Moving towards the upcoming modern times, protection from heat and cold has become a part of our daily lives. People wish to live much more comfortable lives, and so houses have installed air conditioners, air coolers and several other machines in terms of increasing comfort while keeping the finances minimal. A trendy but quite old option that adds to this concept is the increased usage of heat-resistant reflective foils, glazing films and renshade for your windows.
Heat resistant reflective foils, glazing films and renshade not only save the electricity bill by reducing the need for constant air conditioning, but they also protect you from harmful UV rays from the sun and bring a sense of privacy to your house too.
This article explores heat-resistant reflective foils, glazing films and renshade options for rental properties to work out its worth option for real estate investors? Should you consider them in rental properties?
Let’s start rolling… But, what really are heat-resistant reflective foils, glazing films and renshades?
Let’s find out…
What is Heat Reflective Foil for Windows?
A heat-reflective foil is a sort of aluminium foil that comes with a bubbling core. It is a highly reflective material from both the outside and also from the inside. This enables it to prevent any heat loss during winters when you need to warm your house.
On the other hand, it also avoids any sort of heat entering your house during summers after you have cooled down your house through air conditioning.
Not only does this reflect heat, but it also reflects the sunlight and so resulting in causing less damage from UV lights.
What is Glazing Film for Windows?
The glazing film used for windows in any house is like an upgrade to the current existing glass of the window. This is a thin laminate film that is installed on either the interior or exterior part of the glass.
The glaze is shiny, which makes it reflective. This reflective property possessed by the glazing film ensures that the heat transfer is reduced by about 80% and so traps the heat in winters and prevents it from entering in summers.
Moreover, the glaze on the glazing film also reduces the consistent light rays coming from the sun, making it far easier to look through the window at the light source without so much as hurting your eyes.
What is Renshade?
Renshade is another one of the protective gears that blocks heat from entering during summers and from escaping during winters. It comprises perforated aluminum foil Holland blinds, which enable it to do so.
The best thing about getting renshade and installing them on your windows is how it does not stop you from looking out yet prevents any and all sort of heat from entering inside. It blocks heat and light but still does let light in.
Getting a renshade makes sure that about 85% of the heat and light is blocked from entering, and so your house remains cool throughout.
In addition to this, renshade is also easily removable and so far more convenient than its alternatives.
What are Renshade Alternatives?
However, when we look upon alternatives, renshade has its set of much cheaper alternatives that work just as well. These consist of the following:
- Use aluminum foil
Aluminum foil possesses the quality of being highly reflective. Using this and making a coat all around your window will guarantee that any and all points of heat do not have access to your house.
However, even though this is a far cheaper alternative to renshade, it does not allow you to look outside at the view and also will block light completely. This will not bring any of the necessary vitamin D that comes from sunlight. And, eventually, in the long run, add to your electricity bills as you will have to use the interior lights to do anything.
- External window shading
This is one of the top choices for people in terms of replacing renshade. They can simply install a top shade for their window on the outside.
Shades will not only beautify the window but also protect the windows from getting heat. However, these are not in direct contact with the window, and so your house may still heat up. Heat does not need a direct source of contact, and it can come directly through rays.
Although the sun rays are reflected from this external window shading, there is no guarantee that it saves you from the consistent heat from the surroundings. So renshade is a better option even if it is more expensive.
- Bubble wrap insulation
Bubble wrap insulation has become a much more popular form of preventing heat from entering into homes as we move towards modern times.
Although this method does not have a visual appeal, it helps prevent heat from entering your house to a great extent through the air bubbles present in the bubble wrap.
It is easy to install and effective as well.
Being a cheaper alternative to renshade, it is quite productive in its functions. However, in terms of visual appeal and easy removal, renshade still comes out on top and proves to be better. Remember, you should not harm the value of your property with less visual appeal.
When Should You Get Reflective Foil, Glazing Film Or Renshades?
All the three mentioned items above are used as a means to avoid any sort of heat from entering your house. They have become an important part of our daily lives in terms of helping us in various ways, so there are many instances when you should consider installing reflective foils, glazing films, or renshades for our windows.
- Protects you from extreme weather conditions
One of the main reasons why you may want to install either reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade is when you live somewhere that has extreme weather during both winters and summers. The reflective foils, glazing films, and renshades will help keep you well protected from these weathers within the premises of your own home by preventing heat from entering your house during extremely hot weather and thus help keep your house cool.
While on the other hand, during winters, the reflective material will reflect the heat inwards and stop it from leaving, thus keeping your house warm and cozy too.
- To insulate the property
Although the weather is a great concern to get the reflective foils, glazing films, or renshades installed another reason to get this done is when you need to insulate your house.
Insulating your house will make sure your house is at a stable temperature all year round and so creating a much more comfortable and pleasant environment to be living in. Definitely, a proper insulation can cut your power bills too.
- For privacy
Keeping this aside, what people fail to consider is the level of privacy that getting the reflective foil, glazing film or renshade installed brings forth. If you live in public, crowded or busy area, you may be prone to people, neighbors
and mostly kids peaking in.
