiti window films we manufacture and supply here at Opalux. This film works on a straightforward basis; it acts as an optically clear sacrificial coating that absorbs any graffiti applied to it. As a result, the film can be simply removed and replaced with a new film to restore the window’s previously immaculate appearance.
How and where may these films be used?
It is important to appreciate that the window films in our anti-graffiti range here at Opalux are not, strictly speaking, designed solely for the purpose of protecting a window against graffiti.
That’s because they are, in fact, safety and security films, which means you can also count on them to make your building’s glass safer. This is achieved by not only strengthening the glass against the risk of breakage, but also helping to hold together dangerous shards of shattered glass in the event that the glass does break.
In addition, while these films are by no means heat reduction films, they do reject a consistent 19-20% of solar energy that comes into contact with the glass. Moreover, they filter out 98-99% of harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, showing a versatility that helps to make these films invaluable for more reasons than one, right through the year.
Finally, one cannot forget – of course – these window films’ considerable usefulness as anti-graffiti films. With the thickness of these films varying between 100-micron and 200-micron, they are highly effective at preventing glass from being scratched or etched by graffiti operators. However, the thicker films in this range are recommended in settings where there is a strong chance of heavy-duty tools being used to apply the graffiti.
A full range of window films to cater to your specific needs
There is a broad variety of purposes that window films can serve, encompassing the likes of privacy management, solar protection, safety and security enhancement and visual effects.
So, if you are unsure as to the product that will be the best match to your requirements as a specifier or end user, our technical team here at Opalux will be delighted to provide you with the necessary guidance.
Indeed, every prospective customer of ours is urged to get in touch with us before making any product decision; simply call +44 (0)845 026 1125 or email solutions@opaluxwindowfilms.com for all of the information and advice you will need, along with a free survey and quote.
Privacy can be achieved in so many ways with Opalux window film
The task of ensuring privacy for the occupants of an internal space so often goes hand-in-hand with effective light management, which helps to explain why Opalux has such a stellar reputation as a supplier of window film with true privacy-boosting credentials.
One only needs to browse our current range of privacy-oriented window films, in fact, to see such options as standard translucent privacy films, frosted vinyl plotter-cut graphics, patterned films for semi-privacy, and digitally printed translucent designer films.
So, which of these window films are likely to represent the best choice for your own privacy requirements or those of the end user that you are specifying such products for?
For both total or semi-privacy, our standard translucent films may do the job
Our highly regarded standard translucent privacy screening films – namely the Fine Acid Etch – White (PA902) and Frost Vinyl (PV900) products – are proven, versatile options. Both of these films sport a finely textured matt finish, are suitable for application to new and existing glass alike, and can provide two-way privacy without seriously reducing levels of natural light.
These particular films allow for a high level of freedom in the initial glass specification, so that it can be determined at a later date precisely where privacy is and isn’t required. There may be certain areas like meeting rooms and reception areas, for example, where total screening isn’t needed, a certain level of through-vision being acceptable or desirable.
All in all, such translucent window film does a great job of providing the exact level of privacy needed in a variety of settings, while giving the user the scope to remove, replace or update the film over time in line with changes in how the spaces are used.
But we also offer many other specialised solutions
Naturally, it might be the case that your needs as a specifier or end user deviate slightly from those set out above. If so, an alternative product from our range of privacy window film may be the best one for your given setting.
Those alternative options include, among others, our opaque privacy films, which are not see-through or translucent, but do not entirely block all light transmitted through the glass. In the event that the latter is a benefit you do seek in a privacy window film, we can supply dedicated total light-block film instead.
Finally, if it is one-way privacy that you would like to achieve with a daylight-facing window, this can be achieved by fitting a solar reflective film or dual reflective film, a mirrored finish being provided from the outside.
In short, you have a lot of options for privacy-enhancing window film when you source such a product from Opalux. This, in turn, is one reason why we would always urge you to get in touch with our company directly when you are attempting to select the best possible solution.
Call +44 (0)845 026 1125 or email solutions@opaluxwindowfilms.com, and we will be able to discuss your requirements for such a window film, and guide you to a solution that ideally matches your aesthetic, practical and budgetary priorities alike.
Opalux external low-mirror films combine a subtle appearance with high performance
For many of those seeking to purchase our solar protection window film here at Opalux, there can often be a friction between the competing priorities of aesthetics and practicality. Yes, you are probably motivated to order such window film in the first place due to a wish to better protect a building’s occupants from the adverse effects of excessive heat and glare... but a given film not having the right look for the building for which it is intended, could be a deal-breaker.
That’s one reason why we are proud to be able to offer low-mirror film alongside the reflective films that you may have initially considered for your building. As its name suggests, the former type of film doesn’t have the latter’s highly mirrored outside appearance, its more neutral look lending itself well to architecturally sensitive settings, such as historic buildings.
