Solar Control Glass: How to Stop Rooms Overheating
If a room bakes in summer, solar control glass cuts the heat while keeping the view and the light. Here is how it works and which tint suits your space.
Some rooms are lovely in winter and unusable in summer. South-facing extensions, conservatories, roof glazing and big picture windows can turn into greenhouses when the sun is on them. Solar control glass is the fix, cutting the heat that comes through the glass while keeping the daylight and the view.
Why glazing overheats a room
Horizontal and south-facing glass receives direct sun for much of the day. That solar energy passes through ordinary glass and heats everything it lands on. The bigger the glazed area and the more it faces the sun, the worse it gets, which is why extensions and roof glazing suffer most.
How solar control coatings work
A solar control coating reflects and absorbs a large part of the sun heat before it enters the room, while still letting visible light through. You get a bright, comfortable space instead of a hot one. Many solar control units also carry a Low-E coating, so they keep heat out in summer and in during winter.
The tints compared
- Neutral - the most colour-neutral option, subtle from inside and out
- Ultra Grey - a smart grey tint that also cuts glare
- Blue and SunShade Blue - stronger solar control with a cool tone, ideal for the hottest aspects
- Aqua - a lighter tint for a gentler level of control
Best places to use it
Roof lanterns and rooflights benefit most, because they face the sky all day. South and west-facing extensions, garden rooms and large sliding or bifold spans are the next priorities. On these, solar control glass is often the difference between a room you can use in July and one you cannot.
Fix the hot room before summer. Choose a solar control unit, enter your size, and see the price cut to measure.
Author at SmartaView, writing about aluminium glazing, home improvements and the buying process.