Window tint or film can be a good choice for residential windows, as this tint can provide shade during hot summer months, protecting your houseplants, timber floors, and upholstered furniture even when the curtains are not closed. This film can also protect you from the prying eyes of neighbours, or potential intruders! To note if window tint is the right choice for your home, consider a few questions you might have about this material and its installation, and discuss your options with a window film installer as needed.

Should a homeowner choose film with as much heat rejection as they can afford?

If your home is in the tropics or a desert area, and you want to avoid a warm and stuffy interior, then opt for the thickest film with the most heat rejection rating you can afford. However, not every homeowner will need this type of film for their windows. Thinner film with less heat rejection can keep most homes very cool and comfortable during summer months, and also reduce glare on computer and television screens. You might also want to avoid having an interior that's too cool during other months out of the year, so don't assume that thicker film is always better, or that you need complete heat rejection from your window film.

Does window film keep glass from breaking?

Safety and security film will usually be very thick and made with polyester or another similar material that is added to the film during manufacture, making it thick and strong. However, this material is not strong enough to keep glass from breaking if it's hit with something heavy, and note that window film is usually applied inside the windows, not on the outside. Security film may hold broken glass pieces together so that they don't scatter and cause injury, but this film won't strengthen the glass, and it certainly isn't bulletproof or explosion-proof!

What if the window gets dirty under the film?

If you clean the film according to the installer's recommendations and also clean the front of your home's window glass, but the windows still look dirty, this typically isn't the glass under the film. Window film adheres to glass so that it's virtually impossible for dust to get under that film. Instead, the glass may have small scratches and other damage on its outside surface, and dust and dirt may have settled into those scratches. This often means that your home simply needs new windows, not that the film itself has trapped dirt on its underside.

Share