With interest in green building and utility rebates on the rise, builders and re-modelers are looking at solar-controlling window films as a cost-effective solution for boosting home efficiencies and reducing costs for clients while lifting sales and profits for themselves. Applied to the window, transparent film acts as a solar shield, blocking up to 80% of the sun’s heat, according to the International Window Film Association. “The biggest trend I’ve noticed over the past few years is that people put more and more glass into a home,” says Missouri window film installer Robert Kersten. “Solar control is the payback. [With window films,] in three years you’re going to get your money back and if you buy a good quality product from a reputable dealer, it will last you 20, 25 years. It’s really a bang for the buck.”
Nevertheless, lack of awareness, misperceptions, and the small additional cost are impeding the category’s growth, installers say. Here are some of the product’s pros and cons.
Pros
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Window film can cut utility costs by 30% to 40%, says California-based consultant Donna Wells, and at $6 to $14 per square foot, it’s much cheaper than replacing windows.
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Solar films block 99% of UV light that fades furniture, and with better technologies, now do it without looking reflective or dark.
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Films add security, slowing down a break in and holding shards together if the window shatters.
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Some state and utility programs offer rebates for window films.
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While mainly a retrofit product, some films can make a low-cost new window as efficient as a low-E, triple-pane unit, says Wells.
Cons
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Some window manufacturers warn that films will void their window warranty; however, several film manufacturers offer to match it.
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Certain lights, latches, and frames make installation difficult, and a bad application can leave glass looking bubbly.
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Most homeowners are skeptical of the benefits, making film a hard sell that requires education.
“It’s so far out of people’s realm of thinking, the hardest part is to convey what a good product window film really is.”
Can I tint over factory tint?
The Difference Between Factory Tint and Aftermarket Tint
Factory tint and aftermarket tint are both so different that they shouldn’t both be called “tint.” Factory tint is a tint within the glass; the glass itself is a different color. Aftermarket tint is a film that is placed over glass; it can be removed and reapplied. If you’re purchasing a car secondhand, it may not be obvious whether or not your vehicle has factory tint or aftermarket tint. To determine the difference, you have to look at the window and see whether the tint goes all the way through the glass or whether it appears to be on the surface of the glass.
But because factory tint is inside the window and aftermarket tint is on top of the window, it’s more than possible to place aftermarket tint on top of factory tint. You just need to be careful.
Never try to tint over aftermarket tint. If you already have aftermarket tint, the appropriate solution is to completely strip off the aftermarket tint and then add a new layer. Aftermarket tint, unlike factory tint, cannot be easily tinted over