Unfortunately, when most people think of window film or "window tint",  one or two images come to mind. Either a) the old car with bubbling and purple tint or b) the office building with dark or metallic film that obstructs the view and eliminates nearly all natural light from entering the space. In some senses, the window film industry is "reaping what it sows" as technology had not advanced enough to provide stable products that stood the test of time and were productive without being dark and obtrusive. Over the last ten years the industry has taken great strides in providing both durable products and films that come lightly tinted, allowing daylight to enter the space, while rejecting considerable amounts of solar heat and annoying glare and rejecting nearly all of the damaging Ultra-Violet light. Many window films today:

- Come with lifetime warranties for residential applications.

- Commercial applications are accompanied by a warranty period of 10-15 years.

- Are spectrally selective allowing the film to block the damaging portions of the sun's rays while allowing the desired daylight to enter.

Window films are slowly starting to permeate the market place again as a product that has many benefits for both residential and commercial uses. Window films can:

- Reduce energy consumption, and thus costs, by reducing utility bills.

- Make work and living spaces more productive and comfortable by eliminating hot and cold spots and reducing glare.

- Extend the usable life of expensive furnishings and home decor items.

- Keep people safer by holding the glass together in the event of a natural disaster, attempted break in or smash and grab crime.

- Give homes and buildings a clean uniform look by disguising unsightly clutter and uneven window coverings.

- Allow you to keep blinds and drapes open during daylight hours and retain the view and natural light the window provides.

Below is a window film project recently completed by SolarTex, Inc. See if you notice any of the  negative scenarios mentioned in the first paragraph. Considering the benefits and technological advances, is it time to consider window film again?

Top windows with window film coverage. Lower windows remain clear.