Seal Failure

Have not chimed in for quite awhile. Spent winter settin up business. Hoping to start right. LLC, good manufacturer, book sysytem etc.. Feel like I,m up on specs and what not, but one thing that bothers me on residential sales side is how to approach seal failure when dealing with customers. Manufacture has standard 3 year warranty. Question is: do you bring this up at sales time, since it is a good warranty. Not even mention it, since it may scare some customers or just give them the form after install, which might riase a red flag a little late in the game. I would appreciate any input.

I dont mention it unless they ask about it. Ask your customers about the glass warranty they have....I betcha 9 out 10 have no clue if they even have a glass warranty.

what blade said

I agree 100% they have'nt a clue. My worry is are we settin up liability if we don't disclose what we know? Its the world we live in ( lawsuits)! Am I just paranoid?

But is there any mention prior to install? Seal Failure is something they have never even thought of. Now we hand them something specificaly warranting against this, just seems like you might get a bad response.

i will have to disagree, I think you should mention it to the customer, if you dont then that is bad business in my mind.

would you want someone holding out information with you, my guess is no.

If you are any kind of salesmen then you will not scare them away. just let them know that seal failure can happen at any time weather there is film on the glass or not, the warranty is to make the customer feel confident in thier purchase and will, when you explain the warranty.

Sounds like I'm just paranoid. Thanks for the the response. Would appreciate suggestions on how to deal with the the topic, if brought up by customer. One of my first sales calls, brought this up and caught me off guard.

if it is brought up then just tell them it is covered under warranty for 3 years and glass breakage for 5 years. I always tell the customer about the warranty on the glass and also tell them that the glass is gonna get hotter then usual. seal failure can happen at any time for a #of reasons. Just tell the customer in the sale of the job that the film has a lifetime warranty and the glass is covered by the 3 and 5 year.

see the worst part about it, for some reason if seal failure happens after the film install they're always gonna try to give you the blame (blame the tinter) so in my own opinion telling them before and in writing would be the best bet, goood luck budd

Thanks guy's! Appreciate it.

Also helps to dispell any BS a glass replacement firm may say to your client in the event there is an issue.

Nip it in the bud up front.

The IWFA has a folder style brochure that speaks volumes on the myth of IG unit failure. It is a documented discussion on how IG units fails at the same rate with or without film applied.

And what sucks even moreso is being upfront with them only to have them get curious, look up or call a glass shop, and be told by them that applying film will void the glass warranty alltogether. Then no sale at all.

I wonder if blinds' companies mention that their installation will void the glass warranty? Or stainded glass companies? Or companies that do vinyl lettering on storefront windows? Or construction companies that build walls infront of windows? Or furniture stores that setup cabinets in front of windows?

thats y you tell the customer upfront that the film will void the warranty but the film comes with a warranty that will cover the glass in case somethin does go wrong with the glass.

and i bet solar screen companies dont tell the customers thier product voids the warranty when they drill into the window frames.

And what for those customers who have a lifetime warranty on their glass? There are only so many films that will mirror a glass warranty and those films installed are more expensive than many cheapazz customers are willing to spend...and in the end you still lose a job. Most films installed have a 3-5 year glass breakage or seal failure warranty, not lifetime.

Another thing to think about is that many homes we tint belong to someone other than the original owner. In that case most windows don't have any warranty anyway. Why give the customer a warranty on the glass if one doesn't exist in the 1st place. I can understand for glass breakage maybe...but not seal failure.

dont think i have ever heard a customer tell me they have a lifetime warranty on thier windows. but at any rate there are films that have a warranty that will cover the warranty on thier windows but they have to purchase it at a certain amount per sq.

and if they are a cheep azz customer then they probably dont have the extended or lifetime warranty on thier windows.

im sure you already know about the optional full coverage warranty. just info for those that dont know.

Many of the glass/seal failure warranties offered by film companies are only good IF the windows have active warranties in place and face voiding once film is applied. They do not warranty glass and seal when there is no window warranty in place or has expired.

This came up with me only a month ago. A customer complaining that after the film application his lifetime warranty on the glass was void. Lifetime warranties on the glass do exist.

and it's not our job to research the customer's glass warranty...it's their's. So why mention a warranty on glass of any kind initially?

I've heard that, too... Marketing, you gotta love it.

now here is a seal failure for ya "To get to the beach"

Enpro will pick up windown warranties for $0.35 a square

Even if there is no existing glass warranty?

No. They have to have a valid warranty on the windows.

That's what I figured. It would be stupid to do it any other way.

I agree.. But hey im new!

Reread your warranty. Of all the different warranties I have read, they only warranty seals as long as there is an original glass warranty.

Most of the "Lifetime" window warranties that I have seen are pro-rated. Meaning that after about 5 years the window company will pay for the IG unit but the homeowner pays for the labor.
You should get copies of the warranties and read them. You will see how many of them are just

yes I know tintitman, warranty only works for people that have an exsisting warranty.

Tintman = Jeff? Austin?

Talk about all aspects of window film. Good and bad. If you talk about glass breakage/seal failure and nobody else does then you have created mis-trust between the other dealer and YOUR NEW CUSTOMER! I sell my warranty. This is why I own my marketshare for residential accounts. The products are similar but the warranties are different. Tell them this is the down side to window film, however a rare occurance. You will win in the long run.

Great article in Glass Magazine two years ago. Basic story talks of the glass industry's false claims that window film will destroy your seals. They talk of no basis for these claims. They know the average life of an IG unit is seven years. They just want to pawn the blame on somebody else.

If your film company offer warranties then use this to your advantage. Sell all aspects of this warranty. I do!

I win at a much higher cost by creating trust with my customers and blowing my competitors legs off because they trid to hide the bad side of film.

If they ask... ask them if they know anyone with fogged glass. chances are that they do. Chances are that those windows don't have tint on them.

Never had this happen, but...... In the warranty, it asks if any unit has ever failed. I'm guessing that this is a way out for the manufacturer not to pay.

If you buy a lot of film from a reputable company, they will usually pay your claims without any issues. Don't think they didn't build the cost of of the warranty into the price of the film you bought.