Window Tinting Blog – Expert Tips & Trends in Boise

Terms You Need To Know When You're Shopping/Comparing Window Film

If you are shopping for window film, whether for your home or business, it is always a good idea to know some of the most commonly used terms. This will make your shopping experience a lot easier and help assure you get just the right product for your needs. With that being said, we have put together this post as a handy reference as you search for window film.

Absorbance

This relates to how much solar energy is retained before it passes through into a room where window film is installed.

Decorative Window Film

Decorative window films are an alternative to costly stained or etched glass. They serve more than one purpose including: enhance the appearance or privacy of any interior or exterior window and reduce up to 99 percent of damaging UV rays. Decorative window films are offered in a wide variety of colors and patterns to match any décor.

Dual-Reflective Film

This is a form of interior window film. On the inside, it has a neutral finish or lower than normal interior reflectivity. On the outside, it has a reflective, somewhat silver finish. It is commonly thought of as the ‘one-way mirror’ film. Nevertheless, you can opt for lighter shades that do not provide as much privacy if you would prefer. 

Emissivity

Emissivity is also linked to glare and heat rejection. This is a measurement of how well a surface either reflects radiation or absorbs infrared light. The lower the number means the more that the surface rejects, resulting in better insulation. Emissivity is often referred to in modern glass as Low-E.

Glare Reduction

This is the total amount of visible light that the surface rejects. This type of glare rejection tends to be the inverse of visible light transmission. It is usually in reference to the intensity of sunlight.

Security Window Film

Window films can serve different purposes. As the name suggests, this form of window film also plays a critical role when it comes to security. Security film is designed to be used for mild to moderate glass protection. It increases the amount of force required to break a window, therefore, creating a deterrent to break-ins.

Mils/microns

Mil is the most common unit that is used to measure the thickness of window film. It is the equivalent of one-thousandth of an inch.

U-Value

This is a term that is used to describe how effectively heat transfers through window film. It is based on one-square foot of window film for every one-degree Fahrenheit difference in temperature. Where the window is located in terms of local temperature is taken into consideration with this value.

UV or UV Rays

Also known as Ultraviolet, UV rays are shorter and tend to have more energy when compared with visible light. It is one of the few other components responsible for fading and sun damage.

Visible Light Transmission

This simply means the amount of visible light that is passed through the glass. Higher percentages of visible light transmission means more natural light entry into the room.

As you can see, there are a number of different terms that you are going to need to know about when you are shopping for window film. We hope that you have found this blog post useful. 

 

About Meridian Window Tint

Meridian Window Tint is a leader in commercial & residential window tinting and decorative window film services in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Nampa, Kuna, Caldwell and Star, Idaho. We are proud to serve as the 3M Prestige Premier Dealer for Southwest Idaho. Contact us for a free window film estimate!

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