Car Window Tint – What is Car Tint and What are the Benefits
Applying Automotive Window Film and its Benefits
Applying window film to your car windows can bring advantages as it can reduce the sun’s glare, increase privacy, enhance safety, protect against skin cancer, save energy, prevent fading of your interior, and more…
And, of course, it also adds to the aesthetic appearance of your vehicle.
However, before you opt to install window film, we are assuming your window glass is in excellent condition and does not contain any chips or scratches.
Suppose your glass has scratches on the inside. Applying window film should not change the finished look. But, if you have blemishes on the outside of the glass, using window film will emphasize those scratches, and there is nothing the window film installer can do to remove or repair those scratches.
The only option is to replace the automotive glass.
This post will reveal everything you should know about car window tint and what advantages it can bring to your vehicle.
What is Car Window Tint?
Window tint is a scratch-resistant film that adheres to the inside of your car windows.
Every type of window film available on the market uses a base polyester film as its foundation. Polyester film is produced from polyethylene terephthalate, commonly known as PET.
Polyester film was created in the late 1920s and became a popular laminating material. This Polyester based film resists moisture and hot and cold temperatures very well. It’s also flexible and strong, making it ideal for installation on curved back windshields.
A polyester film can also accept dyes, metalized layers, and nanoceramic materials.
This thin polyester-based film makes your car windows look aesthetically pleasing and challenging for people to peer through the glass, adding privacy when selecting a darker shade.
Installing window film is a challenging process, and it’s applied in one piece without creases or wrinkles. Therefore, professional installation is recommended.
What are the Different Types of Car Window Tinting?
Just like other products, there are a variety of brands of window film. Each brand has something slightly different to offer.
Every type of film has a unique advantage, and you should be conscious of these features before selecting a particular kind of film.
We have assembled a list of people’s most popular types of car window films on their vehicles.
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Dyed:
Dyed window film contains multiple layers of dyed film, absorbing sunlight as it infiltrates the windows.
There are different shades of darkness.
Dyed window film is the most affordable and common type of window tint.
The downside of the dyed film is that it does not offer the same level of UV protection like other products.
The dyed film has a limited ability to block heat from the sun as well. It also tends to fade and becomes even less effective over time.
Dyed film tends to fade and becomes even less effective over time.
Metallic Film:
The metalized tinted film utilizes the small metallic particles to dissipate heat by reflecting away from the interior space, just like in the case of dyed tinted film. These particles are very tiny and sputtered into the film.
A metallic window film tends to be shiny and reflective (looking like polished metal, e.g.) and creates a mirrored look that can detract from the appearance of a vehicle.
However, this film can interfere with cell phone signals and GPS signals and may not be a good option if you use your phone in your car. Therefore, a metallic film is losing its popularity as a choice of automotive window film.
Carbon Film:
Carbon window tint is a step up from metalized window films. Carbon window tint uses carbon particles mixed into the film. This window tint rejects more heat than metalized, without cell signal interference, and it provides a unique dark matte-black finish to the window film.
Hybrid:
Hybrid window film have a mixture of dyed and metal fragments. They contain multiple dyed layers, with a thin metal layer–typically titanium–in between.
Hybrid window film decrease the negative aspects of dyed and metalized film. They have less radio interference than metalized films and do not have a reflective look.
Hybrid tints also are more reasonable in price than metalized film but more costly than dyed film.
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Ceramic Film:
Ceramic window tint is made of non-metallic ceramic particles and is slightly lighter (in color) than a carbon window tint.
Unlike other films, the ceramic film is not made of metal, nor is the film dyed to be a darker shade.
Ceramic window tint can help you stay safe on the road by reducing sun glare. Your shade will only let 50% of light enter your car, making it a lot easier to see while driving. That’s even true at night, as ceramic tint film blocks light without compromising your safety or visibility.
Ceramic window tint is the most expensive because of the advanced technology required to create this film.
While ceramic tints can cost more than other tints available on the market, their UV blocking properties and cleaner appearance is well worth the extra cost. The window tint protects you and your car’s interior from harmful rays that can lead to damage and even skin cancer.
There are multiple grades of ceramic window tints for cars. Some are designed for aesthetic appeal, while others provide superior UV protection or infrared radiation blocking technology.
Ceramic window tint is the pinnacle of window protection. It’s engineered for superior clarity, blocking 99.9 percent of UVA and UVB, and most importantly – helps to keep the inside of your vehicle cooler – when infused with IR blocking materials.
High-quality ceramic window tint doesn’t just keep UV rays out of your car; it also blocks 80% of infrared light. Infrared rays are why we feel the heat from the sun, so with fewer rays, tinted windows decrease your vehicle’s interior temperature, even if you must park in the sun.
What are the Benefits of Window Tinting?
Apart from comfort and safety, and not forgetting the authentic appeal, you should also consider the following benefits when installing window films.
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Reduced Fading:
Window film blocks those harmful and destructive UVA and UVB rays. It also reduces the heat buildup inside your vehicle. Thus, protecting your car’s interior from fading.
Protects Your Skin:
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends window tint as a comprehensive sun protection program.
Window film blocks more than 99% of harmful UV rays and offers a long-term solution to help prevent skin cancer.
A recent study showed that when sunlight filtrates through UV-absorbing glass, like glass with a window tint, skin cell death is reduced by 93 percent. Thus, applying a window tint is the most effective way to prevent skin cancer over time, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
Privacy:
Another advantage of installing window film on your car window is that you enjoy privacy.
Naturally, a lighter shade of film won’t give you as much privacy as a dark shade of film, which makes it harder for passers-by to investigate your car.
Security:
Automotive window film works by keeping the window intact even when being struck. Because of that, it protects you and your valuables against smash-and-grab robberies and vandalism.
Ceramic window film is shatter-proof. When damage occurs, the glass shards will break but remain fixed, making this a safer option than other window films.
In the event of an accident, it’s intended for car windows to shatter when breaking to lessen the threat of large glass fragments encountering skin.
While this does improve safety in the event of a car accident, shattered glass is still dangerous.
The strong adhesive used to apply automotive window film will help keep your windows installed. Even if the glass shatters, you can expect the glass to stay fixed to the film, which results in fewer cuts and abrasions on the skin.
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Conclusion:
If you’re looking for top-of-the-line UV and heat protection, carbon or infrared rejection films like ceramic film are your best choice.
These films block the infrared rays responsible for the greenhouse effect inside your car significantly more than other films on the market today.
Schedule your appointment today!
We have been proud to serve the Sacramento and Modesto area with your window tinting and paint protection needs for over 20 years.
