Window Tint FAQs New Braunfels > Right window tint for my house?
Sam,
I'm glad we spoke over the phone last week. I wanted to detail some of our conversation on this post so that others needing window tint answers can learn from your great tint questions.
Window tint is a money saving home improvement with minimal costs. Depending on your quality of film will determine your overall costs. Not all window tint is the same. You want to make sure you are comparing apples to apples when it comes to window tint specs like transmitted light, uv reduction, heat gain and overall solar heat rejection. IR films are great for reducing the most heat without having to use a dark film but these IR films are new to the tint market and are higher in price than a typically metalized film. Metal films normally come in Silvers and Bronze colors. These types of films reject a large amount of light due to their mirror based technology. Some people don't like the mirror effect on their homes so they go with a grey-soft or natural type of window tint.
Grey/Neutral dyed films reduce the least amount of light. IR films reduce the most amount of light. Ceramic films share their purpose in the world of tint as well but ceramic technology has recently been surpassed by the new IR films. Ceramic "catches" heat directly at the point of contact and holds the heat longer. Anyone standing next to a window with Ceramic film may begin to notice the large amount of radiant heat nearby. That's why reducing the most heat without giving up sunlight is found in IR films.
Metalized films are the best "bang for your buck" just make sure the quality of film is backed by a lifetime warranty. But metalized films come from all types of suppliers from the best to the worst. You'd hate to see a cheap, discolored metalized film on a brand new house. Cheap films will begin to fade withing the first three years. Lifetime warranty films typically do not begin to fade until 15-20 years down the road. 20% darkness is typically the darkest you will want to go on a house. 35% being the most popular. And always have samples applied from your local window tint companies. You will want to take your time in selecting the right residential or commercial tint.
-Chris
Centex Tint
I live in North Texas but came across your site online. I am having my home tinted before it gets too hot and I wanted to see what tint you recommended for homes. I have a two story home that has minimal shade around the house. The front of my house faces directly in the sun in the mornings where I have most of my windows. It gets extremely hot during the summer season making it hard on my electricity bill. So far a few tint bids have been given by a couple of local window tint companies from the Dallas area. Both average about $8 per sq ft. Is that a good price? The darkness I requested was 20%. Will that cut out most of the heat? Those are my main two questions. Please give me your thoughts. -Sam