Window Tint is a laminated sheet that is applied to the interior of a vehicle’s windows. Window tint films can range in transparency being either light or dark. High quality tint films will have an infrared material in them, as well as block and prevent harmful UV rays from entering the vehicle’s cabin and affecting passengers inside.
Applying window tint to any vehicle can have many benefits. A few common benefits that tint offers, is protection from harmful UV rays, heat rejection, privacy and appearance, as well as sun glare prevention.
When a technician is installing tint film to a vehicle, it is most commonly placed on the inside of the glass, to prevent exterior debris scratching and damaging the film. When the tint is being installed however, the technician will cut the pattern of the glass on the exterior of the glass for accuracy.
The installation of a tint film can affect a vehicle where the automotive makers have designed the antenna inside of the glass. If a vehicle does have an antenna inside of the glass, it is important to ask a tint technician which film would not disturb any radio frequency. Technicians should also be aware of this before installing tint film.
Depending on the amount of glass you are having tinted on your vehicle, an installation can take a variety of time frames. However, if you are having your entire vehicle tinted, it can take roughly 1.5-2 hours. If your vehicle has any film or tint on it at the moment, it will need to be stripped before a new tint is applied to assure a warranty, taking roughly 3.5-4 hours.
Technicians use a mixture of soap and water to assure proper positioning of tint when installing a film to a glass. With this, it is normal for the tint film to appear slightly bubbled or hazy for the next 24-48 hours before the tint completely dries. If any bubbling or haziness persists after the first 2 days, be sure to call your auto glass tint technician and ask about a warranty.
After your window tint is installed, it is important to not roll the windows down for an additional 24-48 hours after the tint is installed. If the windows are rolled down too early, the tint film may not have dried and cured to the window to prevent slipping and bubbling.
When cleaning the glass on your vehicle after it has been tinted, DO NOT use any ammonia products, as this can damage the film. You may use any common soap and water glass cleaners.
When you are looking to install a new film or tint onto your vehicle, it is extremely important to remove any old and damaged tint that is already on the vehicle. If a new tint is applied over an old tint, it may not properly stick to the glass, and bubbling will most likely occur. Be sure to ask for a companies warranty before applying any new film.
Window tint that turns purple is due to the tint being produced without any color stabilizers IE. Ceramics and metallic’s in which assist in holding the dyes in the film to its standard and avoiding break down of the ply’s.
If your vehicle currently has a privacy glass in the back, this means there is no tint, and that the glass itself is darkened. To best match the back privacy glass, it is recommended that you go with a Visual Light Transformation (VLT) rating of 20% intensity. Ask your window tint technician for more information before the tint is installed.
Factory privacy glass is a darkened glass itself, and can be darkened by the application of a tint film. However, it is important to remember that the shade rating by percentage that you choose, will be darkened even more with the current privacy glass on the vehicle. The darker the glass, the harder it is to see at night, and may affect visibility.
Window tint can add many benefits towards your safety and security. In the event that any glass was to shatter or break, the lamination of tint can hold the glass in place, preventing glass shards from flying all over the cabin of the vehicle. Tint can also create a privacy feature to prevent from those outside of the cabin, the ability to look in. Window tint is also a great protection against harmful UV rays.
Tint films are primarily made to be applied onto glass. This glass includes residential homes, table glass, automotive glass, and other glass products with a large enough surface area and proper texture.
Tint films can absolutely lower and decrease energy costs. Quality tint films such as Suntek’s Ceramic film, have a very strong heat rejection due to the infrared material imbedded into the layers of the film. With this quality heat restricting feature, energy on the inside of a vehicle or home can be dramatically lowered, as the tint helps keep the internal areas cool. Tint can also lower energy costs in the winter, as it does not let heat enter either side, keeping the heat in the home or vehicle.
Tint films improve year round comfort to all vehicles and homes by stabilizing the occupant’s preferred temperature. In the hot summer months, tint can restrict heat from further entering the vehicles cabin, and prevent heat from leaving the vehicles cabin in the cold winter months.
Tint films can dramatically lower and reduce sun glare. The additional layering of tint to any automotive, commercial, or residential glass helps shade and block any sun or light glare from affecting a consumer’s vision, as it transitions through the tint and glass.
Tint films can dramatically assist in a consumer’s privacy either on their vehicle’s, residential, or commercial locations. It is important to check the state’s law where you or the product will reside, as there may be specific restrictions in how dark the tint intensity may go. However, the darker the tint, the less someone on the outside of the tint will be able to see in.
Tint film percentages are based on the Visual Light Transformation (VLT) that they are able to restrict. Common tint percentages are 5%, 20%, 35%, and 50%. The lower the percentage, the darker the film. The lighter the percentage, the more clear the tint will be. Some tints are even offered at 70% which is very clear and looks as though there is no film, but can be used to tint windshields to prevent heat from entering, but allow full visual view out of the glass without any shaded distortion.
