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Residential Window Tinting: A Comprehensive Guide
By Anna Walter
Residential properties which lack privacy and endurance never sell out easily as per property and real estate experts. When it comes to family houses, tinted glass windows are more functional than clear ones. Homeowners tint their houses for a variety of reasons. Especially for those who live in hot climates, sometimes the sun becomes brutal enough to nearly damage the interior furniture. Likewise, you may need some privacy at home, and perhaps looking for tinting your windows to give a nice aesthetic.
film on clear glass windows. The home window tinting gives an economic way to shade your property interior and makes it highly energy efficient. The best part is, you don’t need to involve yourself in the costly procedure of entire window replacement.
Table of Contents
- 1 Why Does Residential Window Tinting Become Popular?
- 2 Tinted House Windows Pros and Cons
- 3 How Can Window Tinting Help Reduce Energy Bills?
- 4 Window Tinting Options
- 5 Tinted Glass VS Filming Clear Glass
- 6 Durability
- 7 Appearance
- 8 Versatility
- 9 Ease of Maintenance
- 10 Cost per Square Foot
- 11 DIY Applying Window Film on Clear Glass
- 12 DIY Clear Glass Tinting – A Quick Procedure
- 13 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Tinting Your Home Window
- 14 How Long Does Window Tinting Take?
- 15 Tips to Maintain Tinted Glass To Enhance Durability
Why Does Residential Window Tinting Become Popular?
Have you ever thought about the significance of residential window tinting? Perhaps, you haven’t done that much before. Window tinting in residential property is used to achieve various benefits, while it has a few drawbacks too.
Tinted House Windows Pros and Cons
Pros
Block harmful UV rays to save interior from getting fade
Add privacy to have freedom of living
Get an appealing exterior of the residence
Keeps low temperature in the summer
Enhance security to block intruders from entering inside the property
Cons
This may lead to nullifying any warranties given by window manufacturers
Reduces solar heat in winters and lacks clarity of outside view
How Can Window Tinting Help Reduce Energy Bills?
According to a report, around 20% of the heat within a house escapes from windows in winter, which increases heater consumption. Additionally, more than 20% of the heat enters through the windows in summer, which increases the cost of air conditioning bills. Home window tinting reduces this extra cost of energy by blocking up to 78% of the heat coming from the sun in the summer season. Additionally, it keeps the interior warm while blocking heat leakage in winter. Thereby, window tinting can significantly reduce energy consumption and, hence, energy bills.
Window Tinting Options
You can opt for either tinted glass, which doesn’t include any film but is highly durable, or use clear glass with tint film, which is comparatively less durable. Both options give their own benefits.
1. Tinted Glass – Stands the Test of Time
Instead of using any film, tinted glass is manufactured by deep dipping before it is available in the market. This procedure makes the glass show long lasting results of the tint feature. Once installed, you will not require any big maintenance except cleaning for good appearance. Also, you will get rid of the tint film replacement cost in future.
2. Clear Glass With Tint Film – Various Level of Privacy
When you apply tint film on a window, you can DIY it on the clear glass window. Though a professional may provide you with quick service with more lasting results and some warranty, there’s nothing wrong with learning this unique DIY window tinting procedure, if you have enough time so you become self-sufficient to make it happen. You must be careful when applying tint film on clear glass because it may remove any warranty associated with the glass window.
Tinted Glass VS Filming Clear Glass
Let’s briefly explore some feature comparisons as per their unique properties. It will surely ease down your decision regarding which tinting option is best for your home windows.
Durability
Tint glass is highly durable because water does not damage the glass. Tinted glass for windows can last for up to 20 years or even longer.
Applying tint film on a clear glass will be highly prone to water damage. Also the tint film may fade with time. It lasts only up to 4 to 5 years.
Appearance
It looks like a luxury glass that gives a glam view with light while blocking some light while it passes through the glass.
It glares less while blocking a significant amount of light and gives a bit of dark shade while adding a good privacy.
Versatility
Tint glass is available in various color tones: Bronze, Gray, Green, Graylite, Mirrorpane, ECL Bronze, and ECL Gray. All of these are used for energy saving as well as UV protection.
It has more versatility of color options in addition to colorless one, which is used for UV protection in addition to energy saving. Also, various privacy levels are available in this option.
