Window Tinting FAQ
What do I need to do before I make an appointment ?
As always, we recommend that you clean your car beforehand. We do not mean get a full detail, but rather do a quick vacuum, and run your car through a car wash directly before you drop it off. The cleaner the car, the cleaner your tint will come out. We take every precaution to make sure your tint comes out great, and this starts with us recommending you take your car to a quick car wash and vacuum first!
By nature, window tint film is static when the adhesive is exposed. This means it will try to grab onto any loose particles in the vicinity. Because of this, on the exterior, loose particles dirt, salt, and pollen do have a slim chance of running into tint. Unfortunately if the car is dirty, we cannot minimize that from happening. This is why we recommend a quick car wash. In the interior, if covered in dust, or even pet hair, there is a chance of that dust or pet hair running into the tint. We try to minimize this by spraying the surfaces with a mist to keep dust and hair down, running a damp cloth around the window surround to pick up loose dust, and we may also do a quick vacuuming (emphasis quick). To truly prevent this, we recommend vacuuming thoroughly beforehand, and possibly run a microfiber cloth around the hard plastic materials to pick up dust. Please remember, for tinting services we only offer tinting within our prices. We will do quick prep work but will not do a full detail. If you would like us to take care of your cleaning or detailing needs thoroughly for you, please inquire for additional services.
Should I wash my car/vacuum before my appointment ?
Yes! A clean car translates into a clean install. We do quick prep work, but we do not fully detail cars within our tint prices! If you’d like a thorough cleaning or detailing, please inquire for additional services.
Should I get my car detailed before my appointment ?
A full detail/recon isn’t recommended. We do a recommend a quick washing of the exterior, along with a quick dusting and vacuuming of the interior. Since tint applications go on wet, there may be soapy-water run marks on the outside and inside of the vehicle. We do not want you to spend your hard-earned money to get your car fully clean only to have to quick detail the interior and exterior directly after.
What is window tint ?
Window tint is a polyester material that helps prevent UV exposure, heat, glare, adds privacy and protection from shattered glass. Tint comes in several shades and performance levels.
What will I benefit from tinting my windows ?
Several benefits include increase in eye comfort, protection from UV exposure, improves the visual aesthetics of your vehicle, increased privacy, saves energy, and most of all, adds safety from shattered glass and reduces eye fatigue due to the reduced glare!
What does UV protection mean for my vehicle ?
Have you ever seen an interior look faded, or even purple, in a vehicle? Tint will prevent this over the long term by rejection the UV rays that cause this. This will also protect your personal belongings inside.
Does window tint prevent glass breakage ?
No, it cannot prevent glass from breaking, however it will increase safety from glass. The adhesive tends to hold loose glass together, whereas bare glass will shatter and spread everywhere. In case of an accident, or a break in, the shattered glass will hold together, which will add safety, and will keep the person breaking-in out for the most part.
What do you mean there are different performance levels of tint ?
Tint, like other products on the market, has several different options for film. Some film options include dyed films, metalized films, dyed-metalized hybrid films, carbon films, nanotechnology films, and ceramic films. To learn more, look at our tint packages which show the differences of films we carry. We do not carry strictly dyed or metalized films.
Why does window tint purple or bubble ?
In general, film will turn purple or bubble if they are very low quality films. The sun gradually wears on the film and its adhesives and lead to failure. You can avoid this by choosing our films which are high quality and offer lifetime warranties. These films have UV protection to prevent this, whereas cheaper films do not.
What is the durability of window tint ?
For the most part, tint is very resilient and durable. The film is installed on the inside of the glass, which is protected by a scratch-resistant coating. Remember the keyword is resistant. It can chip, tear and it can scratch in extreme cases. Simple examples are bumping the glass with something with a hard edge, such as the corner of a metal box, equipment, etc. when loading into the vehicle which can lead to chips or tears. When releasing your seat belts, often times the buckle can slam off the glass, which can lead to a chipping. Pets also can claw at the film and scratch it. These do not happen often, but they do occur. On clear glass these instances do damage the glass. Thankfully window tint is not permanent and can be replaced. These occurrences are not covered by warranty.
What do you mean there are different shades of tint ?
Tint comes in all different VLTs, often known as percentages. The lower the number on the VLT or percentage directly leads to the darker the tint. For instance, 35% VLT will allow 35% of light to come through the tinted glass.
Will the color of my interior affect the tint ?
Yes, a lighter interior will make tint appear lighter than if it was on a darker car. Lighter interiors reflect light more than a darker interior, therefore will spread light around easier and make it appear lighter.
Will the color of my exterior affect the tint ?
It will in the sense of where it will make it appear darker or lighter than it really is. For instance, the windows on a white car will appear darker then compared to the same car with a black exterior.
