Help for a Homeowner !

September 27, 2006

We own a 15 yr old large home. We have had problems in our living room with sunlight damaging the carpet and the fabric covered furniture that is within about 15' of a sliding glass window unit (2 fixed, 2 sliding totaling about 18' in width x about 7' high, double pane glass). Due to severe fading we are replacing the carpet and furniture at no small expense. It has been strongly recommended that we have our sliders tinted. We have a very expensive house (relatively) so we don't want to skimp. Yet we don't want to overpay just because someone sees an opportunity. We're retired, so this all is a BIG expense to us. It must be done right.

We get intense sun in up to 35% the living room from early September through the end of May. There is no glare. We like sun and lots of light. Heat is somewhat of a problem from the sun only a couple of months. Preserving our new carpet and furniture is of paramount importance. Because there are many other windows in other rooms which face the same direction and we are very visible on top of a hill with a 100 mile view, the window film which is put on must not make those particular windows stand out from the outside. The film also must not detract from the fastastic view and color of trees and the very distant landscape. Our house is all shades of brown. We want the least amount of tint possible while protecting the carpet and futniture.

During the summer we get intense heat- ambient tempertures frequently are around 115 degrees. We had a slider in our bedroom completely shatter this summer for unknown reasons, but I suspect from the heat.

I am having a window tint company come this week to give us an estimate. He seems to carry most brands such as Vista and Huber Oktik (3M is missing). I asked him if he should come when the sun is beating in the most. He said "no- that doesn't matter". But I am reading on the message boards here (most of which is way too technical for me) that certain measurements of heat intensity, etc. seem critical and can determine whether my existing glass will have thermal stress and crack as a result of the film being applied. We also have some flourescent lighting in the living room, which I gather can make some films look awful at night.

What guestions should I ask of this fellow? Should he be concerned about seeing the living room when it has the most intense sun? Should he be bringing some sort of meter to detect the UV rays, sun intensity, etc? Given our protection needs (protection from damaging sunlight -or UV rays- less protection from heat and brightness) but understanding our need not to have these windows "stand out" from inside or outside, which products would you recommend?

I don't know anything about these products, but from reading your message boards I believe there are a lot of technical items which need to be considered, but which are beyond my comprehension. Please give me some ideas of what I need to be careful about. I think I should expect more than just a sales pitch from the guy who is coming out here.

Thanks for any advice.

September 27, 2006

If you get a knowledgable salesperson they show first be able to tell you about sun damage. There are 3 main causes:

UV Radiation =40%

Heat =25%

Visible Light =25%

Misc. =10%

The best performing films provide 99.9% ultraviolet rejection, a high solar energy rejection, and low light transmission. You will probably want the highest light transmission possible according to your post though so it is very important that you reject as much heat as possible because that is a considerable factor in sun damamge as well as the UV rays. Reflective films perform very well but you will also notice them "standing out" on your window both day and night.

Vista and Huper Optik will both reject 99.9% of the UV rays. So you will want to narrow things down to a low reflectance (12% or below) high solar energy rejection (TSER 55% or greater). Both companies have films that can perform this well.

The lightest films you want to look at are:

Vista Spectra Select 60 & 70 (58% & 55% TSER respectively both 99.9% UV rejection)

Huper optik SECH (55% TSER 99.9% UV rejection)

Films that will cut more visible light are:

Vista Harmony 40 & Vista Harmony Terre 41 (Around 55% TSER and 99.9% UV rejection)

Huper DREI (70% TSER and 99.9% UV rejection)

Huper Ceramic 30 & 40 (61% TSER 55% TSER respectively and 99.9% UV rejection)

Vista will have the dry adhesive which has it's advantages over Huper's PS adhesive. Huper's DREI just blows the rest out of the water as far as Total Solar Energy RejectedTSER and reflectance of only 12%. (Clear glass is 8%) But any one of those films will reduce the sun damage and they are all backed by very good warranties.

