TomTint

Yes, in many cases laminated glass on roll ups is a way for mfrs to make the cabin more soundproof. It also fills that requirement of side windows needing to be safety glass. ( 2/4/1) .. laminated glass is also more energy efficient than tempered.. i.e. It increases fuel conomy ..3/4/1.. now add to that the fact that the laminate also reduces UVA/UVB...4/4/1... now add high efficiency glass that's.. laminated ( think MB or other high end imports ) .. and the REAL benefit of adding film... becomes negligible. Outside of appearance.. there is little to no measurable benefit.

The commercial banking business is a complete fleecing of America. Quite possibly the single worst customer service business in existence. Think about the dynamics in the banking world.. You give them your money to use and they "give" you a ridiculous .05% interest return, then charge you a monthly fee for the account or a fee to use checks.. ..Then take your money..and loan it out to someone else at prime plus x..and make money on the margin... there is a old saying ..banks won't lend you money when you need it.. they only lend to you when you don't. .. Outside of a mottgage we are debt free and that mortgage that will be paid off in the next 2-3 years..after that... I'm done with banks..the only banking we will do is with our local credit union.

Security Film without attachment is virtually use less. .. And yes, the 14 mil 3M will be distorted. ... very distorted.

Retro fit safety film will be popular for the foreseeable future. But new construction is already phasing out glass in high risk areas. Opting for acrylic or plexi or other resin based product.

Eastman had Enerlogic......new fancy super duper bla bla bla.. and it shit the bed. ...they couldn't make it , installers couldn't install it and it's price point made it unattractive on most legitimate ROI audits. 3M has Thinsulite ...and at 7.00 psi +\-. C. It is NEVER going to show a ROI in under 50 years. Same with Ecolux. .. For the example.. take VEP 35 ( Enerlogic ) it has a TSER in the 75-78% area it had a .03 ish emmisivity and it was roughly 3.00 PSF to buy.. and a total pita to install. Now take there VE35.. basic low E no frills . It was roughly 1.30 PSF to buy..and also has a mid 70s TSER... and .28-30 Emissivity.. ( to the best of my memory) ... and as easy to install as a basic silver. That means that the TSER is basically a wash..and the film has to save 1.50 - 1.75 more heat loss PSF ..just to get on par with VE35 based on ROI...this did not account for the added grief that came along with installing the VEP.. So what does this have to do with things today ? .. this... Film mfrs try to wheel out all these "new" films.. at $3.00 + PSF. .. and new glass is soooo efficient and reduces so much solar heat gain without film already... ROI for these films is so long... they do not make financial seance to building owners, managers or ESCOs. Add to that ... the next wave of glass in commercuand resi is going to triple pane.. ... film is DOA on that unless you want to hang it outside.. Now back to auto... in the next few years the CAFE mandates are set to be re evaluated and more demanding. .. that is going to force automakers to further improve the glass they utilize.

Agree. ..but the truth of the matter is that the tint industry has lagged far behind the glass industry for decades. They have always been and likely always will be the red headed stepchild. While film has gotten "better" in the past 8-10 years...the OEM glass had quadrupled in advancements..thus the film biz is once again behind the curve. Remember..the glass industry has HAD to improve and become pro active due to federal efficiency mandates ..they either improve or they are out of business. The film industry has always been re-active...wait and see type mentality... by the time they react..it's already too late.. been that way for decades... nothing is going to change.

Glad to hear you have a product that is working for you. On the flip side of this is that today's auto glass that is on all new cars IS incredibly efficient at blocking heat.. incredibly.. This is due in large part to auto mfrs needing to meet CAFE standards for pollution as well as MPG requirements. ..."I.E. the less the AC is running ..the better the MPg is going to be..the less pollution from the tail pipe." If you have the ability to actually test the glass via a new fancy meter .. you will be amazed....and shocked at how good factory glass really is. Some auto mfrs ( German ) ones in particular..but some domestic.. have laminated glass on the rear , sides and windshield. All of which reduces virtually all of UVA ..and B.. so if you are installing a ceramic 80 or 90, and that film has a TSER of say... 40%.. on factory tinted glass that has a TSER in the 70% range.. that leaves you reducing 40% of 30% .....net 12% more TSER...= negligible

In most cases it is negligible.

Benefits....very few... Unless your customer for some reason wants them darker......Tidays factory glass, both tinted and "clear" are incredibly efficient at reducing UV and SHG. A couple years ago a neat little affordable meter came out that had mfrs chitting bricks. As it became incredibly easy to test solar performance.....and expose written inconsistencies.

The struggle is real

Long story....but... A couple years ago a good friend called and said he was trading his truck in and they offered him 1.00 for it it's been in South Fla it's whole life.. 1999 F150 4x4 x cab Latiat V8. ..Zero rust anywhere but 150k miles.. Needing paint, interior and misc other 100.00 fixes. Soooo. I tell him to sell it on CL and take the first 2k that comes his way.. He tries but no offers for several weeks...sooooo ..I buy it. 2k for the truck, 600 to ship it..2500 to paint and pretty up some other exterior things. 1200 to recover the seats , new headliner, door panels., radio, ..couple other odds and ends, 300.00 +\_ for new rotors pads and rear drums, another 100 for rear axle seals .. 350 for a new ac clutch.. 250 new radiator..1500 for all new front ball joints etc.. 600 at the registry for plates and sales tax, ...then the trans takes a dump...another 2500 for a rebuild and torque converter. .. I'm forgetting some other repairs here and there..but it was a money pit. Las count I was 12k + into a 1.00 truck... But..I have been driving it for the last 2 years where ever I need to..put another 25k on it in that time.. Oddly enough..I kind of like it.. Actually drive it more than my 17 F350 Diesel Platinum... Go figure..

We got real lucky this year. Very little snow. Already dethatched the lawn and did the first mow of the year. Hoping to get some loam spread and seeded before it gets to hot and all we get is weeds.

I'm Co-Owner of Deco Film Depot.

That's exactly where all that 3M stuff belongs 😂

Manufacturers are desperately trying to encourage existing shop owners to hire and train... the stock pile of future film buyers ...is getting low. Add to that..some of the chain store tint shops are selling a pipe dream to unwitting buyers..only for them to find that once a new hire is trained..they can't keep them locked up in the back room for 8.50 P/H...hence the huge turn over rate. I have said it numerous times before. Being a "tinter" is no different than being a house painter, plasterer, lawn mower, carpet installer, or any other un regulated trade where a legitimate license is not required. .. That also adds to the derelict problem in the labor force. I don't have the actual numbers, although I'm sure corporates have run them...on how many "tinters" are actual businesses as apposed to hobbyists. If I were to guess.. it's 1 in 60.. maybe worse..