Window Tinting FAQ’s

Formulaone Professional Glass Tinting offers free estimates for both residential and commercial jobs. Please call us at 818-989-4711 and one of our friendly staff will be happy to schedule your free window tinting estimate.

Some safety and security window films will always have a longer dry- out period due to their increased thickness. Thicker films and a less than perfect drying climate will lengthen the dry-out period. Dry-out times can vary from a few days to as long as several months.

Window film creates an efficient vapor barrier between the glass and the film. During the installation process, your window tinting installer will remove as much of the mounting solution as possible by using a squeegee, although a small amount will remain. Trapped installation moisture can cause small water puddles and/or a slightly cloudy look. This is normal and should be expected. Do not attempt to pierce a water puddle during the dry-out period. This water and cloudy look will eventually dissipate. Attempting to pierce a water puddle in an effort to drain moisture will damage your film. This damage would not be covered by warranty.

While most quality films such as Llumar are scratch resistant, no window film is entirely scratch proof. With a small amount of care and precaution, window film can provide you with years of service and protection.

‘Spacer’ or edge seals are placed between the two sheets of glass to create airspace.

The seal between the glass sheets is accomplished through the use of a variety of different types of materials and sealants. In addition, a desiccant is incorporated into the edge seal technology to absorb water vapor that migrates across the seal.

The intervening airspace reduces heat transfer by conduction and convention through the glass. In order to increase the insulation performance of the IG unit, inert gases such as Argon and Krypton may be used to replace air between the panes of glass. Both Argon and Krypton are invisible, harmless, odorless, and heavier than air, which results in slower convective movement and a reduction in heat transfer. IG units pose a risk of thermal stress fracture for many types of dyed or sputtered films that absorb excessive amounts of heat.

Window films reduce the transmission of damaging and harmful solar radiation. By increasing the amount of solar radiation absorbed and reflected by the glass, less solar energy can enter the building. When glass is subjected to the effects of solar radiation, the normal and immediate result is the increase in the temperature. The sun naturally warms the glass as its powerful energy passes through. Glass with film has an increased ability to reflect and absorb solar radiation. Because window films are usually installed on the inside surface of the glass, increased amounts of solar radiation will be absorbed as it passes back and forth through the glass.

Some window films can cause excessive solar energy absorption in certain kinds of glass. The result can be extreme thermal expansion and stress, which can cause glass breakage or seal failure in an insulated glass (IG) unit. Additionally, thermal stress fracture can result from uneven temperature distribution across the surface of a glass plate. This is typically caused by partial shading of the window.

To avoid problems, you must select the correct window film for your glass. To do this, it is helpful to know how glass reflects, absorbs and transmits solar radiation and how its ability to reject solar radiation will change when a window film is installed. In the past, dark or highly reflective films were very popular and used to attain maximum solar energy rejection performance. Unfortunately, dark reflective films typically have high absorption ratings which can increase the risk of glass breakage and seal failure. Thanks to the technological and manufacturing advances used in today’s window films, it is no longer necessary to purchase very dark films to achieve significant solar energy rejection performance. Today’s high-tech films provide impressive performance without absorbing excessive amounts of solar energy. Best of all these films save energy, reduce ultraviolet transmissions, increase interior comfort and give a contemporary appearance to a building or home.

Unfortunately, many glass breakage events are not predictable, such as a child falling into a patio door while playing. In these cases, existing homes or buildings may have no form of glass protection causing a high-risk potential of injury to the property and/or occupants.

There are many potential users of safety film. It may be a homeowner who lives next to a golf course, a storeowner with hight priced merchandise in a display window, or anyone who wants to protect him or herself from injury due to broken glass. Flying or falling glass shards can result from acts of terrorism, vandalism, smash-and-grab burglaries and natural disasters.

The life of your window film will vary due to a variety of factors including:

• The type of window film installed
• The type of glass
• The construction of your windows

All quality window films for both residential and commercial uses are warranted by the film’s manufacturer. Most residential window films come with a Lifetime Warranty while commercial and decorative films offer warranties up to 10 years.

Due to the wide variety of window films now available, consult with your window tinting professional about the specific warranty of the film you select.

Generally speaking, the application of window film will not have an affect on the growth of most indoor plants.

Near growth and flowering may be retarded in the initial days after your window film is applied as the plant adjusts. In some cases where plants are in constant, direct light for long periods of time which causes wilting, the plant may actually thrive after the window film is installed.

Where there is concern about possible plant growth being affected, it is recommended that owners move the plant, as a test, to another part of the room to stimulate a less lighted area before the window film is applied. This move will help to judge what the potential affects might be. In addition, it may be wise to consult a local nursery for advice, which is also recommended in the case of exotic plants.

Your window tinting professional should discuss the potential problems with you and determine what to do with any decals. If they are not highly raised above the glass, window film can be applied over them. However, this will create a poorer bond on the decal than on the glass. More highly raised stickers should be scraped off.