Get samples, ask for references (ask if they have any jobs that you can go see in person, they should!), how many years the installer has been installing film, proof of liability insurance and go with the company that you feel most comfortable with. Price is an issue but a lot can be said about saving a buck in this industry so be cautious when something seems to good to be true. :lol2

blade · September 27, 2006

why would a dry adhesive compared to a PS adhesive mean anything to the consumer?

other than that don't assume you only need to go with vista or huper. there are many other films out there that can do just as great a job.

Panarama

Hilite

Hanita

Solargard

Llumar

3M

Global

etc.........

call around and get a few estimates from different companies.

September 27, 2006

why would a dry adhesive compared to a PS adhesive mean anything to the consumer?
other than that don't assume you only need to go with vista or huper. there are many other films out there that can do just as great a job.

Panarama

Hilite

Hanita

Solargard

Llumar

3M

Global

etc.........

call around and get a few estimates from different companies.

Dry has better optical no orange peel and everyone knows that it is bomber and will not bubble. I would think that would mean quite a bit to a consumer. :lol2

September 27, 2006

why would a dry adhesive compared to a PS adhesive mean anything to the consumer?
other than that don't assume you only need to go with vista or huper. there are many other films out there that can do just as great a job.

Panarama

Hilite

Hanita

Solargard

Llumar

3M

Global

etc.........

call around and get a few estimates from different companies.

He wants a high vlt so that cuts your list down a lot. There are only a few on there that are XIR high VLT and high TSER.

Hilite

Prestige 70

September 27, 2006

why would a dry adhesive compared to a PS adhesive mean anything to the consumer?

other than that don't assume you only need to go with vista or huper. there are many other films out there that can do just as great a job.

Panarama

Hilite

Hanita

Solargard

Llumar

3M

Global

etc.........

call around and get a few estimates from different companies.

He wants a high vlt so that cuts your list down a lot. There are only a few on there that are XIR high VLT and high TSER.

Hilite

Prestige 70

Don't forget V-Kool 70 and sech

blade · September 27, 2006

Dry has better optical no orange peel and everyone knows that it is bomber and will not bubble. I would think that would mean quite a bit to a consumer.

haven't had clarity or bubbling issues with the PS I install.....maybe it's the film you use. :bingo which is why I just consider adhesive an installer issue.

and I take care of customers every week with the same concerns this one has with panarama and solargard. just throwing out options dude. from what the guy said, options might be a good thing for him. sorry I haven't jumped all over the hype.

besides with the amount of heat absorbed with certain films you would think that would create a certain amount of radiated heat from the glass to the interior. but just thinking here....I don't install it so I don't know like you would.

blade · September 27, 2006

another thing to consider smfguy....VLT is a quarter of the damaging rays. why not compromise alittle and block some of it. you prolong the life of your carpet, floors, whatever further...and you can still retain your view. I install 35% films daily that customers think appears as if it isn't even there. if that's too much there's 40, 50, 60......... just throwing out things to consider. :thumb

September 27, 2006

Madico Advanced Ceramic will also do what you want smfguy, has similar properties to the huper optik and Vkool as far as heat rejection and lightness of the film.

Where do you live? I would be happy to come by and help you if your in AZ.

Harold

September 27, 2006

I agree with BLADE..there many other film out there that can/will give you what you need and still give you plenty of light inside your home and still give you a great view from the inside..and not look to noticable from the outside..and minimal reflectance fro the inside at night.

just and example

this is a 35% film blocking 99% UV..VLT of 35% and TSER of 53%

SUNTEK INFINITY 35%

and a total absorbtion rate of 47%..I dont like to install any film that has a higher absorbtion rate then 55% do to higher possibility of thermal failure/breakage...some ppl dont like to think that the absorbtion rate is that important for the consumer to know...but I do.

there are also great DUAL reflective film out that have a low interior reflectiveness that are light in appearance and block up to 50% of the total solar energy.(fro example..the suntek SYMPHONY DS50 with 50% TSER and an int/ext reflectiveness of 12%/16%)