{"id":134,"date":"2010-11-21T16:36:41","date_gmt":"2010-11-21T21:36:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/precisefilm.com\/blog\/?p=134"},"modified":"2011-12-13T20:41:09","modified_gmt":"2011-12-14T02:41:09","slug":"what-is-a-good-window-tint-brand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precisefilm.com\/blog\/2010\/11\/21\/what-is-a-good-window-tint-brand\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is A Good Window Tint Brand?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We specialize in architectural window\u00a0tinting in Chicago<\/a>. So you know which products\u00a0we are comparing to one another: We’ve worked with\u00a0Huper Optik Ceramic & Spectrally-Selective Films, 3M Prestige, Madico, Sunscape, V-Kool, Solargard, Panorama, Llumar, Hanita Tek, Decolite, SunTek, Solyx, Graffiti-Gard &\u00a0Graffiti-Free products.<\/p>\n

Because no one company manufactures the best of every\u00a0type of film, we’re going to go over the different types of architectural energy\u00a0films available and then let you know which products we have found to be the best of the best. The three architectural film types are traditional, ceramic, and spectrally-selective.<\/p>\n

All <\/strong>traditional architectural window films are semi-metallic. This composition provides high heat rejection, high visible light\u00a0transmission\u00a0and low heat absorption.<\/p>\n

Heat rejection<\/em>\u00a0is the key difference between <\/strong>ceramic window films and traditional window films. Ceramic window films reduce heat primarily through absorption, <\/em>not rejection<\/em>.<\/p>\n

High heat absorption can cause non-tempered glass to break and can also cause damage to insulated glass (IG) units, causing them to trap moisture and mold over time. For this reason, the best heat rejection of a ceramic film that can be safely applied to most architectural glass maxes out at 56%. The single<\/em> benefit to ceramic window film over traditional film is slightly<\/em> less reflectivity. Since this is the only quantifiable benefit to\u00a0ceramics and the risk to the glass is so high, we never recommend ceramics to our clients, but rather suggest a spectrally-selective<\/a> film.<\/p>\n

Besides, most traditional architectural window films are\u00a0only around 5%-10% more reflective than standard insulated glass, and can block the same amount of heat as the safest ceramic film gradient. Consider this before paying 50%-100% more for the film that is only\u00a0slightly less reflective.<\/p>\n

If you need<\/em> to use a ceramic film, \u00a0Huper-Optik ceramics are the best we have worked with. They\u00a0have no distortion and have the lowest reflection available in a ceramic film.<\/p>\n

Now if you are looking for a reliable, cost-effective and high performance traditional window film –\u00a0Madico<\/a> films deliver. The longest US manufacturer of window films, Madico<\/a> films have the best\u00a0distortion free\u00a0adhesives and polyester substrate of any traditional film we have worked with.\u00a0Styles come in neutral, gray, silver and bronze. Films that are typically installed to vertical glass (not skylights) max out at around 25% visible light reflectance, a small price to pay for nearly 75% solar heat rejection.<\/p>\n

Finally we get to spectrally selective films. These films add no reflectivity to the glass\u00a0and up the ante by not darkening the window either! The popular\u00a0“70” series from each manufacturer refers to the percentage of\u00a0visible light transmitted through\u00a0the film.<\/p>\n

The 30% visible light reduction is nearly undetectable to the human eye. These films are safer than ceramic films because they reject heat in addition to absorbing it, causing less stress on the glass. This level of technology makes the films expensive,\u00a0about 100%-200% more than traditional films.<\/p>\n

If you want the best performing, distortion free, highest visible light transmitting film,\u00a0\u00a0go with\u00a0V-Kool<\/a> 70.\u00a0V-Kool<\/a> pioneered spectrally-selective window film and\u00a0has been manufacturing it for nearly 20 years. No other manufacturer sells a spectrally-selective\u00a0film that can surpass its performance – period.<\/p>\n

To recap what is the best window tinting film for architectural application:<\/p>\n