Why does one shade of tint look darker on a car compared to a truck/SUV or van ?
When you look at a car, often times you are looking down into it, which means you are looking directly into the interior, such as door panels and seats. When you look at a truck/SUV or van, these vehicles are typically higher so you are directly looking from window to window. Since it is not a solid background, obviously it will look lighter thanks to the non-opaque window.
My vehicle is already tinted, what can you do ?
There is no direct answer until we see the vehicle. If the tint is in bad shape, we will need to remove the film fully. This process is charged by the hour since there is no telling if the tint will come off clean or leave large amounts of adhesive. We recommend this is done by a professional, especially for the rear defroster which is easily damaged; we will still charge for adhesive that is remaining in window channels or on the rear defroster if you choose to peel yourself. If you choose this route of removing film, we recommend leaving your vehicle for the day and we will let you know when it is ready. Again, this is due to not knowing how the film will be removed in regards to leaving adhesive. If the film is in good condition, or if you would just like it tinted over, then we will treat it as a normal tint job. We however cannot warranty the tint from peeling when installed over tint. The adhesive cures to glass a lot stronger over curing to tint. Although this peeling rarely occurs, it can happen, and again we cannot warranty it.
Can you match factory glass on an SUV/Truck/Van ?
There is no such thing as a perfect match. Privacy glass actually has tint in the glass itself when it is made. There is no film that is placed on existing “clear” glass that will match exactly. There usually is always a slight variance in hue. We can get close though!
Can I tint over privacy glass ?
As long as it is actual privacy glass, we can tint over it with zero issues. Aftermarket film adds the benefits of heat rejection, 99% UV rejection, adds a tad more privacy, and will add safety over shattered glass.
Will tint affect my rear defroster ?
Yes and no. When drying, you are not allowed to use your defroster. Window tint also may appear a tad bit distorted. This is due to the fact that the defroster lines are raised, which leads the film to curve around the defroster lines as it lays flat on the glass. This leads to a slight distortion of light. There is nothing one can do about this as it happens to every window with a rear defroster. It will however not affect the function of the rear defroster.
The edges of my windows have dots or a black line, will this affect the window tint ?
The black dots, often referred to a dot matrix are a Teflon material that is applied to factory glass for cosmetic reasons. They tend to hide what is behind the glass. These areas tend to be thick and raised off of the glass so applying film can be difficult. Since it is raised off the glass edges, the tint will stick to the dots instead of the glass itself. This will lead to air in these areas around the border, which is usually uniform. For the most part there is nothing you can do with these parts and it is very normal on all tint jobs. Since these windows are static (they do not roll down) usually, there is no risk of peeling. On back windows, we do offer solutions for the top of the back glass that has these thick bands of dots.
Will the age of my car affect the window tint ?
Yes and no. Certain tinters will not tint a vehicle over a certain age; we are not those tinters. The reason they do so is the older the car, the dirtier the car, which reflects in the quality of the tint job. Most people do not realize that if their car is 11 years old, that there is 11 years of dirt and dust built up in the gaskets of their vehicles, let alone the dust and dirt built up everywhere else. Because of the age also, the rubber gaskets tend to become brittle as they age, which means they will break and possibly run into the tint. Although we will try our best to clean and tape off these areas, contamination can occur due to the age of the vehicle. What can you do to help? Completely clean the inside and outside of your vehicle prior to your appointment. Basically you can wash the outside, and vacuum and dust the inside. The cleaner the car, the lesser risk there is for contamination. We will do some more cleaning in the hard to reach areas. Since we know other premium tinters will not touch a car over a certain age, if you do us the favor of helping us prep your car, we will do you the favor of tinting your older vehicle for no added fee. If you would like us to fully prep your car, we can offer a detailing service for an added fee. Please remember even for newer cars, the price of tint is only to tint the vehicle. If a newer car is just as dirty, we request the same, and offer the same detailing service for a fee.
How many windows does my car actually have ?
This is very vehicle dependent. Each section of glass is counted for this purpose. Remember, even small windows count! They take an equal amount of time, if not more, to tint as bigger windows!
Does the tint go on the inside or outside of the glass ?
Both! When we prepare the film for install, we place the film on the outside of the glass. Once molded, they are then transferred to the inside of the glass.
Do you do mobile tinting ?
No, we do not do mobile tinting. Tint must be installed in a controlled environment in order to prevent dust, dirt and other debris from getting into the film.
How long do you need my vehicle to tint the windows ?
Generally speaking, most vehicles take 2 hours to tint a full vehicle. For SUVs, trucks and vans, tinting the front two windows takes around a half hour. However, some vehicles may take a bit longer. We will notify you of this beforehand.
Should I drop my vehicle off or wait ?