But what if it isn’t either possible or advisable to have such solar protection window film fitted on the internal surface of the given building’s glass? In that case, you may have good reason to look to our externally applied low-mirror window films.
So many benefits beyond their exterior-grade construction
As you might imagine, a window film that is installed on the exterior surface of a building’s glass needs to be able to resist the weather and other elements that could otherwise cause it to deteriorate quickly. That’s why our external low-mirror window films have been made to be true exterior-grade films, complete with a scratch-resistant coating and long warranties.
But it isn’t, of course, just their strength in the face of adverse outdoor conditions that makes our external low-mirror window films such a fine choice. That’s because they also have that low-mirror appearance, in the two available hues of grey and bronze. These are understated window films from the inside, too, simply giving off a light tint.
Then, there is the formidable performance that these products deliver as solar protection window film to consider. When you wish to achieve significant heat and glare reduction, in the process providing a better experience for the occupants of your buildings and helping to reduce energy costs in the long run, these are films that you can depend on. Indeed, their credentials are strengthened further by their high level of filtering of potentially harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Equip your building with only the best solar protection window film
With an extensive range of window film products available from Opalux, we’re the people to talk to when you are in need of a film that will bring real results in terms of appearance, heat control, glare reduction and any number of other aesthetic and practical needs.
Simply email solutions@opaluxwindowfilms.com or call 0845 026 1125 now to ask us any questions about the window films that may best suit your needs, as well as to arrange a free survey.
If you want to reduce glare as much as possible, which window film should you choose?
As will be appreciated by anyone who has ever needed to make a decision on the most suitable window film to reduce glare for a particular building, it is by no means only the glare reduction statistics for a range of films that will guide the ultimate choice of which product to order.
Nonetheless, it is still instructive to look closely at these figures when you are specifying window film for a building where glare could otherwise be a major problem. It is also important to inform yourself as to which of our window films are geared towards glare reduction at all.
Which window films of ours are unsuitable for reducing glare?
One category of window film among our present offerings here at Opalux that does not lend itself well to significant glare reduction, is our clear heat control film. These products are, however, otherwise state-of-the-art, due to their effectiveness at rejecting solar heat and ultraviolet (UV) rays while still preserving a ‘natural’ appearance with a high level of visibility through the glass.
They are not, though, window films to purchase if glare reduction is a priority. Indeed, the typical buyer of such films will either be unconcerned about glare, or will have ensured it is dealt with by other means, such as the use of curtains, blinds and awnings.
So, how do our other products compare?
If you are seeking out glass window film to reduce glare, it is ultimately either our solar reflective or low-mirror films that you will be choosing between. Our Reflective – Silver 20 film (SO-20RS-iSR), for example, is capable of decreasing glare by a whopping 82%, while its Lower Mirror – Neutral Grey 20 (SO-20NG-iSR) counterpart is similarly impressive, providing 80% glare reduction.
There is, however, another category of heat and glare control film here at Opalux that is aimed at those whose windows aren’t glass at all. For polycarbonate windows and rooflights, such as those found on conservatories, we can offer such highly effective products as External Reflective Silver 20 for Polycarbonate (SO-20RS-eBFSR), which delivers its own very impressive glare reduction of 81%.
Don’t accept anything less than the best in window film
All in all, whatever your exact requirements may be when you are in the market for window film to reduce glare – even beyond the glare reduction requirement itself – you can be sure of being guided to the right choice with the assistance of our team here at Opalux.
Get in touch directly with our friendly and informed professionals now to discuss your needs from your next window film, whether you are a specifier or end user. When you do, we will be able to arrange a free survey and quotation, so that you also benefit from the very best value for money.
Our internally applied heat reflective material for windows continues to deliver the goods
If it is a Google search for ‘heat reflective material for windows’ that has brought you to this page, you are presumably on the lookout for a solution that will reflect or repel the heat that can otherwise so easily rise and make your buildings’ internal spaces less than pleasant places to be.
Indeed, on the subject of internal spaces, it is important to note that such heat reflective material – otherwise known as window film – is available for both internal and external application.
While there are certain contexts in which internally applied film will make the most sense and others in which you may deem an external window film to be the best choice, an internal film undoubtedly offers convenience when it is not necessarily easy or simple to access the outer surface of your building’s glass.
So, what solar reflective films for internal application do we presently have in our stock here at Opalux, and what benefits will you be able to expect?
Different window films suit different requirements
While the basic principle of heat reflective material for windows as mentioned above may remain the same across the wide range of products on the market, we do see customers with many different requirements here at Opalux, and therefore seek to provide the most specialised and suitable window films for them.
