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3M’s Sun Control Window Film: Spotlight on Protection You Need to See

September 13, 2016 by Carol S 1 Comment

3M Sun Control Window Film: Spotlight on Protection You Need to See

Did you fall in love with some big, beautiful windows when you moved into your new home or office? Then you probably know what it’s like to see the damage that sun can do to your flooring and furnishings! If you’ve ever peeled back a rug and seen a discolored floor underneath, you know what I mean!

How Do You Protect Your Floor?

Of course, you could always add curtains to your windows. There are some excellent ones that block out all the light, and also make a quieter space for you. But you might not be such a big fan of the dark, man-cave look.

Louvered shades or blinds are another option.

3M™ Sun Control Window Film

We love window film. We cannot lie. Not only will 3M™ Sun Control Window Film block out harmful UV radiation that damages your furnishings, and your skin, you’ll be lowering your heating bill at the same time! That’s a no-brainer in our opinion!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqLjKDsAnvQ

Carpet Stays Bright and Cheery

Your carpet will thank you for using window film. And not just your carpet, but your couch, and that beautiful table that you shipped from that one Hawaiian vacation. Now you won’t have to twirl it around every other week to keep the fading even on both sides.

hardwood floor photo — Photo by Rubber Dragon

Hardwood Floors Stay the Same Color

If you’ve ever seen the damage UV light can do to flooring, it can be quite dramatic. As Tadas Sadunas explains in this wonderful hardwood floor blog, some types of wood darken, some get bleached, just like the different types of skin. Yes, there are finishes that give your floor some UV protection, but window film is much easier.

Wearing Sunglasses Indoors?

Do you know someone like this? The sun is so bright that everyone has to wear sunglasses indoors! And that’s not right! You should feel comfortable indoors–as well as safe. Wearing sunglasses indoors is just so…silly! Not that we’re anti-silly, but you should be able to control the silly. And with window film you can!

UV Damage is Cumulative

We don’t want to harp on it, but ultraviolet light damages your skin and causes photoaging. So to keep your furnishings and your skin safe, you need to protect yourself from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which by the way can travel through windows and damage everything in sight.

window film photo — Photo by Sigma.DP2.Kiss.X3

Let Us Explain Your Options!

We’re in the San Francisco Bay Area, and service homes and businesses up and down the peninsula, in the South Bay, as well as San Francisco. So if you’re considering window film, give us a call so we can explain your options!

Want to Control the Sun? Valuable Tips Actually Make You Healthier

August 27, 2016 by Carol S Leave a Comment

You’ve heard it again and again: stay out of the sun during peak hours (10-4:00 pm), use sunscreen, and wear a big hat! But what else can you do to put your health back in your hands? Read on to see!

sunlight photo

First Tip: Get Window Film!

During the hottest months in particular, Window film is like sunscreen for your house, car, or office. You might not always remember to use sunscreen, and with window film you won’t have to! So for heaven’s sake, use window film. Like brushing your teeth, window film is an investment in your future self’s health. And your future self will thank you!

Window film is good for your car, as well as your home, or business. So if you spend a lot of time in any one of these places, start with window film there.

Second Tip: Monthly Self-Exam

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, doing a monthly self-exam helps to catch early stages of skin cancer. Examine your nose, ears, and places that get lots of sun in particular. Check behind your knees, your back, and your face. If you can’t see all those places yourself with mirrors, have an “exam buddy” help you out!

Step-by-Step Skin Cancer Exam from the Skin Cancer Foundation

You could also have your general practitioner give you a look over. A dermatologist will probably give you the most thorough exam. If you have skin cancer in your family, you might want to do a self-exam and have a doctor examine you as well!

Third Tip: Protect Your Left Side

Anyone who drives is more prone to getting sun exposure from the left side (unless you drive on the other side of the road!). Keep a hat, wraparound sunglasses and sunscreen in your car, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. You’ve heard of tennis elbow, but what about driver’s face? Remember the truck driver with damage to one side of his face? That’s what the sun’s UVA rays can do coming through your car’s windows. Those bad rays can also penetrate clouds, in case you were thinking of rolling down your windows on a cloudy day!

