Window Film on the East Bench, Salt Lake City

Heat Control Film for East Bench Picture Windows

The postwar ramblers and split-levels that fill the East Bench were designed around the view. Living rooms have long picture windows facing west and southwest, often original single panes or early replacements. That view takes in the city, the Great Salt Lake and the Oquirrhs, and on summer afternoons it brings in a lot of heat.

There is also a twist in the morning. The Wasatch blocks the sunrise for homes tucked against the foothills, so east windows get less early sun than on the valley floor. That makes the west side the clear priority for heat control film. Near-clear films keep the view intact while cutting heat.

Many of those picture windows also have aluminum or steel frames from the 1950s and 1960s, and some have been reglazed over the years with mismatched panes. We check each pane and frame before choosing film, since a cracked edge or a loose stop can make installation risky.

Snow Glare and Winter Sun on the Bench

In winter, the bench sits above some of the valley's inversion haze on certain days, and when the sun is out it reflects off the snow on lawns and the foothills. South and west windows pick up that bright reflected light. Glare film tones it down for TV rooms and home offices without blocking the view.

Homes higher on the bench also see more snow than the valley floor. Snow sitting on decks and patios outside sliding doors adds to the glare, especially on clear mornings after a storm.

Not every room needs the same product. A den on the south side may only need a light glare film for the winter months, while the west living room wants serious heat rejection. Planning the house as a whole keeps the exterior shade consistent even when two or three films are used.

• Near-clear heat film on west picture windows
• Glare film where snow light floods dens and offices
• Clear UV film for hardwood and furniture
• Safety film on walkout sliders

Security Film for East Bench Walkout Basements

Many East Bench homes are built into the slope, with walkout basements that open onto backyards through sliding doors. Those doors often face away from the street and can be targets for break-ins. Security film keeps the glass in place if it is struck and slows anyone trying to get in.

The fault zone follows the base of the mountains, so bench neighborhoods sit closer to it than most of the city. In shaking, a large single-pane picture window is one of the more dangerous things in the house. Film keeps the fragments together and in the frame more often, which lowers the risk of cuts. It does not prevent cracking, and it is not a structural retrofit.

Window Film for Research Park and Foothill Drive Businesses

Research Park, next to the University of Utah, has office and lab buildings with large glass areas and views west across the valley. Afternoon sun heats west-facing offices and labs, and glare affects screens and equipment. Solar and glare films help, and frosted film provides privacy in glass-walled offices and conference rooms.

Along Foothill Drive, shopping centers like Foothill Village and medical and dental offices serve the bench neighborhoods. Storefront film reduces fading and heat, and frosted film adds privacy for clinic windows.

Hogle Zoo, Red Butte Garden and This Is the Place Heritage Park sit at the top of the bench along Sunnyside Avenue and Wasatch Drive, and the visitor buildings and offices around them have the same west exposure as the homes below.