Chestnut Hill Window Film for Stone Houses and Germantown Avenue

Choosing Window Film for Chestnut Hill's Shaded Stone Houses

Many Chestnut Hill houses are built of the gray local stone called Wissahickon schist, with deep window openings and mature trees on all sides. In July the canopy shades much of the glass, and the house stays reasonably cool. In January the leaves are gone and low sun reaches rooms that were dim all summer.

That makes a dark heat-rejecting film the wrong choice for most of these homes. It would take away welcome winter sun to solve a summer problem the trees already handle. What owners usually need is clear UV film to protect floors, rugs and furniture, and possibly a low-e film on drafty glass to hold heat in. The exception is any window that sees open sky: a west-facing room that looks over a lawn, a newer addition or a room whose shade tree came down. Those can take a light heat control film without changing the rest of the house.

Window Film on Leaded, Stained and Divided-Light Glass

Older Chestnut Hill homes often have leaded casements, stained glass on stair landings and divided-light sashes with many small panes. We do not apply film over leaded or stained glass. The film cannot lie flat over the lead cames, and there is a risk of damaging old glass if it ever needs to come off.

For leaded windows that need UV protection, a better option is film on a separate interior or exterior storm panel, if one is fitted. Divided-light sashes with true individual panes can usually take film, one pane at a time, if the glass is sound. We look at each window before quoting and will tell you which ones to leave alone.

Low-E and Energy-Saving Film for Chestnut Hill Winters

Big old houses with lots of single-pane glass lose heat through the windows all winter, and PECO bills show it. A low-e film carries a microscopically thin metal layer, and that layer bounces the warmth of radiators and furnace air back toward the room instead of letting it pass out through the pane. The space near the glass feels warmer, and heat loss through the pane drops.

Low-e film works best on windows that are already tight around the sash. If a window rattles in the wind, weatherstripping comes first. Owners who want to keep original windows for character often find low-e film a good compromise between doing nothing and replacing them. It also keeps the old sash profile that gives these houses their look from the street.

Storefront and Gallery Window Film on Germantown Avenue

Germantown Avenue through Chestnut Hill runs uphill on Belgian block paving with trolley rails still in the street, and its shops, galleries and cafes occupy old stone and brick storefronts. Many sell things that fade: clothing, books, art, home goods and antiques. Clear UV film protects those window displays without changing the look of a historic storefront.

Some shops also have glass doors and side windows that face the street at an angle and take afternoon sun. A light solar film on those adds comfort without darkening the shop. For offices above the shops, glare film helps with screens. We work early in the day so the shop can open on time.

• Clear UV film for antiques, books and art displays
• Light solar film for sunny doors and side windows
• Glare film for upper-floor offices
• Frosted film for back rooms and restrooms