Transom windows and fading

One of the most common requests we receive here at SOLARIS is to put film on transom windows, primarily to protect furnishings from fading. The only problem with this is when we do not do the "eye level" windows below the transoms, the fade protection is questionable. In lots of homes, these "eye level" windows will have some type of covering, a blind or shade to offer privacy and glare control. BLINDS WORK GREAT WHEN THEY ARE CLOSED. If you ever open them up, it is only slightly better than having nothing on your windows.

This also applies to heat rejection. Window film is stopping heat at the source, before it enters your home. If a blind or shade is closed, they will primarily absorb heat, keeping it from directly entering the room but still acting as a radiator, pumping heat into the living space at a slightly slower rate than having the windows open. Lighter colors of coverings will reflect more solar energy which is better. Dark colors hang on to more heat and keep pushing it into the room.

Back to the transoms - putting film on the transoms and not on the rest of the windows in the room is similar to putting a bandage on part of a cut. You are still going to bleed if you don't cover the entire cut. I know it seems very simple and makes sense but we constantly get requests to only do the transom windows. Sure it costs a bit more to do more windows but in this instance, window film is like insurance, how much coverage are you comfortable with???