Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Is one brand of window film better than another?


There are a lot of window film brands on the market. Some are good and some are..... not so good. How can you tell the difference when everybody in the window film business sells "the best" window film products? Just ask them. While many are proud of the brand they carry chances are they carry that brand for a reason. Whether it is price, installation ease or brand name recognition. But, in the end it all comes down to this.

Over the past 10 years there have been a lot of foreign window film brands introduced in the U.S. Some with "Americanized" names. While I am not suggesting that these products are inferior, I am suggesting that if you should ever have a warranty concern.... GOOD LUCK!

I have personally worked with a number  of window film brands in my years in the business. What I have found is that most American manufacturers are quick to respond to warranty concerns. Most, if not all even cover the glass that the film is installed on. This is not true with some of the foreign brands. Be sure to read the warranty carefully before buying. Just because it has a catchy name, doesn't necessarily make it the best choice.

There are a lot of good products made in the USA. Most are fairly equal in quality. Nobody really has  better product than the next. Even the products from a major manufacturer like 3M and the guys that claim their film "chemically bonds" to the glass. (This stuff is a PAIN to get off the glass when it fails)

 My view is as long as you stick with a product made in the USA you are more often than not going to be pleased with the film and the warranty. But, if it comes from Korea or India.... be careful.

Our American Standard Window Films and Sun Gard films are made right here in the USA for your peace of mind.

 


http://www.tintcolorado.com

http://www.denverdecorativefilm.com




Monday, June 10, 2013

Ceramic Window Films... What's the Difference?

So, is there pottery in the window film? Not hardly.
 
In the late 1990's the term "ceramic" was just becoming associated with window film. The term came from the fact that some metals, when applied to film and exposed to oxygen would oxidize and become a form of ceramic. This is not the same ceramic as in insulators or the tiles on the Space Shuttle. Certainly not the same as a ceramic flower pot.

The design idea was to create a window film that offered the performance of traditional reflective films without the shiny, reflective appearance. The product was a success! Unfortunately, it was more expensive and was not available in the darker, glare reducing shades.

Over time, manufacturers have modified the traditional films to resemble the ceramic films. For example, our Optivision 35 and Day Dream 35 look almost identical to it's ceramic counter part. The performance was not compromised, but the cost was substantially less.

Spectral Selective films are a little difference. These films offer the performance of a 35% light transmission film and are almost invisible on the window. This is great for homeowners that do not want to alter the look of their windows. Our Firewall window film is one of these products.  But, as with all high tech products, it does cost more. We also offer Sun Gard Nova 70. This very light film will  not darken the room and still reduce heat by better than 50%. Nova is slightly less expensive than the ceramic films.

At Clear View my goal is to provide a quality product at a fair value. That's why in many cases I suggest homeowners look past the high tech  products and the fancy sales pitch for the better value for the money.

Monday, June 3, 2013

3M Fasara Venetian Adds a New Look

Recently Clear View Window Tinting www.tintcolorado.com installed 3M Fasara Venetian decorative window film at the Urban Drainage District office in Denver. The idea was to create increased level of privacy into work spaces and conference room. The film is a "gradient". This means the lines are wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. This creates privacy at the lower portion of the windows and almost clear at the top.



There are literally hundreds of options in decorative window films. Visit our decorative film website www.denverdecorativefilm.com