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Window film can be a great way to cut expensive heating bills without spending a fortune in the first place. And it’s just as good at keeping out the sun’s rays when the temperature rises.
But with lots of products on the market, how do you know which one to choose?
That’s where we come in! We’ve reviewed seven of the best heat control window film products the internet has to offer. And we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about them to make the perfect choice.
Step this way to find out more!
Quick Pick: Best heat reduce window film 2023
best home window film for heat rejection
1. KESPEN One Way Heat Control Window Film
KESPEN’s window film is great at controlling heat. And it looks smart into the bargain.
It’s available in a choice of five different colors, black, green, gold, silver and “tea” (that’s a kind of bronze shade).
Each is backed with silver to keep the heat inside your home on cold days. And it’s every bit as effective at keeping the sun’s rays from heating up your rooms during the summer.
The different colors do have an impact on the insulating effect of the film. For maximum insulation, choose black. That blocks up to 91 per cent of UV rays. “Tea” is slightly behind that at 89 per cent, while the least effective is silver. That will still block up to 71 per cent of UV rays, though.
The film has a mirror finish for privacy, so people won’t be able to see into your home in the daytime. Just note that, as with all film, the side with the most light is the one that will be visible.
In daytime, that means you can see out of your windows. But if you switch on your lights when it’s dark outside, people will be able to see straight in. So remember to shut curtains or blinds! Alternatively, you can apply film with a wavy effect to the inside of your window to distort the view.
Reducing heat from the sun does, unfortunately, mean that the film also lets in less daylight. You won’t be in complete darkness, though. It will allow about 11% of visible light into your room.
It’s 0.24 millimeters thick – which might not sound like a lot, but is pretty thick for film. And it has a scratch-resistant top layer to keep it looking good.
It clings to your window, without requiring any adhesive. But be prepared to take your time applying it to the glass, particularly if you have big windows.
You’ll need to remove the film from the backing paper a little at a time to prevent wrinkling. Spray on lots of soapy water to both the film and the window. And be ready with a squeegee to get rid of air bubbles beneath the film.
Pros:
- Reduces UV rays by up to 91 per cent, depending on which color you choose
- Reflective finish provides privacy during the daytime
- Thick film with non-scratch coating for extra resilience
Cons:
- Only lets in about 11% of daylight, so your room will be significantly darker
- A bit of a pain to install.
2. Xiawei Heat Control Window Film
Xiawei’s film comes in a single color – black. That will block up to 90 percent of UV rays. Xiawei estimate that this results in heat reduction of up to 50 percent.
It has a mirror finish which provides privacy during the daytime, making it a great option for ground floor windows with passing traffic. But just remember that the privacy effect will disappear as light levels outside decline. Keep your curtains closed at night!
The film is resistant to high temperatures, so it won’t bubble when your window gets hot. But at 0.09 millimeters, this isn’t as thick as the KESPEN window film.
This is a type of film called PET, which can also keep in broken glass if there’s an accident. It’s five times more effective at doing that than PVC or electrostatic film.
You’ll need plenty of soapy water to apply it. Remove just a little film from the backing paper at a time, or it will stick to itself. Once that’s happened, you won’t be able to use it.
Getting the film in a length that’s as close as possible to the height of your window will help. And there’s a wide selection of sizes to choose from. It’s available in lengths of 6.5 or 16.4 feet, and in widths of 17.5, 23.6, 27.6, 31.5 and 35.4 inches.
Pros:
- Blocks 90 per cent of UV rays
- Won’t bubble in the heat
- Comes in a wide choice of sizes
Cons:
- Not as thick as some options
- It takes a bit of time to apply it to your windows
3. STATINT heat reducing window film
If you’re looking for a compromise between letting in light and heat, STATINT’s window film could be a good option.
The silver film blocks a lower proportion of UV rays than some other films – about 71 per cent. But that also means it lets more light into your room – about 26 per cent of what you’d get without it. And you’ll get a brighter view of the world outside.
If you want more UV protection, it also comes in black. That blocks 91 per cent of UV rays but only admits 13 per cent of the light. Blue and brown film is available too.
All the options have a metallic mirror finish, so they’ll keep out prying eyes during the daylight hours.
It’s installed via the same method as most other films, simply using static to cling to the glass. It’s an effective approach, and it means you won’t have to worry about the mess of adhesive.
But it does take time and care. Spraying both the glass and the adhesive side of the film liberally with soapy water is the key.
The film comes in two lengths (6.4 and 16.5 feet) and four widths (17.5, 23.6, 27.6, 31.5 and 35.4 inches). Measure your window carefully and add 1/8 inch all the way around to get the right size. Note that you’ll need a sharp knife to trim the film.
Pros:
- Choice of different colors allows you to balance UV protection and light
- Comes in a range of different sizes
- Mirror finish provides privacy during the day
Cons:
- You may find your view outside is slightly blurred
- You’ll need a sharp knife to trim it to size
4. WPCTEV heat reducing window film
This is great value window film that’s effective at keeping heat in or out. It comes in a wide range of colors too. There’s black, brown, silver, green and blue. But if you fancy something a little more bling, WPCTEV also offers a gold version. All the colors have a mirrored finish for daytime privacy.
The manufacturers claim the film blocks up to an impressive 97 per cent of UV rays. We’d expect that performance to vary according to the color, though.
The price of the effective UV block is that the film won’t admit much light – just 10 percent. If you’re somewhere that gets very strong sun, though, this is a good option.
The film is reasonably thick – just over 0.15 millimeters – and it has an anti-scratch coating. It comes with a 30 day returns window too, to give you peace of mind.
