San Diegans, is the thought of another hot summer enough to make you wilt? Take heart, help is on the way. If you aren’t familiar with window film, it is worth checking out. There are three main benefits-heat rejection, UV reduction and lower energy consumption. Eco Tint and Shade offers films to fit every household need. Some customers like the light to filter through–we have ceramic and spectral films for that. Or if heat is your main concern, dual reflective films are regular heat busters! We are proud to offer Vista and Llumar films that are manufactured right here in the USA. 

The Sun is Not Your Home Furnishings Friend

Aside from cutting the heat, film also prevents your furnishings from fading and helps strengthen glass. Today’s window film contains UV light stabilizers which eliminate nearly 100% of the UV light entering the glass. UV is that nasty light that likes to do a number on hardwood floors, furnishings and art work. We offer free in-home consultations and can recommend the perfect film for your home.  Do yourself a favor and call us today at 858-869-4253.

Did You Know? 

California has the second highest energy usage with Texas being first? We are also the first state to recognize window film as an energy-efficient building material for residential and commercial properties. 

Does window film prevent artificial turf from burning? Unfortunately, no. Artificial turf companies have their customers call us because they seem to think that window film is the answer. When installing turf you need to be aware of reflective surfaces in the area such as mirrors, barbecue grills and especially low-e windows. Window film is reflective. Its main purpose is to keep the heat out of your home so it reflects back out. Manufacturer’s make a ceramic film that has the same reflectivity as glass but the grass burns anyway. We have tried various products and we haven’t had great success. The best solution is a solar screen that will deflect the sun that is burning your grass.

So you picked the perfect window film for your beautiful home, what happens next?

1. The installer will clean the glass with a solution to remove any particles from the glass. The solution is cleared off with a special scraper.
2. Once the glass is free of debris, the release liner is removed from the film and the glass and film is sprayed with a slip solution which allows the installer to position the film.
3. Once the film is positioned, the installer uses a squeegee to remove the excess solution and the film is then trimmed close (1/16 to 1/8”) from the windows edge. Sometimes this gap is noticeable when using darker films.
4. Once installed, you may see small bubbles in your film due to the solution being trapped between the film and glass. The bubbles will disappear once the film starts to dry (cure). The curing time allows the films adhesive to bond to the glass. The amount of time depends on the windows location, type of film used, and weather. For example, windows with direct sunlight (Western/Southern exposure) will dry faster.
5. Allow 30 days before cleaning your windows. After that, you can use window cleaning products or a solution of water and a few drops of dishwashing detergent (such as Dawn). Do not use paper towels, many are rough and may scratch the film. Micro-fiber cloths and rubber squeegees are recommended.

Window film, when properly taken care of, lasts a long time. Many film manufacturer’s offer lifetime warranties on their products.

Talk about style! We originally did the frost film for a customer in their old location in Carlsbad. They have grown and expanded into a new building in Carmel Mountain and decided to step it up a bit for their beautiful new conference room. The results were very pleasing. There is so much you can do with decorative film besides plain frost from top to bottom. If you have an image, logo or graphic design most can be replicated onto film. We also offer colored films that can be made into bold designs and patterns. Who says business has to be boring!

The Most Frequently Asked Window Film Question:
Is there a window film that will allow me to see out but does not allow people to see in, especially for privacy at night?

My answer is always the same, unfortunately no window film offers complete privacy at night while allowing an exterior view. The only films that will allow privacy at night are decorative films, but the drawback is you can’t see out either. Highly reflective films make it difficult during the day for others to see inside but the reverse is true at night. During the day light reflecting from outside keeps people from looking in. After the sun goes down the main light source is coming from the home’s interior, allowing others to see in and offering little privacy at night.

To avoid the interior reflectivity in the evening, dual reflective films offer the perfect solution with minor interior reflectivity and higher reflectivity on the exterior, permitting you to enjoy the view out your window.

Combining this type of film with good old fashioned window coverings will offer you all the benefits of window film while achieving privacy at night or during the day. View our excellent selection of window coverings that always come with top notch customer service.

If privacy at night takes precedence over visibility, decorative privacy window film offers a great solution. This type of film comes in an infinite number of colors and styles, and will add a fresh new look to your home or office while providing privacy without sacrificing natural light. View this decorative film in action during our recent installation for DART Neuroscience.

When setting up an appointment for window film, ask the salesperson to explain the properties of the films offered so you can select the perfect film for you and your home. Contact Eco Tint and Shade at 858-332-1650 and we’ll help you find the perfect solution to achieve privacy at night.