There are many types of window tint available in the market for a wide variety of uses from solar heat reduction to UV protection, privacy to safety and security, decorative applications to heat retention.
Primary properties
Heat rejection films are normally applied to the interior of flat glass windows to reduce the amount of infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation entering windows. Such films are either dyed or metalized (which can be transparent to visible light) to convert incoming solar radiation to infrared radiation, which is then rejected back through the glass to the exterior. They usually cost 10-15 percent more than regular windows but can reduce energy loss by as much as 30-50 percent."
To keep the sun's heat out of the house, a low-emissivity coating should be applied to the outside pane of glazed windows. If the windows are designed to provide heat energy in the winter and keep heat inside the house (typical of cold climates), the low-emissivity coating should be applied to the inside pane of glazed windows. Such films also reduce the amount of visible and ultraviolet light entering a window, and are often applied to reduce fading of the contents of a room. Silvered film may also be employed to the same end. Spectrally selective films act by blocking certain wavelengths of the sun's infrared radiation and reject heat without reducing natural light.
Security films are applied to prevent glass from shattering. Typically applied to commercial glass, these films are made of heavy-gauge plastic and are intended to maintain the integrity of glass when subject to heavy impact. The most robust security films are capable of preventing fragmentation and the production of hazardous glass shards from forces such as bomb blasts. Some companies have even experimented with bullet ballistics of multiple layers of security film.
These security films, if applied properly, can also provide protection for vehicles.These security films are often tinted and can be up to 400 micrometers (µm) thick, compared to less than 50 µm for ordinary tint films. If anchored correctly, they can also provide protection for architectural glazing in the event of an explosion. A layer of film (of 100 µm thickness or greater) can prevent the ejection of spall when a projectile impacts on its surface, creating small dagger-like shards of glass that can cause injury.
Switchable films can be switched from opaque to clear by a safe voltage under 36V AC. In its opaque state, it can be perfectly used as a projection screen that is viewable from both sides. Switchable projection film is very good for advertising on store windows and available from Scienstry.
Graphic design films are generally colored vinyl or frosted. Frosted finish films closely resemble sandblasted or acid-etched glass, while vinyl films are available in a range of colors. Both types of films are commonly used in commercial applications.
Privacy films reduce visibility through the glass. Privacy film for flat-glass commercial and residential applications may be silvered, offering an unimpeded view from the low-light side but virtually no view from the high-light side. It may also be frosted, rendering the window translucent but not transparent. Privacy films for automobiles are available in gradients of darkness, with the darker tints commonly known as "limo tint."
Correctly-applied mirror film can create one-way mirrors.
Other benefits include protection for passengers in the rear, protection from UV rays (which have some harmful effects), cooling for pets, greater privacy, reduced chance of theft (because valuables are less visible), reduced glare and reflection on liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, and protection for those who have conditions involving photosensitivity or skin sensitivity, such as lupus (SLE). Window film is also considered more effective and practical than stick-on blinds.
Selection of window film
Not all films are suitable for all glass. You must consider the absorptance of the glass and the film, the size of the pane, the thickness of the glass, the construction of the window – is it single pane, insulated glass, treated (with a low-emissivity coating), laminated or toughened.
Advice on the appropriate selection of film for the glass is vital to ensure that the glass does not crack as a result of thermal stress. However, it is possible that a pane of glass may break subsequent to the application of an appropriate film, because the pane has been damaged during the glazing of the window, or as a result of movement of the building or other physical stresses that are not apparent at the time of the application of the film.
Glass may crack subsequent to the application of signwriting or if heavy, thermally efficient drapes are hung close to the glass, particularly if the edges of the glass are damaged.
The chances of glass breakage occurring subsequent to the application of film or signwriting or the hanging of drapes, are very small. However breakage can occur and it is impossible to predict the edge condition of the glass without removing it from the frame – an approach that is not practical.
Unintended features
Under certain conditions, window film will exhibit iridescence. This phenomenon usually occurs at night, when the source of illumination within a building is fluorescent lighting.
The amount of iridescence may vary from almost imperceptible to very visible. It most frequently occurs when the film is constructed using one or more layers of sputtered metal. It can however occur in non-reflective films as well.
When iridescence does occur in window film, the best way to stop it is to prevent the fluorescent light from illuminating the film or to use an alternative type of light.
Certification and standards
The thicker window films known as safety and security window film are designed to perform under extreme conditions, and as such there are specific standard criteria these films should meet, such as American standards ANSI Z.97, CPSC 16 CFR 1201, Cat II (400 ft-lb), and the British Standards BS 6206 (Class A, B, C). The European Committee for Standardization offer the EN12600 standard Classification of Resistance of Glazing to Impact. Often, building codes dictate that a film must have a report verifying that it has met at least one of these standards.
Solar window film is usually subject to less critical testing. However, standards are in place to maintain a level of quality in the industry. The ANSI Standards ASTM E903 and ASTM D1044-93 relate to the solar/UV transmission properties and abrasion resistance, respectively. The larger window film manufacturers use these standards to guarantee the quality of their raw materials and finished products.
Regulations for automotive use
Automobile window tinting reduces the visible light transmission ( VLT ) through car windows. This can be problematic at night, when motorists must be able to see through the windows of other vehicles in order to spot hazards which would otherwise be obstructed. Police also may want to be able to identify the passengers in a vehicle.
In many jurisdictions, there are laws to ensure darkness of films do not present a danger to motorists:
Tint Limits by U.S. state :
(Lower number is less light transmittance, thus darker tint)
- In the United States, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an administration within the federal Department of Transportation (DOT), specifies a minimum of 70 percent VLT for window tinting on the windshield and the windows to the immediate left and right of the driver for commercial vehicles (the DOT does not regulate private vehicles). The DOT does not specify any VLT requirements for rear windows. State law may regulate laws for private vehicles and may go further than the requirements those set forth by the DOT; private vehicles may have tint on the windows to the immediate left and right of the driver as dark as 20 percent VLT, depending on the state.
- In Canada, automobile tinting laws are set at the provincial level.
- In the United Kingdom, regulations set forth by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 provide that all front windows in front of the B post can have no less than 70 percent VLT. Windscreens are only allowed tinting outside the sweep of the windscreen wipers to a maximum of six inches from the top of the windscreen. British police are increasingly cracking down on illegal tinting on vehicles.
- In Russia, window tinting limits are specified in GOST 5727-88. The limit is 75% for the front windshield (a darker stripe no wider than 10 cm is allowed at the very top) and 70% for the front side windows. Tinting of back windows is not regulated. In practice, however, bribes are often used to pass inspection or avoid road police tickets even with illegal tint.
- In Belarus, any kind of window tint is illegal. An exception is made for factory tint in vehicles purchased before April 1 , 2006 . Also exempt are vehicles of cash c
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