Dark tinted windows are becoming a fashion in today’s commercial buildings. There are many reasons for this trend. Commercial window tinting helps to protect the inhabitants from the glare of the sun as well as offer much required privacy for them. It acts as a filter to block some of the sunlight and allow only a limited amount of light into the building. This is vital to help any plants inside the building to grow.
The tint would help to protect inhabitants from the harmful rays of the sun blocking infrared and ultraviolet rays from seeping into the building. Ultraviolet and infrared rays are linked to certain skin cancers in humans. Hence a good window tint would help to protect people from the adverse effects of the sun.
For centuries, people have been searching for ways to protect themselves and their belongings from the adverse effects of the sun:
- The earliest inventions were bonnets and sun umbrellas, especially designed for protecting people from the sun;
- Then came the sun-glasses and sun protective clothing
Since then people have been constantly devising ways to fight the ever-present solar radiation. The latest technology in this regard is the “Window Film”, which came into the market in the late 1960s.
The technology kept-on evolving to its current status where it helps to protect people by blocking a significant amount of heat energy while still allowing the homeowner to have a virtually unimpaired view from the window.
The Window Film is a very thin film made from a polyester based material and comes with a scratch-resistant coating. Some films are made of multiple layers of polyester in order to strengthen it further.
Even then, these films are only a few millimetres thick.
They are usually affixed to the interior space of the window with a good adhesive. The sun barrier is created by adding various additives to the polyester base. Different manufacturers use different additives, and some of them are special formulations created by these companies which are patented to them.
The “dyed film” is one type of window tint commonly used today. This material will absorb the harmful rays of the sun while permitting only a limited quantity of rays into the building. The constant absorption of harmful rays will eventually increase the stress on the window glass, which could lead to periodic glass breakages.
Another type of window film is called “metalized”, which would reflect the majority of the sun’s harmful rays. The polyester base in this type of film is embedded with different kinds of metal.
The latest metalized films use advanced ceramics to help reflect the harmful rays of the sun. Window tints come in many colours and shapes too. Most of the tints are slightly metallic in their appearance.
Why You Should Tint Your Commercial Space’s Windows
Building owners or tenants have varying reasons for wanting to tint their commercial space’s windows:
- To protect their living space from the sun’s harmful rays;
- To reduce the heat inside the building; or
- To enhance their privacy
Thus, window tints offer many benefits to the inhabitants of a building.
Energy saving is one of the most important benefits of choosing a window film. The windows of a new home can be responsible for about 75% of heat gain during the summer months. This can result in increasing your energy bills by way of increased air conditioning costs.
Did you know that cooling or heating accounts for 45% of an energy bill?
This is where window tinting can help as it can dramatically cut down on your monthly energy bills. Window films with a high reflectance rating will help to provide a greater heat reduction.
Other benefits of a window tint would be protecting your valuable possessions inside the building. Your furniture, carpets, flooring and curtains would be protected from sun damage.
Ultraviolet light is one of the main culprits of fading these valuable possessions. Many window films available today could block up to 99% of the ultraviolet light entering your living space. Ultraviolet light can also affect your health. They are the main reasons for sunburns, and one of the risks for skin cancers.
Most of today’s window films are shatter-resistant, which would help to hold the window glass together, and offer a safe environment to the inhabitants of the building. Window films can also reduce the glare of your television. A darker film is able to offer more glare reduction and privacy than a lighter film. A clearer window film would help to offer a better view through the window.
How to Apply Window Tint
Window tints can be applied on a window in two basic ways. One is the do-it-yourself (DIY) method while other involves the services of a professional.
The DIY method follows these eight steps:
- Clean the window thoroughly
- Measure and cut the film leaving an additional one inch of extra material on all sides
- Expose the adhesive coating. This should be done with the help of another person if you are following the do-it-yourself method
- Spray the window and film with a wetting solution to activate the film’s adhesive
- Apply the film with the adhesive side to the window
- Smooth out any bubbles and any imperfections before finishing the job
- Trim off any excess film
- Blot the surface to remove extra water
The drying out process could last from a couple of days up to a month depending on the outside weather conditions. A do-it-yourself project may cost as low as $1 per square foot while a professional installation job would cost up to $35 per square foot.
The aforementioned information provides a comprehensive overview about commercial window tinting.