Window Film in Evanston, IL

Window Film for Evanston's Older Single-Family Homes

Evanston has blocks of large Victorian, Queen Anne, Prairie, Tudor and Colonial Revival houses, many from the late 1800s through the 1920s. These houses have lots of windows: front parlors with tall double-hungs, bay windows, stair landings and window seats. Owners often have hardwood floors, built-ins and furniture they want to protect from sun.

Clear UV film is the most common choice in these homes. It blocks nearly all ultraviolet light and looks like plain glass from inside and out. Low-e film is next, for rooms with big single-pane windows that feel cold in winter. Both can be removed later without harming the window.

Several parts of Evanston are local historic districts, and the city has a preservation commission that reviews exterior changes to designated properties. A clear film inside the glass rarely raises questions there, though a mirrored or tinted product on a landmark facade is another matter, and owners should ask before choosing one.

Heat and Glare Film for Evanston Sunrooms and Enclosed Porches

Many older Evanston houses have enclosed porches or sunrooms that were added or glazed in over the years. These rooms are often the brightest and hottest in the house in summer and the coldest in winter, because they are mostly glass on three sides. Some have original single-pane windows; others have newer replacements.

Heat control film cuts the solar heat coming in and makes the room usable on warm afternoons. Low-e film helps the same room hold heat in winter. Some products do both, which is a good fit for a sunroom that the family uses year-round. We look at the glass in each window, since enclosed porches often have a mix of old and newer panes.

• Heat control film for sunrooms and enclosed porches
• Clear UV film for floors, built-ins and art
• Low-e film for tall single-pane parlor windows
• Frosted film for bathroom and stair-landing windows

Window Film for Lakefront Homes and Rentals Near Northwestern

Northwestern University's campus runs along the lake on the east side of Evanston. The surrounding blocks have student and faculty rentals, apartment buildings and large houses near the lakefront. Lake-facing homes take strong morning sun and glare off the water, while rentals near campus get privacy requests from tenants in ground-floor units.

For lake-facing rooms, a light heat control or glare film keeps the view and cuts the brightness. For rentals, frosted film on bathrooms and street-facing bedrooms is a durable, low-maintenance upgrade landlords can install once and leave. It also holds up well to regular cleaning between tenants.

Storefront and Office Window Film in Downtown Evanston

Downtown Evanston, around Davis Street, Church Street and Sherman Avenue, has office buildings, newer residential towers, restaurants and shops. The CTA Purple Line and Metra both stop at Davis Street. Offices on the sunny sides of downtown buildings get glare on screens and hot afternoons. Shops get faded displays. Medical and professional offices need privacy at street level.

Solar control film for offices, UV film for storefronts and frosted film for conference rooms and medical offices cover most of what downtown businesses ask for. Along Chicago Avenue and Central Street, smaller storefronts in older buildings have similar needs on a smaller scale. Many of those shops are owner-run, so cost and timing matter.