In the summertime, you might be more likely to roll down your windows or ride on a motorcycle, or have the top down on a convertible. In that case, all of your sides need to be protected–not just your left side.

golf photo — Photo by Krzysztof Urbanowicz

Fourth Tip: Take Extra Precautions if You Play Golf

That’s right: golfers have more exposure to the sun than athletes who play other sports. But you can choose earlier or later tee times, and of course wear a hat, sunglasses, and a thick layer of sunscreen. If your skin is lighter, be extra careful, although anyone can suffer from skin damage. There are now specialty sun screens just for golfers, hats with extra air flow, and fabrics that have SPF protection built in. See the video on the PGA Show’s link for specifics.

Fifth Tip: Ask An Expert

Who would know how to stay cool better than Bigfoot? After all, he’s covered with fur, which he doesn’t shave even when it’s scalding hot. And if you try to mention global warming, he’s likely to throw a half-empty beer can at you!! Oh, you could also ask someone at 3M, since it’s the 50th Anniversary of Window Film.

Sixth Tip: Call Us for the Best Window Film!

We’re in the San Francisco South Bay, but travel throughout the Bay Area, up and down the peninsula, Campbell, Saratoga, Palo Alto, and San Mateo. As well as Sunnyvale, Brisbane, and the places in between!

How to Make an Invisible Theft Deterrent: New Window Film

April 14, 2016 by Window Works Leave a Comment

For commercial or residential property, there are a variety of ways to deter thieves. You can install alarms, lighting systems, monitors to record activity nearby, or have a trained guard dog. Here are some ways we have found that work wonders.

Window Film

Window film helps keep you, your family, and your business safe because it holds glass together. Every second counts when a thief is trying to get into your home. Don’t let the “crime of convenience” term be associated with your home–take aggressive steps to make it difficult for thieves to break in! And if you want to know how to keep your family’s skin safe, see our Dangers of Indoor UV Radiation: How to Protect Yourself. More about safety film below.

Own a Dog

Some dogs are better than others at protecting your property. You probably wouldn’t choose a tiny dog, unless it had a huge bark and a huger bite. But a Doberman or a German Shepherd with adequate training would do a great job. Both are on the Top Ten List of Dog Breeds for Protection. And if you own a dog, you might also want to post a Beware of Dog sign. By the way, here’s how Big Foot Beats the Heat. Big Foot is definitely big enough to help deter thieves.

Install Lighting

Motion detector lighting is one simple way to deter thieves. You can adjust the lights for different times of year, how long the lights stay on, and the distance-range setting. You may want to improve your security by pointing lights at all points of entry to your home. Here’s an excellent article on How to Choose and Install Motion Detector Lighting. You want to avoid having places for thieves to hide, such as behind bushes or doorways.

Have a Home Security System

There are a number of smart home security systems now available without the costly monthly fees. Be careful when choosing your home security system. Consumer Reports recently reviewed three of these home security systems, and found that they mostly deliver what they promised. Another deterrent is to post signs letting potential thieves know that you have a security system. If you decide that you do want to buy one of the big-name security systems, Huffington Post has a good article about how to choose one, and emphasizes ways to get discounts!

keynote photo — Photo by Ignite New Zealand

Get a Home Security Check

Many police departments offer security checks. Ask your local officers in blue to come by and walk around. They’ll give you suggestions to help beef up your security. Some tips are quite simple, such as locking doors, installing peepholes, and keeping exterior areas lit up. The San Jose Police Department has a good, five-minute video on preventing burglary. They emphasize that burglars are looking for easy entry into homes.

open fence photo — Photo by AJU_photography

Be a Good Neighbor

Being a good neighbor sounds like a cliche, but we’ve all known people who don’t even know their neighbors! If you don’t know yours, today is the day to change that! A batch of cookies and a walk through the neighborhood will quickly end the problem of living next to strangers. Or, if you’re too shy to walk around with cookies, you could take a digital approach and join a Facebook group, or a local NextDoor.com group.

Avoid Mentioning Travel Plans on Social Media

Of course you want to keep your friends updated, but why not share after you’ve returned? Those wonderful photos of you on the beach can surely keep for another day or two. Here is a list of things not to post on Facebook before or while you’re on vacation. For instance, don’t say you’re going to buy some diamonds and will be out of town for a few days.

window lock photo — Photo by Alain LE GUEN

Window Locks

Since windows are one of the least secure spots in a home, spending a little of your security budget can have a big impact on your home or business’ security. Window locks are an inexpensive option that does not detract from the style of your home. One of the best deterrents is a hefty window lock that is visible from the outside, as outlined in this excellent article, How to Burglar-Proof Windows.

