Auto window film, aside from its first impression of being aesthetically pleasing, results in many other pleasing consequences from its application. Its benefits run abundant. For instance, the first thing that comes to mind is heat reduction. All auto window film will keep a percentage of sunlight from flooding into one’s car. They are classified in percentages (i.e. 5%, 25%, 50%, 90%, etc). The percentages simply mean how much sunlight is actually let into the vehicle; thus, a 5% tint will block 95% of sunlight, allowing only 5% through to the interior of the car.

Studies show that the interior of a car may be 40-60% cooler because of this reduced exposure to light. Simultaneously, the 5% tint will be the darkest, as opposed to the 95% tint, which will be the lightest (blocking out only 5% of sunlight). The cooling factor is especially advantageous during summer, when the sun can beat down and raise the temperature to an unbearable level.

Along with heat, the sun’s rays also provide harmful UV radiation. There are a number of tint types, all of which provide up to 99% protection from the UV rays. Simply looking at the health benefits, this reduces the risk of skin cancer and eye irritation. Likewise, the tinting also protects the car’s interior. Remember, leather, rubber, wood, vinyl and the speaker systems are all negatively affected by long-term exposure to sunlight. With a layer of auto window film, they are all better protected from potential damage. It is wise to use this as a preventative method to avoid driving around with cracked leather and faded interior. This product also reduces glare and eye fatigue for the driver. With the sunlight pouring in through the glass, eyes can be strained from trying to see the road and other cars.

There is also the added benefit of security and safety for belongings inside the vehicle. It will shield the belongings from prying eyes which means thieves will have a harder time knowing what is inside. If the glass were to be shattered, the shards stay in one place as the film keeps them together. Consequently, in an unfortunate event where they may be broken glass, nothing sprinkles down on the passengers of the vehicle.

Now that some of the key benefits have been discussed, what are some of the common types of auto window film? Tints can come in a variety of colors and shades. For instance, when looking for colors, one may run across red, blue, green, yellow, smoke, bronze, and chrome as the available options. Most car owners tend to choose the color that matches the overall appearance of their cars. For instance, someone with charcoal rims may choose a smoke-colored tint. Now, on to the actual science of auto window film: there are two basic types available. There are those that are dyed and those that are metalized. Dyed styles are commonly applied to cars as they do not interfere with cellular phones, GPS, or radio reception. However, they do fade faster and do not reject as much light as their metal counterparts. Metalized types are longer-lasting, though they tend to be more expensive.

Another detail to consider when choosing film is its percentage. Most installers will carry percentages ranging from 5% to 95%, but the most popular percentage is 35%. The reasoning is a majority of states’ laws say auto film cannot be above 32%. So, when considering what percentage to have installed, the consumer needs to make sure to take a look at state’s policies on this issue.