How Is Residential Window Tinting Done?
/Tinting your home’s windows is a great way to reduce heat and glare, as well as enhance your privacy. Homeowners basically have two options for tinting the windows in their homes; do it themselves with DIY window-tinting kits or hire a professional to expertly tint their windows. Although DIY window tinting option typically cost less, it certainly pays greater dividends to invest in a professional installation. Here are the three main benefits of residential window tinting.
• By having the windows tinted professionally, it would not only keep the UV light out, but in the winter months, the window tint prevents the heat from escaping from the home.
• In the hotter summer months, window tints prevent ultraviolet rays from penetrating into the home causing the furniture, walls and floors to heat up the interior temperature decreasing energy efficiency.
• Window tinting makes it harder to see the occupants and belongings inside your home, greatly reducing the chances of being targeted for a crime. This also offers more privacy even when the windows do not have any blinds or curtains on them.
Residential window tinting is done in three major ways. These include:
Film tinting
This tinting method is by far the most popular in the market today. A very thin polymer film is applied carefully to specially prepared window glass. Tinting window films vary in tint level from clear to around 70% visible light transmission. These light reducing products are relatively inexpensive ranging from $5-$15 per square foot and are designed to reduce up to 99% UV (ultraviolet) rays from penetrating the windows.
Tilting film for home windows is available in a number of different shades and outward appearance, for instance mirrored, metallic, reflective, or even flat. The main benefits of this type of window tinting are that it is quite cheap, and help to prevent glass from shattering in crashes. Visible light transmission refers to how dark the tint appears on the windows. The main disadvantages are that it only lasts five years before peeling, cracking and bubbling of the plastic film, and most of the times degradation or yellowing of the tinting itself. Furthermore, removing the old window film is harder than the installation itself.
If you opt for a professional installation by the store you acquired the film from, ensure that the installers are approved through an industry group such as the IWFA (the International Window Film Association). Apart from this, make sure they use the same brand of film, and that they fully support the manufacturer’s warranty.
OEM tinted glass
This kind of glass is tinted within the glass as part of the actual glassmaking process, and lasts the life of the glass. OEM tinted glass normally has only a mild tint. It is more expensive to replace in case of shattering as the glass comes tinted right from the manufacturers.
Coating tinting
A special tinted solution is applied to an existing glass, normally in form of a spray. This kind of a tint lasts longer than film tinting.
Whichever home window tinting option you go for, make sure that the installation is done by professionals as these have both the knowledge and tools to do a perfect job.