? We welcome both options, but from experience we would always choose dropping off since it can be a long process to wait for. For those who would like to wait, we have a waiting area with access to Wi-Fi, TV and some reading materials.
Can I have my windows tinted when it is raining or when it is cold ?
Yes, you can have your windows tinted in either weather. Today’s adhesives are much stronger than the adhesive technology of years ago, so this allows us to tint in all weather. The only effect the weather will have is on curing time, which may be extended a day or two depending the weather. We choose only the highest-quality materials to ensure your tint can be installed year round!
How long do I have to keep my windows up after install ?
We recommend that in the summer months you wait 2-3 days to roll down your windows. In the winter, 4-5 days should be the wait time. If rolled down sooner, the tint may peel or bubbles may appear. This is not warrantied.
After the install my windows look hazy/bumpy/dark bubbles, is this normal ?
Yes, this is completely normal, and most importantly is temporary. After your windows are tinted, they will appear hazy, cloudy and you will spot tiny water bubbles between the film and the glass; this is unavoidable, however will clear up as it dries over the next few days. This is due to the squeegees only being able to push out so much moisture. Since water is polar, it will slowly gather together and form these tiny pockets. As the moisture dries, these pockets will disappear, your film will flatten, and the haziness and cloudiness will disappear. The speed in which this process takes is all weather dependent. If sunny and warm, it will disappear very fast. If in the middle of winter and nearly freezing, it can extend the time greatly.
When can I wash my car on the outside ?
You can wash your car directly after it has been tinted. Since the tint is on the outside, there is no risk of the film failing due to a car wash.
When can I clean my windows ?
We recommend you wait the full drying time (2-3 days in the summer, 3-5 days in the winter), but if you cannot, we recommend you clean the film with light pressure. Since it is still drying, rubbing the film too strongly may maneuver or lift the film. These occurrences are not covered under warranty.
What do I clean my windows with ?
After allowing your windows to dry, we recommend you clean your windows with tint safe/ammonia free window cleaner and a soft microfiber cloth. This is important, do NOT use products with ammonia (household Windex!) as it will lead to film failure! We typically recommend Invisible Glass since it can be purchased nearly everywhere. You may also use any other “tint safe” or “ammonia free” products.
Why are there scratches or streaks in my tint ?
Although it may look like a defect in the film, this is due to the weather-stripping found in your door. Some weather-stripping can have buildup of particles over time; these particles lead to scratching. Some vehicles also only have a plastic weather-stripping which can lead to scratches. For instances like this, we recommend you let us upgrade your weather stripping for a small fee. Unfortunately, this is not warrantied. We have no way of telling how your vehicle is cared for, and whether sand or other debris will fill inside your weather-stripping over time.
Why is my tint chipped ?
Once your vehicle is tinted, watch your seatbelts! Most of the time when releasing a seat belt, the buckle will fly around you and may hit the glass. This may produce a chip in the tint! Be careful when unbuckling your seatbelt! Unfortunately this is not warrantied.
My window tint is damaged, can it be repaired ?
? It cannot be repaired, but it can be replaced. Generally we must peel the film, and then reinstall a new piece. Some damage is covered by warranty, some is not. If you have questions, please ask us.
Can I tint plastic, such as acrylic plexiglass or lexan ?
No, window tint is meant for glass and glass only. Plastics are porous and will bubble over time. The adhesive is also nearly impossible to clean off these plastics and will damage them.
Can I apply tint to other surfaces ?
No, window tint is meant for glass and glass only.
Do you tint boats ?
? We have tinted boats in the past. Each boat is on a case-by-case basis. We would like to check out the job beforehand to give an accurate quote. We’d like to discuss the job beforehand, and if you would like to proceed we would set up an appointment to check out your boat. We know that some boats are impossible to move, so we can come to you, but due to travel, we will charge a small fee for a quote. This fee will come off the cost of your job if you choose us to do your boat!
What is a one-way film ?
One way films actually only work where the light source is. For instance, if Side A is brighter than Side B, then Side A will be visible from Side B. However, if Side B is brighter than Side A, then Side B will be visible from Side A.
Do you tint buildings ?
Yes! We are able to tint buildings! We are able to give a ballpark quote for free with provided measurements. However, due to the complexities of building glass, we are required to inspect the glass before we can actually give a more solid price. Due to the presence of double pane glass, we must meter the glass and inspect it to make sure the tint will be safe for the glass. The incorrect tint will run the risk of cracking the glass. Do not settle for a tinter who has no experience in this, or the store bought rolls which can lead to breakage!
How will window tint reduce energy costs in a building ?
In the summer, window film will reject heat at the window instead of allowing it in. This will lower cooling costs over time. In the winter, the same film will insulate and help reduce heating costs. Over the lifetime of the film, it will pay for itself time and time again. This will lead also to a more comfortable home, as rooms will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.