Solar window film
 

Anyone have experience with solar windows films? Either DIY or professionally installed? Easy to do? Durable? Better to get a pro?

My house is aligned east-west so it picks up a fair bit of heat in the morning in the living room - I'd turn on the AC but the rest of the house doesn't get warm in the same way in the morning so I'd like to put some heat reflecting film on the two windows that face east.

roughly speaking...

exterior would be more effective due to reflecting sun on the exterior, preventing the window glazing to heat up and radiate heat, downside is harder to install and susceptible to the elements being outside.

both will decrease the amount of light let through (it's tint duh) so if you have newer windows with low-e / low solar heat gain already built in, it's like tint on tint

another option (depending on building orientation) could be adding a slotted awning if relatively easy to your home.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...SrDpE&usqp=CAU

of course the simplest for anything is interior, whether that's solar tint or solar blinds, etc. I basically just put blinds up...

i'm trying to look for a bug screen type of tech where i can see through and it casts shade but can't find where i can buy a roll myself and make my own 'bug screen'

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/...s680-w680-h510

I had window film installed on my house a couple of years ago by https://tintgard.ca/

Made a pretty big improvement (my livingroom is unbearable to be in in the summer afternoon sun). But what's made the biggest difference for us is installing giant 20+' blackout curtains.

Also, I get a ton of birds smashing into my top windows :-(