Burglar tape and alarm contacts are also found on windows. Tape is usually only slightly raised above the surface of the glass. Film can be installed over such an irregular surface, but customers should be advised that the installation will not be tip quality. Alarm contacts, however, should be removed before applying film, but should not be done by the window film installer. It is better to ask you, the customer, to contact your security company to remove and replace the alarm contacts.

The cost of tinting skylight can be slightly higher than tinting other windows. This is due to the difficulty and height of most skylights as well as the length of the tunnel leading of the windows.

The benefits of tinting skylights are tremendous. With the sun’s rays being more direct in the spring and summer, window films will reduce the fading of items below the skylights. Window films also reduce the heat coming in thru your skylights by 50%-80%.

The application of window film to skylights is more restricted versus tinting other windows in your home or business. Home or business owners should consult with their window film professional and be aware of any restrictions.

Thermal stress may also occur if the sheet of glass has not been installed with the appropriate amount of care. An example of this would be if the edge of the glass is either chipped or damaged.

In cases where tinted glass is tempered or strengthened, the application of window film is unlikely to result in the glass cracking or fracturing.

If you have tinted glass or are unsure if your glass is tinted, ask your window tinting professional which films are safe to install. Though the selection of films is limited, there should be a film available to solve your solar control needs.

There is little sense in applying window film to windows that have frames that may need to be stained or painted. This could lead to stain or paint splatters on the film itself which would need to be cleaned off. Some cleaning agents would damage the film requiring the film to be replaced.

Other reasons could be the potential for damage to the film due to the high amount of activity in a construction environment. Also, in many cases, there is a high level of dust and particles, such as wood dust or carpet fibers, in a construction area that could become trapped between the glass and the window film.

The best, most convenient time to install the window film is just before your furniture is placed in from of your windows and before the window treatments have been installed. However, this is rarely the case.

The majority of the time, a qualified window tinting installer can easily work around most window treatments. In the event a window treatment restricts an installation, this instance will be discussed with the customer at the time of the free estimate.

During the window tinting installation process, most installers use a soap and water mixture (such as baby shampoo or a dishwashing liquid. Your window tinting installer will use this mixture to both clean and install the window film. This soap and water solution is recommended as it does not stain or discolor any fabrics, woodwork, or paint.

Most window film manufacturers make a few products for exterior applications. As these films are subjected to an extreme amount of weathering and may easily be abused because of their location, or as a result of careless window cleaning, they have a somewhat limited life. These products generally have limited warranties for shorter periods of time.

Weather conditions need to be considered in the installation of exterior window films. When an exterior application is needed, high winds, cold temperatures (outside air temperature less than 40 F), rain and snow can prevent installations from being scheduled. Please remember your window film professional is at the mercy of ‘Mother Nature’.

• Use any normal household glass cleaning solutions or plain soapy water.
• Do not use any solution that contains abrasive material, such as baking soda. Comet, Softscrub, etc. Also, do not use anything sharp such as razor blades or scrubbing pads.
• Use soft clean lint-free towels or synthetic sponges to apply cleaning solutions.
• Use a soft cloth or soft rubber squeegee for drying the glass. Care must be taken when using a squeegee for drying the glass. Care must be taken when using a squeegee, as to not gouge the film any sharp metal edges.

While most window film companies use scratch-resistant films, you should ask to make sure. If a company has an extra charge for a scratch-resistant film, you may wish to contact a few more companies for quotes. With today’s technology, scratch-resistant films are considered standard.

Fading is a complex issue. Each and every material will fade at different rates from exposure to ultraviolet radiation as well as other contributing factors. An example of this is the different color dyes in fabrics. Red and green colors tend to fade faster than other colors.

It is generally accepted that UV radiation can be responsible for roughly 40% of all fading. In addition to ultraviolet radiation, other factors that cause fading include:

• 25% of fading is caused by heat
• 25% of fading is caused by visible light
• 10% of fading is caused by a variety of factors including artificial light, fabric, age of the fabrics and the humidity in your home or office

Solar film, decorative film, anti graffiti film, security film all reduce heat, but different films reduce different amounts of heat. Solar window film can reduce up to 63% of the heat coming through your windows. Generally, the darker or more reflective shade of window tint you choose to have installed, the more heat the film will block. However, ceramic films contain no metal or dye, meaning they are optically clear, and they can also reject up to 63% of heat and 98% of infrared heat.

Yes! FormulaOne Professional Glass Tinting offers several films that will not only reduce glare, but reduce heat and blocks 99% of UVA and UVB rays. Solar film reduces up to 62% of of visible light that comes through your windows and will make watching movies much more enjoyable.

Nope! Our installers use drop cloths to protect your floors, walls, and furniture from the soap and water solution we use during the installation process. We clean up all trash we generate from the installation and leave your space looking exactly how we found it. The process is kid-safe and pet friendly as no harmful chemicals are used at any time during the installation process.  Contact our operations manager to learn more!