low e

Is there anything to know about low e windows before tinting?

i have always heard to not tint those low e glass windows

We install film on at least four houses a week with low-e amd haven't had any problems.

You do have some restrictions on which films to use, need to check with your supplier.

I tint them all the time and have not experienced any real difference in stress cracking or seal failure verses plain old clear glass. Most custom and upscale homes have low e glass these days anyway. I treat it the same way as clear glass as far as what type of film, shading etc. If I have to do a glass check because it's an archtectural shaped window I just plug it in as reflective.

Some windows are gonna crack or fail regardless of what kind of glass it is and no matter what you say to the customer if it wasn't broke before we put film on it HAS to be our fault I just deal with and move on. JMO

man i have never istalled film on e glass before....that weird.

do you have to go really light? reflective? non reflective?

I've used films down to 35% and in a few instances lower at the customers risk ( no breakage or seal warranty) without problems, if the film is listed as dual pane safe by the manufacturer I'll put it on but I will err on the side of caution and stay with the lighter films and run glass checks if it's questionable.

Nah...It's not restricted much more than regular glass like PM said. It's evrywhere up north, don't worry about it mdog. I just try and keep the absorption under 45% on those, but I have cheated without a problem.

We keep absorption at 50 or lower........no problems

On occasion, these windows can be assembled improperly (low E coating is applied to the #4 side of the window. This is surface located inside the house. I usually scrape the window, once (only once) I scrapped too hard and scratched the low e coating. You won't know that you did it until you apply a pretty reflective film. There will appear to be little discolored scratch in the film. It is purely aesthetic and does not affect the way the film works.

These new windows are almost always assembled correctly and according to the IWFA, there little to no chance of failure if the proper films are used on IG units.