Window tinting is a glaze or covering that gets applied to home or car windows to reduce the amount of light that passes through them. Window tinting is especially popular in automobiles because it helps reduce how fast a vehicle heats up in the sun while also giving drivers an increased sense of privacy. However, the same advantages for tinting car windows also apply to your home, helping you keep your house cooler while also making it harder for strangers to see inside it.

While tinting your windows also has its disadvantages and problems to consider, it is a viable option to think about when looking for ways to increase privacy in both your home and vehicle.

How It Works

A low-emissivity coating gets applied to either the inside or the outside of your windows, depending on the type of windows you currently have. “Low-emissivity” means that the coating reduces the amount of ultraviolet, visible and infrared energy that passes through it. The coating is typically applied with a strong adhesive that bonds the coating to the glass. It is best to have this professionally done to ensure that the coating remains flat and even throughout. Air bubbles or wrinkling not only negatively affect the appearance of your windows, they also make the coating more likely to peel over time. These blemishes also make the coating less effective.

Advantages

Window tinting protects your privacy by darkening the exterior of the windows, making it harder for someone outside to look into your home or car.

This helps protect items in the car or home because thieves have a harder time seeing them when searching for potential targets. This is due to less light being allowed to pass through the glass. As a result, your car or home stays cooler than it does with un-tinted windows. This helps you save money on cooling costs, and you don’t have to run your air conditioning as much.

The tinting also protects your interior against sunlight damage. Sun damage causes your furniture and car interior to fade and crack over time. Painting or pictures in the home are especially susceptible to this if they are in sunlight regularly during the day. Tinting protects against this, saving you money on restoration, repair or replacement.

Disadvantages

While tinting helps protect your privacy during the day, it works against you at night when there is a light on inside the car or home. The tinting does not prevent light from coming out of the window, and can even make interior lights more noticeable. As a result, never use tinting as a replacement for shades or blinds in the house at night.

Tinting does keep your home or car cooler, but this applies during the winter as well. While you use less air conditioning in the summer, you might need the heat on longer during the winter because your interior is not getting warmed as much by the sun.

Tinting is also more expensive than regular glass windows, often adding 15 to 20 percent to your window costs. The coating sometimes wears over time, especially on car windows that slide up and down regularly, resulting in a need to replace the coating.

Window tinting comes in different shades, so talk to local dealers to learn your options before having anything installed. State laws also have laws against excessive tinting of automobiles, meaning you can’t tint your windshield because it impairs your vision to a degree. Make sure your tinting falls within local laws before you get it installed, however any major shop should be well-aware of the laws and their products are likely legal. Inquire about warranties as well before getting tinting installed, so you know what your rights are if the tinting starts to peel, or if you are unhappy with it. The price varies, so always call around and do your research before making any purchasing decisions.