You are likely to look to our Reflective – Silver 20 (SO-20RS-iSR) product, for instance, if it is the very best possible level of heat rejection that you desire in your choice of internally applied film. This product transmits just 13% of solar energy, while reflecting 52% of this energy and absorbing 35% of it. It also offers remarkable glare reduction capabilities of 82%.
However, while this particular window film is an excellent solution for tackling severe solar heat gains and glare problems in a building, all of this does mean lower levels of visible light are transmitted through the glass.
If, then, you require a higher amount of visible light transmission and are prepared to also accept a higher level of solar energy transmission and lower glare reduction to accommodate this, such a product as our Reflective – Silver 35 (SO-35RS-iSR) or Reflective – Silver 50 (SO-50RS-iSR) film may turn out to be more suitable.
Don’t accept anything less than an industry-leading product
Whatever window film you purchase from Opalux, you can be sure of the same impeccable standards of design, manufacture and effectiveness, as we have become renowned for over the decades since we were established in 1976. Our professional and friendly customer service team can also provide highly responsive and informed technical support.
Let’s ensure that you benefit from only the finest possible heat reflective material for windows, whether as a specifier or end user; call the Opalux team now, on 0845 026 1125, for all of the assistance and guidance you’ll need, as well as a competitive quote.
Your plastic conservatory rooflight deserves the right heat reduction film, too
While this time of year is one during which many of us retreat indoors a little more often than may have been the case during the summer, that doesn’t necessarily mean excessive heat ceases to be an issue.
The British weather has long been unpredictable in that way, of course. However, it may be that while you are enjoying your conservatory, you soon become aware of what heat reduction films like those from the Opalux brand could do for your experience of using such a building.
Polycarbonate windows and traditional window film sadly don’t mix
Unfortunately, if you were concerned about the adverse effects of high levels of ultraviolet rays (UV) and heat passing through your plastic conservatory rooflight to the space below – for example, discomfort for the users of the conservatory, or the quick deterioration of interior fabrics – you would probably be left dissatisfied by a ‘conventional’ reflective window film.
That’s because – as effective as such heat reduction films can undoubtedly be when applied to glass – they can have a tendency to bubble up if they are instead fitted to a plastic surface.
Thankfully, we have the perfect alternative product here at Opalux, in the form of our solar reflective film for polycarbonate windows and rooflights. There are both interior and exterior variants of this product available, depending on your preferences and requirements, and both have an exceptional track record of helping to make conservatories and similar buildings much pleasanter places to be, whatever the season.
Films that answer all of your pressing needs
While the interior version of this film is the renowned translucent metallised Opalux Suncool product (SO-10SC-iBF) that has its own great reputation for providing immediate shading and relief from the sun’s rays, the exterior version (SO-20RS-eBFSR) should also not be overlooked.
The latter film is, of course, designed to be installed on the outside surface of a polycarbonate window or rooflight, and brings a host of benefits – including impeccable solar heat and glare reduction and one-way privacy during the day.
As aforementioned, you may also specify such films as the above if you are worried about the lifespan of your furniture and furnishings being shortened as a result of them being constantly exposed to the harshness of the sun. Sure enough, these particular heat reduction films are highly trusted as a solution in this regard, thanks to their powerful filtering of damaging UV rays.
We can help you to make the most appropriate choice
Don’t forget, too, that it’s very easy to ensure you select the right heat reduction window film for your requirements when you simply get in touch directly with the Opalux team, as you can do by calling 0845 026 1125.
When you take this step, we will be able to answer any technical questions you may have, in addition to arranging an on-site visit if necessary, so that we can give you an accurate and competitive quote.
Could our computer simulation help you to assess the potential results of installing one of our energy control films?
So, you’ve carefully considered the merits of our energy control window films here at Opalux, including such products as our exterior-applied and Low-E variants, but you’re still unsure about the cost savings that this type of window film could make possible. What should be your next step?
Well, it may be that a computer simulation program could assist in determining whether purchasing a particular window film from us would give you worthwhile savings.
How does the program work?
The simulation is based on the principle of whole building modelling, necessitating the collection of a significant amount of data about your building if the most accurate result is to be achieved.
The process entails your Opalux dealer collecting the relevant information and forwarding it to our Technical Department, so that we can then run the simulation. However, having this simulation performed is far from the work of a moment, as the Opalux dealer will need to carry out an in-depth survey of the building fenestration.
Indeed, your dealer must also assess how feasible the exercise is at all, and give you a timescale and price for the whole building analysis if you do decide to proceed. Nonetheless, it may turn out to be better for the dealer to make their recommendations to you on the basis of empirical evidence, instead of going as far as undertaking this expensive procedure.
Nonetheless, if it is ultimately judged to be a good idea to carry out the simulation, a wide range of inputs will need to be collected – including building shape and orientation, information about the HVAC system, cooling and heating temperature settings when the building is occupied and unoccupied, gas and electricity rates, total building area, and other details.