The main issue here is the usual problem of it being a bit of a faff to apply to your windows. But there’s plenty of choice in roll sizes so you won’t have to wrestle with unwieldy quantities.
It comes in four different widths, from 17.5 to 35.4 inches. And there are five different lengths too: 6.5, 13.1, 16.4, 20 and 32.8 feet.
Pros:
- Blocks up to 97 percent of UV rays
- Fairly thick, with an anti-scratch coating
- Wide range of sizes, including rolls up to 32.8 feet long
Cons:
- Doesn’t let through much light
- Expect to spend some time applying it
5. FYY Frosted Opaque UV Blocking Heat Control Window Film
So far, all the window films we’ve looked at have had a simple mirrored finish. But there are other options. This white film from FYY has a frosted look and an attractive herringbone pattern with transparent lines.
It’s a good way to get privacy whilst also letting in more light. (Though note that it still won’t give you privacy at night.) If you want to peek out for an uninterrupted view, you can look through one of the transparent lines.
It will block 84 per cent of UVA and 99 per cent of UVB rays. So as well as insulating heat, it’s great at preventing your furniture from fading.
It comes in only one roll size, though – 1.5 feet wide by 6.6 feet long. It’s installed the same way as most mirrored films, clinging to the glass with static. So make sure you have plenty of soapy water and a squeegee at the ready.
Pros:
- Attractive pattern with clear sections
- Frosted finish for privacy during the day
- Blocks 84 per cent of UVA and 99 per cent of UVB rays
Cons:
- Only one roll size
- As with most of these products, it takes time to install
6. Volcanics Rainbow Heat Control Window Film (Our Top Pick)
This great window film is not only highly effective at insulating heat, it looks gorgeous too. The design gives the appearance of a stained glass window in rainbow colors.
It blocks 96 per cent of UV rays and reduces glare by up to 79 per cent. If you’re in a hot climate, it can reduce your energy bills by up to 50 per cent by drastically cutting solar gain. (That’s the increase in your home’s temperature that comes from the sun.)
But it doesn’t provide as much privacy as mirrored versions. Someone outside will be able to see in – although they’ll probably see pretty rainbow patterns all over your interiors.
On the plus side, it lets in plenty of light, so your rooms won’t be gloomy. And if you have house plants, they’ll still be able to thrive.
It’s applied in the usual way with plenty of soapy water. Make sure you cover both window and film thoroughly, or you may end up with peeling corners.
Pros:
- Beautiful stained glass pattern
- Lets in plenty of light
- Drastically reduces heat transfer and blocks 96 per cent of UV rays
Cons:
- Won’t provide as much privacy as mirrored film
- Needs time, patience, and lots of soapy water to apply it to the glass
7. BDF S05 sun heat blocking Window Film
If you have a large area to cover, these super-sized rolls of film from BDF could be the answer. They come in lengths of up to 100 feet, and widths of up to 5 feet. (Note that the 5 feet wide film has a maximum length of 50 feet per roll.)
They’re made of a polyester blend and have a mirror-like finish. There’s only one color – silver. And it transmits only 10 percent of visible light.
That means there’s no risk of anyone seeing into your home during daylight hours. But it also means it will be pretty dark in your room. This isn’t the best option if you have house plants.
It’s self-adhesive, and we’ve heard a variety of different reports about applying it! Some people have found it fairly straightforward. Others have vowed never to use it again!
The answer seems to be to go slow and steady. And order some extra in case you run into problems.
Pros:
- Available in lengths of up to 100 feet
- Mirror finish for daytime privacy
Cons:
- Doesn’t let through much light – any houseplants will suffer
- Tricky to apply to your windows
Time to choose!
We’ve reached the end of our reviews of seven of the best heat control window films out there. We hope they’ve helped you make your choice.
Our top pick is the beautiful window film from Volcanics. We love its rainbow colors, and the way it lets in light whilst still insulating heat. Just be aware that it’s not as good for privacy as films with a mirror finish.
Whatever film you choose, enjoy a cooler (or cozier!) home. Happy shopping!
What inside film is reccomended for keeping internal heat during winter months . How much energy can i save with the film . 40 sq meter of windows in the house and a lot of heat loss from the windows . Winter temp below freezing point
Window films won’t help much with heat loss in the winter. The best option would be to replace the windows with thermally broken frames and insulated thermal glass. If that isn’t an option, you can apply a ‘plastic film insulation’. You can purchase this at most hardware stores, and many have good visibility through the plastic. It’s double sided tape around the window frame, stick the plastic sheet to the tape, then use a hair dryer to heat-shrink the plastic and tighten it. Remove in the summer so you can open your windows and re-apply a new one each winter.
I would ask the same question as Sudhir Kashyap what is the best film to reduce heat loss through Windows during winter. The article gives excellent detail of the films performance during summer heat but nothing about there performance during winter reducing heat loss.
It seems that I maybe the only one looking to keep heat out all year round. I rent in an older apartment building with hot water heating. Thus I am dealing with a good portion of my place that I have no control of the heat. Menopausal/ Anxiety issues do not help with heat control all year round. Is there a film in which when exposed to heat over a comfort level 20 -24 Degrees Celsius it will release heat through windows as well as allow good light during both summer and winter seasons?
we are looking for patio tinting film
One way BUT not mirrored on the outside view
Is there a Heat Control “CLEAR” Window Film
3M makes a clear film called Prestige but I’ve not found any online source that sells it. May be an authorized only installer product.
Amazing content must say. Actually, I have recently upgraded my interiors and worried about the windows but your blog actually helped me out and gave me the idea regarding heat control window installation. The newest solar films have the capacity to be clear instead of tinted and can block out as much as 55 percent of summer heat while retaining heat in winter. Keep sharing such interesting ones