Regardless if you want to block the sun’s UV rays or keep the heat at bay, window tint films can help you. Before you run to the nearest Bunnings and buy window tints in bulk, you have to realise that not all window films are alike.
Different window film brands have various features that can meet your needs. Diversity is good in ensuring that you have all the options you’ll ever need, but a large selection can also be confusing.
If you need help comparing window tint films based on their features, keep reading below for our guide.
UV Ray Protection
According to the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, overexposure to ultraviolet rays can damage your skin, from simple sunburns to skin cancer. That is why car owners in Australia greatly benefit from UV protection car tinting films.
Most films will boast 99 per cent UV protection. This claim may sound a bit bold, but it is true because UV rays can’t easily penetrate a film’s polyester plastic material.
What This Means for You: You don’t have to look for window tints with claims of being “the best” or offering “superior” UV ray protection.
Total Solar Energy Rejection
Total Solar Energy Rejection (TSER) is different from UV protection. While UV protection blocks out the sun’s ultraviolet rays, TSER blocks the sun’s heat.
Window films that have darker tints have better TSER features. However, you have to check your territory’s laws on film tint darkness.
What This Means for You: You can buy window tints with at least 50 per cent TSER. You can even go as dark as 60 per cent as long as it doesn’t impede your ability to drive and it’s legal in your area.
Infrared Heat Rejection
Although both TSER and infrared heat rejection aim to block heat, you cannot weigh them the same. As TSER is the complete rejection of heat, infrared rejection is a film’s ability to cover a portion of the total heat.
Infrared heat makes up 53 per cent of the total heat spectrum. In that case, even if a film claims to have 100 per cent infrared protection, the reality is that it can only block 53 per cent of the heat at most.
What This Means for You: Focus on finding window films with higher TSER percentages. TSER is a better measure of heat rejection compared to infrared heat rejection.
Window Film Technology
A film’s technology directly affects its clarity, reflectivity, total heat rejection, and ability to retain its colour. The most common ones are dyed, metallised, carbon, ceramic, and multi-layer optical.
Dyed window films lost popularity in recent years because they were unable to retain their colour. Although metallised window tints solved this problem, they also interfered with radio signals.
Carbon films took care of the issues dyed and metallised films faced and even increased the film’s heat rejection. Ceramic window tints improved upon the carbon film technology’s heat rejection feature with the addition of ceramic nanoparticles. Multi-layer optical window films provide the same level of heat and UV protection that ceramic window films have but with a lighter and clearer tint.
What This Means For You: When buying window tints, carbon window tints is the ideal basic film. Depending on your tint preference, you can also go for ceramic or multi-layer optical films.
Conclusion
Buying window tints for your car can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. You just have to know what you want and what your car needs. Understanding more about features like UV protection, TSER, infrared heat rejection, and film technology is just a bonus.
If you’re still feeling a bit frazzled about choosing window tints, then turn to At Premier Tint! We are one of Sydney’s trusted window films suppliers and the only 3M window film distributor in Australia. Give us a call today, and let us find the window film for you!