We should be your first port of call for window films
Whether you approach us specifically with heat and glare reduction films, energy control films, tinted films, safety films or any similar product in mind, you can be sure that you have chosen the right brand in the form of Opalux.
Get in touch with the Opalux team today – by calling +44 (0)845 026 1125 or emailing solutions@opaluxwindowfilms.com – to discuss in greater detail how our industry-leading window films could serve your desired application, as well as to request a competitive quotation.
Just how much heat can be lost when you choose one of our clear heat control films?
If you are interested in reducing temperatures in a setting that can be vulnerable to excessive heat, but where it is also important to ensure the windows retain a naturally clear appearance, you might be concerned that there are only so many window films you are able to choose from.
However, a type of window film that can definitely cater to this requirement is our own clear heat control film here at Opalux.
As the name of these window films indicates, our clear heat control films transmit high visible light levels, unlike some of the other glass film to reduce heat that you may have considered, yet are still genuinely effective at rejecting heat gain.
This combination of qualities helps to make these films an excellent choice for such applications as retail shop windows, motor showrooms and other residential and commercial settings in which a reflective or tinted outward look just wouldn’t be desirable from a window film.
But what exact level of performance can you expect from this particular glass film to reduce heat?
Genuinely impressive heat reduction
Before we go any further, it is worth emphasising that unlike many of the other heat reduction films we supply here at Opalux, our clear heat control films are not a particularly good choice if it is a major priority of yours to decrease glare. Indeed, these films are all intended to be used in spaces where glare control is not a great concern, or where it is already addressed by other means such as awnings, curtains or blinds.
If, though, you are specifically seeking out clear glass film to reduce heat, these products deliver remarkable results. Opt for our internal Specialist Heat Control – Clear (SO-70IR-iSR) product, for instance, and you can look forward to 50% of solar energy being transmitted through the glass to which it is applied, while 11% will be reflected and 39% absorbed.
The relevant solar energy statistics for the Supreme XL – IR Heat Control/Clear (SO-70XLIR-iSR) film, meanwhile, are 37% transmitted, 36% reflected and 27% absorbed. Finally, the Specialist Heat Control Clear External (SO-70IR-eSR) film, which is designed to be fitted to the outside surface of glass, transmits 39% of solar energy, reflects 9% and absorbs 52%.
Source your glass film to reduce heat from the undoubted industry leaders
With heat reduction being just one benefit of the clear heat control film manufactured and supplied by Opalux – the others ranging from very high light transmissions and quick retro-fit installation to the effective screening of ultraviolet (UV) rays and the better protection of interior furnishings – these are ideal window films for various contexts and purposes.
Don’t, then, hesitate to talk to the Opalux team about how we can serve your own most specific requirements from glass film to reduce heat. Call 0845 026 1125 now, and we will also be able to arrange a free survey and quotation for you.
Our highly regarded Mani-Fest® manifestation can be an essential workplace health and safety enhancement
Is your organisation seeking a quick route to compliance with not only Building Regulations, but also the Workplace Health Safety & Welfare Regulations for window manifestation or glass partition manifestation? If so, our off-the-shelf frosted manifestation dots or squares could be an invaluable investment, whether your firm is the specifier or end user.
Indeed, unlike so many window film and related products, Mani-Fest® dots or squares are highly suitable for application by end users – and indeed, can be supplied directly to such users by us.
Why does our window manifestation make so much sense?
While, as mentioned above, there are regulations that make our manifestation dots or squares a wise purchase when you wish to achieve fast-track compliance with health and safety requirements, it is not just the legal or safety angle that you may be motivated by when turning to us for these products.
Our Mani-Fest® dots and squares are, after all, neat, unobtrusive and unpretentious in appearance, and have long won rave reviews from our customers, who have routinely described them as “easy to use”, a “good concept” and “very convenient”.
You therefore don’t need to consider any other window film product for this purpose, our glazing manifestations being suitable for use throughout an organisation’s departments or buildings, thereby helping to perpetuate a consistent aesthetic across all of the given firm’s premises.
It’s no wonder, then, that contractors place their trust in us time and time again when in need of manifestation dots and squares for use on new or existing glass in schools, hospitals, public buildings, offices and retail stores – to name just some obvious settings in which this product is likely to be valued.
Ask us any questions you may have about Mani-Fest®
Opalux is a go-to name for manifestation rolls not just in dot and square designs, but also in the form of bars, chevrons or diamonds – or for that matter, almost whatever other pattern you may wish to request from us. We also offer attractive quantity discounts when 10 or more rolls are purchased at a time.
We aren’t just a company to consider, then, when your organisation is in need of standard window film! Call 0845 026 1125 now, and our friendly and professional team will be happy to discuss with you the best-suited solution, and even arrange for same or next-day despatch of your items.