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Tip #1 – Where Do You Live?

Before you decide on whether you want to tint your car windows, the first question you should consider is where you live. Most of the manufacturer tints are designed just for looks – with protection against harmful UV rays – UVA and UVB rays (which can cause skin cancer and damage to interior materials).

If you live in hotter climates such as Southwest or Southeast – it’s important to consider car window tinting that blocks infrared rays or provides IR protection. This blocks the heat that is produced by the sun. This is a huge benefit – especially when you apply it to your windshield and front side windows.

For those in colder climates, IR protection is not as important as UV-blocking window film. IR film is a nice upgrade to consider, but if interior cabin heat is not a huge concern of yours, you’ll be just fine with a good mid-grade window tint film.

Tip #2 – Does Your Car Currently Have Privacy Glass?

If you have a newer car, truck, or SUV, it’s quite possible that the rear windows (and the fronts on some) already have tinted windows. That’s a bit deceiving. In fact, it’s more likely that your newer vehicle has factory tint or installed privacy glass – and not a protective window film.

Privacy glass is a specially created automotive window that includes a dark pigment that’s added in the manufacturing process. As the name implies, it is mainly added to improve the privacy factor – so people can’t see inside your car. The darker tint in the privacy glass can also improve glare issues. While these are great features  – they are not the same as getting tint installed.

Privacy glass does not provide added UV or IR blocking benefits. If you have privacy glass that is great but you still may want protection from UVA, UVB, and heat-producing IR  spectrums. To get this you will need to install tint.

Tip #3 – Learn the Terms

If you are shopping for tint, you may get confused by some of the terms and abbreviations out there. . So, let’s clarify what they mean, and add a few common terms you’ll hear in describing the benefits of a window film.

Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) is described as the visible light that can pass through window film or glass with tint installed. A darker window tint produces lower VLT levels. The VLT essentially determines the tint darkness or tint percentage.

Visible Light Reflectance (VLR) is the reflected visible light by glass or window tint. Essentially – it helps reduce glare – so the higher the VLR – the easier it is to see during high-light conditions.

Total Solar Energy Rejected (TSER) is the rating that gives car owners the best overall indicator about the tint’s ability to protect against UVA and UVB, infrared radiation (IR), and visible light transmission. The higher the TSER – the more protection the film produces.

IR is the abbreviation for Infrared Radiation. The sun produces many different emissions – including ultraviolet (UV) and infrared radiation (IR). UV is mainly responsible for breaking down materials – such as interior seats, dashboards, plastics, and leather. But it also is a leading cause of skin cancer. IR on the other hand is responsible for generating heat.

So – as infrared rays penetrate the window – the temperature of your vehicle’s cabin increases. An IR film is mainly intended to provide heat rejection, which is why it can be a light tint percentage – but still offer superior protection.

While there are other terms that you’ll hear or read about, these are the basic terms you’ll need to know to get started and to understand what you are getting. And you can always ask the knowledge installers at 618dentguy.