3M Window Tinting - Good idea?
Hi, We just moved into a new house with a ton of windows that get a lot of sunlight. My wife is worried about new furniture and hardwoods floors fading, as well as reducing glare (not so much worried about retaining heat). Our windows are Barber Ross - a so-so window manufacturer here in Virginia. I'm trying to get the exact specifications of these windows. They are allegedly Low-E, but not sure what kind of Low-E. They might have argon, they might not. The U value is apparently between .40 and .37. We have an awesome view, so my wife wants to preseve as much of the scenery as possible. She is getting a lot of solar screens, but for some rooms, she thinks it won't work, hence the need for window tinting. So my questions are: 1. If I'm not worried about voiding my window warranty, is tinting windows a good idea? 2. We've been pitched 2 products: 3M Prestige and 3M NightVision. Prestige is pricer, but apparently looks better from the outside and contains no metals, helping with cell phone reception. NightVision is more affordable. Nightvision will cost us about $20/pane and Prestige $30/pane. Does anybody know anything about these products and/or window tinting in general? Is it worth the high cost? Are solar screens a better idea? Thanks. I once lived in a home that had window film on a large window overlooking the back yard. It was a reflective film and allowed a view of the yard and reduced the amount of light and heat in the room during summer. This was a westerly exposed window. Depending upon how house is oriented, simply closing window treatments on windows when the sun is shining on that side of the house is all that is necessary. Orientation of windows, particularly west and south which get direct sun during the afternoon and early evening require more protection. Solar screens would be effective for these windows. Solar screens are more effective than window film, but they will change the look of the home. Most tend not to want them on the front of their home. Taking into consideration window warranty, manufacturers will not cover thermal window warranties if window film is used. Often window film manufacturers will pick up the remaining warranty on windows. There are different types of window films. One type of film is a window tint that absorbs solar radiation. Another is a reflective film that reflects the sun's rays. It offers greater transparency than the tint. With film, windows tend to build up heat inside the window and sometimes cause the thermal pane to fail. Film can scratch and change color. Special precautions must also be taken when cleaning window film. Many of the auto window film companies apply film on residential windows. Check all warranties before making a decision. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable company that will provide a warranty that at minimum matches that of the original window manufacturer’s. If you select a window film, follow manufacturer's recommended care instructions. You are correct when you say VOID WARRANTY. If you have that many windows you should be worried about warranty. Window film causes the windows to get hot and sometimes causes a seal failure between the glass. You might want to price some replacement glass for one of your windows before considering film. Average size glass (3'X3') could cost you $200 + labor to replace. Every window company I know of will not warranty windows with film applied. A U factor of .37 or .4 is not very good(lower is better with U), .35 is considered good. But most Lo-E glass will block much of the UV, better glass blocks 95%+. Argon is more of an insulating agent than UV blocker. If you intall a film it should be on the outside. Installed on the inside, it reflects the heat back into the glass and will likely result in seal failure. And as suggested above, it may void any warranty. Yeah, I had already checked and it will void the warranty. The warranty is only good for condensation between the panes, though. Since these windows don't have a low U-factor, would you get them done? Or just solar shades? Thanks. My wife really wants the film for aesthetic reasons. If you break a seal in an IG unit, you get condensation between the panes. That's what the warranty covers, and that's what the films tend to cause. i would probably opt for the solar screens. They work better than the tint and cost considerably less than new glass. I had all the windows on my house tinted a little over a year ago. The company that did it will tell you what level of film your windows can tolerate without failure. To this day I have had zero problems. My father had his house done as well, probably about 6 years ago....he too has had no problems. I suppose if you were truly concerned about it you could have some storm windows installed and have the film applied to them. But i honestly don't see the film to be as problematic as it may have once been.....just follow the recommendations of a professional installer. And trust me you want a pro to do it otherwise you will likely have air bubbles (ever seen the diy window tint on cars??? yeah that looks hot on a house too ) grigsby, So, how much did you pay for this tinting, and what's it done for you? (I don't care how much you paid, I'm just going to make a point, so don't answer that part of the question.) Window tinting is the least expensive of the 3 options (tinting, sun screens, and window replacement). It's also the one that my local utility company gives the smallest rebate on for energy conservation. Sun screens cost more, and my local utility company gives a larger rebate on them than they do tinting. Upgrading to windows that meet minimum energy standards is the most expensive of the 3 options, but my local utility pays a rebate of 25% of the cost of the windows for their customers who do it. Do you want to guess which of the 3 choices is going to give you the biggest bang for your buck? where could i find info on Sun screens for the windows.i got some tint to try from lowes the cling type,it was ok but i like the look og screens better. Your electric company may be able to provide you with dealers of sunscreens in your area. http://www.caec.com/e_advice_detail.aspx?id=221 A door/window dealer may have them. FYI, Durasol (www.durasol.com) has a great line of interior and exterior solar screens. I have a blackout shade for my TV room... sure makes that 61 DLP look pretty!
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