Need advice on skylight tint

August 5, 2019

Hi all,

I have 6 skylights that let in a lot of heat in the summer and turn my living room into an oven. I thought tinting them might be a good way to go, and got a few estimates. Learned there are a lot of options out there and thought I'd turn to the experts.

I'd like to avoid having them too tinted, as I enjoy the natural light and visibility, and we also very much enjoy the moonlight coming in at night when the full moon is out. Worried a product that is too dark will eliminate this. Also concerned about interior reflectivity.

I was quoted several 3M products - the Prestige 50 or 70. Or their Nightvision products, but I felt these were too dark. This was an interior install for $850 for the 6 skylights.

I was also quoted $750 for Llumar Films Vista V38 or DR35, or $400 for NH35 ER- TSER exterior film.

What are your guys' thoughts on interior vs. exterior? Or for 3M prestige vs. V38/DR35? Again, especially concerned with the moonlight reduction/indoor reflection.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Roach · August 5, 2019

First, there is no perfect solution that will give you everything you want.

Interior application of tint will last a whole lot longer then any external films, so if at all possible, I would strongly recommend going that route. For 6 skylights, not seeing them or knowing how big they are or how high off the ground they are, I'd be at least at $850. I wouldn't even consider the $400 price.. that's stupid low, and if you went with that I'd be surprised if the film lasted a year.

Anyway... IMO Prestige 50 or 70 is too light.. Yes, they aren't super reflective, but that will also reduce the amount of heat that's reduced. ie. less bang for your buck.

V38 wouldn't be too bad... I don't recall the heat reduction of that film off hand, but generally speaking, a film of that vlt would do a fairly ok job.

August 6, 2019

Thanks for the advice! I'll look into getting the interior V38!

TomTint · August 6, 2019

We do skylights all the time in Silver 20, sky always looks blue ..even on a cloudy day. Keeps out 75-80% of the heat. Steer clear of the xterior films from Llumar, they simply slap their AG coating and PS adhesive on their basic films and call it "exterior". Should you for some reason want it on the xterior...Hanita products are the most advanced on the market. PR 60/70 would not provide and measurable difference in heat load.

tint45 · August 15, 2019

On 8/4/2019 at 10:22 PM, Roach said:

First, there is no perfect solution that will give you everything you want.

Interior application of tint will last a whole lot longer then any external films, so if at all possible, I would strongly recommend going that route. For 6 skylights, not seeing them or knowing how big they are or how high off the ground they are, I'd be at least at $850. I wouldn't even consider the $400 price.. that's stupid low, and if you went with that I'd be surprised if the film lasted a year.

Anyway... IMO Prestige 50 or 70 is too light.. Yes, they aren't super reflective, but that will also reduce the amount of heat that's reduced. ie. less bang for your buck.

V38 wouldn't be too bad... I don't recall the heat reduction of that film off hand, but generally speaking, a film of that vlt would do a fairly ok job.

I agree you have to pick and choose what you want, function vs form, etc. I also agree that exterior products will obviously break down more quickly. The $400 for llumar exterior application could however be a case of a company trying to move out some dead stock, and if it is in fact NHE35, I would consider it if cutting heat were the most important thing. :twocents

Edited August 15, 2019 by tint45
spelling

Roach · August 15, 2019

That's fair. I don't disagree with that. Just not the option I would go towards. But that hardly means I'm correct. Many ways to accomplish something. :thumb2