3M Safety Film

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is this video about 3M safety film worth? Above, two industrious burglars try to break into a clothing store in Dallas, Texas, and eventually give up and drive off. They try hitting it and even throw a garbage can at it.

Safety Film is Invisible But Results Aren’t!

You’ll probably forget that you have safety film once it’s installed. But rest assured that it’s protecting you! It requires no feeding, no additional monthly fees, and very little maintenance other than occasional cleaning!

Give Us a Call!

Ready to install safety film, or have questions about whether it’s right for you? We’re in Santa Clara, near the San Jose Airport. But we travel all over the San Francisco Bay Area!

3M Daylight Redirecting Film: Five Ways it Can Change Your Life

June 10, 2015 by Window Works 1 Comment

Chances are you’ve never heard of daylight redirecting film, or known that it could change your life. But it can! We’ve written about window film and its benefits before, but daylight redirecting film is completely different. In case you didn’t know anything about this wondrous film, here is an introduction.

Daylight Redirecting Film Can Decrease Absenteeism

People react positively to natural daylight. And many builders create larger windows to allow more light into buildings. However, you can use 3M’s Daylight Redirecting Film rather than installing larger windows. And having more light makes a better work environment, which decreases absenteeism. See the video below to find out how.

Daylight Redirecting Film Works At All Times of Day

Even if the sun is low in the sky or there’s not that much light, 3M redirecting film can redirect sunlight and brighten up your office or home. The film can be modeled using software to redirect light according to your building’s orientation, weather, and time of year.

The video below shows a timelapse of 3M Daylight Redirecting Film in a building:

3M Daylight Redirecting Film Throws Light Deep into Buildings

We couldn’t say it any better than this 3M website: “New to the world 3M Daylight Redirecting Film, utilizes micro-replication to redirect light that would have originally hit the floor a few feet from the window, up onto the ceiling, helping to light the room as deep as 40 feet from the window.”

3M Daylight Redirecting Film Reduces Glare

Without window film, people often use shades or black-out curtains to block all light, which keeps the interior of a room dark. Without glare, people feel comfortable without the addition of curtains or shades, increasing their comfort.

Daylight Redirecting Film Increases Comfort

3M Redirecting Window Film is Cool

And by cool, we mean literally cool. And in the summertime, having a cooler home or office means less cooling costs.

Questions?

If you’re wondering about window film, give us a call! We recently moved to Santa Clara, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Surprising Facts About Safety Film

May 27, 2015 by Window Works Leave a Comment

You probably already knew that safety film could hold your windows together. Here are some other facts about safety film that you might not know! By the way, if you missed our post on how window film can improve your life, you might want to check it out.

Safety film enhances the strength of your windows by keeping the glass from shattering. Before a storm, the last thing you need is to be searching for plywood to nail over your windows!

Safety film prevents water from entering your home or business because the film acts as a barrier.

3M Safety Film for Commercial and Residential Use

Safety film is often used in historic landmarks to preserve furnishings from heat and UV damage, as well as to prevent crime.

Restaurants and other businesses use safety film to prevent glass from shattering and falling into food (or harming diners).

Where there is a danger from earthquakes, safety film can prevent windows from breaking and causing injuries.

Like other window films, safety film has the added benefit of reducing the heat coming through your windows.

Some 3M safety films are strong enough to handle bomb blasts. Some films can adhere to window frames, retaining the glass within the window frame itself.

We recommend 3M™ Ultra 600 safety film. It blocks 99% of the UV rays coming through your windows and offers the most tear and penetration resistance.

Window Works recently moved to Santa Clara. If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area and need safety film, give us a call! We’re conveniently located near the San Jose Airport.

Window Works Has Moved!

April 29, 2015 by Window Works 3 Comments

3M Prestige Window Film Dealer Window Works has moved to Santa Clara!

We had three great years at the amazing Car Condo community Club Auto Sport but we have grown out of our quarters!

We found a great place to call HQ right on the other side of the San Jose Airport in Santa Clara.

Our New Address:

Window Works
400 Reed Street
Santa Clara, CA 95050
408-644-5200
877-677-0067

We will still have Automotive Installs at Club Auto Sport for 3M Crystalline, so don’t worry–we’ve got your cars covered!

Window Works is your Authorized 3M Prestige Window Film Dealer for 3M Residential, Commercial and Decorative Window Film. We service and install in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and all of the San Francisco & South Bay Areas.

Have a Question?

Give us a call! We’re friendly!