Q. What is Window Tint
A. Window Tint or Window Film is a thin polyester layer sometimes infused with metals. Window Tint comes in a variety of shades and colors to match the look and feel of any vehicle.
Q. What is the difference between Window Tint and Window Film
A. Window Tint eliminates the sun’s harmful heat, blocks UV rays and any other damaging effects as well as adding a tinting to the window. Window Film is similar to Window Tint in that it too eliminates harmful heat and blocks UV rays but it does not come with a “tinting” feature.
Q. What are the benefits of window tint?
- Heat Rejection- Tinting your windows can make the interior of your car 60 percent cooler after it's been sitting out in the bright Colorado summer sun.
- UV Protection- UV rays can get to you through un-tinted windows and still damage your skin. Tinting your windows can keep up to 99 percent of harmful UV rays out.
- Privacy – Keep the valuables you keep in your car out of sight from potential burglars.
- Protect Upholstery- The sun's rays not only heat your car's interior but it leads to leather cracking and fading of upholstery. Ultraviolet rays are the main cause of both fade and deterioration. Window films can screen out 99% of the damaging UV rays that can fade richly colored furniture, tapestries, and artwork. Heat and light also play a part in fading but using window film to block nearly 100% of UV rays will increase the life of your personal property for years.
- Glass Break Protection- Window film adds a degree of shatter resistance to the glass areas of your home, building, or vehicle. These films bond to glass and help hold dangerous glass fragments in place, should breakage occur due to accident, natural disaster, or illegal entry. Window film can keep the glass from shattering in the event of an accident, keeping you protected from flying glass shards.
- Aesthetic- Tinting your windows gives your vehicle a sleek, sophisticated look.
- Reduces Glare Day or Night- One of the most important aspects of safe driving is clear visibility. Tinting your windows can help prevent glare from the sun, snow, and headlights.
- Saves Gas- You won't find yourself running the air conditioner as high or for as long, saving you money on gas.
Q. How do I choose a shade?
A. The lower the number, the darker the shade. For example; 5% is darker than 15%. MTint by Solar Gard is available in tints ranging from 5% to 70% shade.
Q. What is the legal window tint regulations in Colorado?
A. Windshield: It is against Colorado law to tint your entire windshield. You may, however, tint the "eye-brow" up to 4" down from the roof line.
Front Side, Back Side, & Rear Window: Must allow in more than 27 percent of light
Different Window Tinting Gradients
Some window tint can contain a metallic element that makes it reflective in appearance. This is NOT ALLOWED on the front side or back side windows. It is also not allowed to have red amber colored tint on any of the windows. Dual side mirrors are required to be on your vehicle if you have your back window tinted. Although it is not required, Colorado state law recommends having stickers on your vehicle to identify it as having legal tinting. Drive-In Autosound will not tint beyond the legal limit. For more information about state laws regarding window tint, checkout this handy graph.
Q. Do I need to tint my windows really dark to keep out heat and UV rays?
A. Nope! You can tint your windows as dark as your state laws allow, but you don’t have to in order to benefit from the UV protection and heat blocking. We offer our M5 window film, made with revolutionary nanotechnology construction, which allows for electronic signals to pass through without interruption, offers our highest level of heat rejection and UV protection, and is nearly clear (70%). If you want to maintain the look of your car but enjoy the benefits of window tint, check out our M5 film!
Q. How long will it take to have Window Tint installed?
A. The process varies from vehicle to vehicle. The average amount of time is anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. This is all dependent upon the vehicle, number of windows and the cleanliness of the windows.
Q. Is the tint applied to the outside of the glass?
A. Nope. The tint is placed on the interior of the glass.
Q. Will having my back window tinted cause the defroster not to work?
A. No it will not. Tinting or filming your back window will actually assist in defrosting your back window.
Q. If I choose to have my Window Tint removed, is that possible?
A. Yes, window tint can be removed from a vehicle once it has been installed. Many times people choose to have their window tint removed is because it was not professionally installed.
Q. Why do some vehicles have a purple colored tint or have bubbles in the window?
A. Window tint of a low quality is very likely to deteriorate or “bubble” over time. Drive-In Autosound uses top of the line window tints and films from Solar Gard that guarantee against fading, shrinking and peeling.
Q. What is a Frequency Friendly Film?
A. Window Tints that have been infused with a metal may cause issues with electronic frequencies (Such as Cell Phones, GPS Devices and Satellite Radios). To avoid any possible disturbances with electrical devices, purchase a Frequency Friendly Film. Solar Gard carries 2 Frequency Friendly tints.
Q. How long do you have to wait to roll down windows after they have been tinted?
A. We recommend that you leave your vehicle windows rolled up for at least 24 hours after the window film installation. This allows the film to cure and adhere to the glass before the window is moved.
Q. I just had my windows tinted, why do they look hazy?
A. The moisture that remains between the film and the glass after installation can cause a hazy, streaky, blotchy appearance. It takes several days for the adhesive/film to completely cure. The remaining moisture will evaporate through the film; this process may take a couple of days, or even a couple of months. When the water evaporates completely, your windows should have excellent clarity.
Q. What should I use to clean my windows after they’ve been tinted?
A. Always use fresh clean soft materials to wash and dry your window film surfaces. Most glass cleaners will work well, although a good cleaning solution for window film is 1/2 ounce of liquid dish soap added to 1 quart of fresh water. A soft cloth or a clean synthetic sponge is recommended for washing the window film followed by another clean soft cloth or soft rubber squeegee for drying.
To avoid scratching the film, do not use bristle brushes, abrasive scrubbing sponges, or any cleaning materials that may have been contaminated with dirt particles, as is commonly the case when washing interior and exterior windows with the same cleaning materials. Some brands of paper towels are coarse enough to put fine scratches in the film, even films with scratch resistant, protective hard coat finish. While these scratches may be too thin to be seen at the beginning, they can damage the polished look of the film over time.
Q. Do I need to remove old window tint before putting on new film?
A. Yes,old film will need to be removed before installing new window film. It is always best to have the old film removed by a professional, as the vehicle’s rear defroster can be easily damaged. There is an additional charge for removal of old film, and the process adds about two to four hours to the window film installation process
Q. Can the front two doors be matched to the vehicle factory window tint?
A. We will do our best to match factory tint jobs.