Getting the reflective foil, glazing film or renshade installed helps prevent this as people peaking in will not be able to see whatever is going on, thus keeping your privacy intact.
What Are The Advantages Of Installing Reflective Foil, Glazing Film And Renshades?
The heat-reflective foil, glazing film, and renshade have several benefits that should be considered as an attraction to getting these installed. The first and foremost being how energy efficient these things are.
They not only protect you against heat, but they also add to the environment by preventing carbon gases that escape from your air conditioner by reducing the use of this air conditioner.
In addition to keeping your house cooler or warmer as per your need, getting the heat reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade installed saves money as electricity bills.
Moreover, along with material benefits, this also brings benefits for you. It helps you block the damaging UV rays which may cause harm to your (or tenants) health and also keeps your privacy maintained by the shade these items bring.
What Are Potential Drawbacks Of Getting Reflective Foil, Glazing Film And Renshades?
Although the heat reflective foil, glazing film, and renshade have more benefits than disadvantages, they do have drawbacks that should be considered.
- The cost
One of the main key negatives is the expensive installation. Getting any of the heat reflective foil, glazing film or renshade is expensive and requires a professional to install perfectly.
- Can be hazardous
Unless it is properly installed, because they are electric conductors, it may prove to be an electrical hazard that may result in a mass fire and so destruction.
- Regular cleaning requirements
Not only this, to ensure maximum efficiency, all three things: reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade need to be regularly cleaned since dust prevents them from efficiently reflecting the heat away.
Moreover, the constant dust may also lead to even more reduced light than expected during winters which might make it hard to cope up with as well.
- Can devalue your property
If not done properly, they can devalue property.
Can Heat Reflective Foil, Glazing Film And Renshades Cut The Cooling Bill?
As we move towards a more ‘developed stage’ as a nation, we look for ways to reduce daily living costs while maintaining the current standard of living. This can also be in terms of reducing the overall bills, including electricity and water bills.
Following this mindset and thinking, installing the reflective foil, glazing film or renshade helps in reducing the cooling bill to a great extent, some say up to 25%.
When the reflective nature of either of the reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade reflects the heat from the outside in the environment and restricts it from entering your house, it will keep your house cool. A cooler house for a longer time will make sure that you need to turn on your air conditioner much less frequently. Hence, installing the reflective foil, glazing film or renshade will help you in reducing your cooling bills.
Not only this, but they will also keep your houses warm during extreme winters and help you cut down the heater bills as they won’t let the let-in heat escape easily.
Should Landlords Allow Tenants To Use Reflective Heat Films on Windows?
People are looking for ways to cut down costs. One of the main methods to do this is by installing heat-reflective films such as reflective foil, glazing film, or a renshade on windows. Keeping this fact in mind and understanding the needs of the tenants, landlords should consider tenants to use either the reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade on windows.
The first and foremost benefit of this is that it will reduce the overall electricity bill for the tenant. A lower electricity bill at a specific property may keep the tenant intact at that place for a longer period of time since they are saving much more money than they would have elsewhere and so it is easier to renew their contract as well.
On the other hand, installing any of the heat reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade may enhance the living space’s overall look, if done professionally.
In modern times, people are more concerned about visual appeal and beauty than they were before. And so getting these heat-reflective glazing such as the reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade installed will give the property a better look. This will thus attract much more clients, and the house can be put on for a higher rent.
(That is a different topic by itself, as many factors involve when it comes to a value of a property)
Alongside the above-mentioned benefits, installing the heat reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade also leads to greater comfort. Living in a cool and stable temperature environment brings comfort for everyone. This added comfort will only add to tenant retention in the long term.
The tenant will feel listened to and create a better and more comfortable relationship with the landlord (or tenancy manager) as well and so this will make them stay for a longer time.
Adding onto this, along with the short-term benefits, getting either the heat reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade installed will also benefit in the long turn and for future use. When this heat-reflective glazing is installed, it can be portrayed as an added facility to bring greater comfort to the tenant.
Knowing this facility is also available, the landlord can charge a greater rent. And there will also be people willing to pay the extra rent because for them they are saving money in the long run through a lower electricity bill every month. Just, like a property comes with solar panel gates installed.
Conclusion
To sum up, everything stated so far, installing the heat reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade is highly effective and beneficial in preventing heat from entering extreme weather.
Apart from the fact that it saves cost by reducing electricity bills, it also enhances your privacy, letting you do whatever you want to without having any intrusions. Understanding this, the tenants should be allowed by the landlord to get either of the heat reflective foil, glazing film, or renshade installed on the windows, if reasonable.
The landlords need to understand that getting these installed only has benefits for them, too, as tenants prefer to live in a much more comfortable space.
In this regard, they should understand that a cooler space is much more attractive. So they can charge a much greater rent when it comes to leasing renewal as well in the long run since renters love heat-resistant windows.