Ease of Maintenance
Tinted glass is more easily maintained for having easy cleaning and scratch-resistant features. It is less prone to moisture damage, so requires less maintenance.
After applying films on windows, you need frequent maintenance and require extra effort to keep the film dry to stay longer and well stick with the glass.
Cost per Square Foot
If you buy tinted glass for window replacement for adding privacy and making energy-efficient windows, it will cost you between $82 to $280 per square foot depending on glass type, thickness, and tint options. You can simply order a cut to size tinted glass and DIY install.
Average cost per square foot: $85 to $300
Clear glass replacement costs from $80 to $500 per square foot based on glass type & thickness. Also, a typical privacy window film costs between $6 and $10 per square foot. Moreover, installation materials and hiring a professional may cost between $3 and $8 per square foot.
Average cost per square foot: $90 to $520
DIY Applying Window Film on Clear Glass
Window films can be brought in various tones ranging from silver to copper. They are categorized into three types:
- Solar film
- Security film
- Privacy film
DIY Clear Glass Tinting – A Quick Procedure
1. Assess your house windows:
Know the window type and take appropriate measurements to get the film size accordingly.
2. Prepare the Glass:
Before applying tint, clean your glass with a spray of baby shampoo or liquid soap and apply squeegee.
3. Cut the Film & Apply:
Cut the film about an inch extra wide. Apply it on the wet glass with fingertips for a nice stickiness. Cut the excess film with the precise length.
Remove air bubbles with the help of a squeegee or tinter’s card. Spray liquid soap the third time and squeegee out the excess liquid.
4. Clean & Let it Dry:
Remove air bubbles with the help of a squeegee, spray liquid the third time and squeeze out the excess liquid. For the utmost finishing, dry out the wet spots if any. If any moisture is left behind, don’t be worried as it will disappear after exposure to the sunlight. This dry-out process may take around 2 days.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Tinting Your Home Window
Never say that we have not given you any precautions!
- Either not cleaning your home windows at all or cleaning with harsh rubbing alcohol before applying the tinted film.
- Using the wrong type of window tinting film may cause some cracks. Note that not all film types are made for every window glass.
- DIY window tinting without prior knowledge and some level of experience. Every new task leaves some margin of mistakes, so never DIY without prior experience.
- some margin of mistakes, so never DIY without prior experience.
- Hire a wrong professional: a professional who is an expert in other projects may not necessarily be an expert in tinting home windows.
- Buying a poor-quality tinting film that does not meet NFRC standards.
How Long Does Window Tinting Take?
It depends on the following factors:
- Size and quantity of windows at your home
- Whether you are acquiring a professional service or doing it yourself.
- Level of prior experience for different types of window tinting
For an average front window size, a professional can take around half an hour to complete a window tinting task. However, a DIY window tinting may take more than one hour.
Tips to Maintain Tinted Glass To Enhance Durability
To ensure longevity in performance, window maintenance is essential after applying tint films. A proper installation and care may enhance the life of window film for up to 2 decades. Keep the following habit to maximize the life of tinted windows:
- Always have soft sponge towels at home to keep the window glass nice and dry
- Use a squeegee to clean water every time the window gets wet, and gently dry with a microfiber cloth while applying in one direction.
- Use silicon polish once a year for better safety.
- Avoid using any blade or harsh abrasive to remove glue or sticker.
- Always use the ammonia-free cleaner every time you clean the window.
- Use a soft towel to keep the edges of the tinted window film nicely dry and smooth.
A privacy and security window film should have less than 50% of tint. Also, you should check with your homeowner’s association (HOA) how much percent of tint they allow because some of them don’t allow windows that look too dark.
It is advisable to leave the home windows for up to 3 days after applying tinted film because freshly tinted windows need a curing process to perfectly dry. A good finish enhances the durability and functionality of your windows.
Yes! If you want double layer window film, you must give the best curing time of 2 weeks for the first layer to fully stick to the glass before applying the second layer film. While installing the second layer of the tinted film, use minimal liquid soap and water to avoid any damage to the first layer.
Tinting a home window is not an easy job. During the process, the hardest part is to stick the film on the glass because things are difficult to stick on the glass due to its smooth surface. It is recommended to hire a professional to do this job instead of DIY tinting windows at home.
