In Florida, is it better to have single tinted windows or double pane clear windows to keep your home cool??

Question

Square footage of the home is 3685.

Answer 1

If you want to be cooler than outdoors you are going to win with double pane - unless you have big sun exposure in the summer.

Install outdoor shades (awning etc.) on south facing windows.

Get a "low solar gain" performance coating on the double pain and it will do as well as tinted plus insulate way better than single.

New products are coming out (such as Cardinal 366 or AGC TiAC23) that combine high performance solar control with "tint."

  

Answer 2

It is definitely better to have double paned windows, but you should still put some sort of covering on the window no matter which you choose. Double paned windows basically just have a space between them that is filled with air or a nontoxic gas like argon which helps to block noise and insulates better than traditional single panes. Tinted windows will block the sunlight from heating up objects inside your home but the areas around the windows will become very hot due to the dark pigments. I would highly suggest double paned windows with some sort of curtain or heavy sheer to block the heat without blocking the sunlight. Plus most double paned windows carry an Energy Star rating which can be used to get a tax break so you can get some of your money back from them.