Everything You Need to Know About Tinted Windows

Wondering about whether it’s worth tinting your windows? Or maybe, you’ve heard about the different residential window tinting options out there and just can’t choose what to go for? Well, you see, house window tinting films come in different types, as they have different purposes.

This post will give you a clearer picture of the various home tinting materials that you can treat your windows with. From temporary and semi-permanent to permanent, you’ll learn what self-adhesive window films to use, depending on the objectives you’ve got and want to achieve.

So, read on to get familiar with everything there’s to know about tinting your windows.

What exactly is window tinting?

We need to mention here that there are two main types of tinted windows. The first kind involves tinting the glass during the manufacturing process, while the other is achieved by treating the window subsequently with a self-adhesive covering made of a type of polymer.

Folks in Australia and other places go for tinted glass windows for various reasons. So, let’s explore further the types of house window tinting, based on the particular purpose one might want to accomplish in the first place.

Better privacy

To add privacy to a room, you can get a very lightweight, thin window covering that can be patterned or not. Usually, window tinting films, purchased for this purpose, are not hard to remove, should you decide that you no longer need them.

So, they are a kind of temporary window treatment, which is ideal for tenants, who wouldn’t want to use anything permanent in their landlord’s property. These decorative window tinting materials don’t boast any major sunlight reflection/absorption properties, nor do they add to the security of your home.

Boosted energy-efficiency

Also known as solar tinted windows, the glass panel of these is treated with a special film that is thicker than decorative window tinting coverings, and can absorb and reflect UV rays. Thus, the film reduces glare, keeps out the heat in the summer and helps contain it in your home during the colder months.

This way, your tinted windows contribute to reducing your utility bills and make your home more energy-efficient. A great bonus is that solar tinted windows minimise upholstery furniture and curtains fading, which, of course, extends the life of your items.

Improved security

Designed to withstand natural forces and burglary attempts better, windows treated with a security-class polymer film, which is the thickest of them all, do not have amazing heat-reflection or absorption properties.

Instead, their purpose is to not break that easily. In other words, they won’t shatter completely in an undesirable event, caused by strong winds or an opportunistic burglar. The window may simply crack without breaking into hundreds of small pieces.

Aesthetic reasons

Similarly to the windows, tinted for extra privacy, decorative tinting films are thin and without any additional qualities. You may like to treat the glass of just a few rooms to improve the kerb appeal of your home. Various colours, designs and patterns are available on the market, including such that achieve a frosted or stained glass look.

Does window tinting really reduce the heat in the house?

As you can guess, solar window tinting probably holds the biggest benefit. It provides efficient thermal control in your property. Why? You see, as mentioned earlier, the protective window treatment film is designed to stop the sun rays from penetrating the glass and this way, it keeps your home cool in the summer. It filters out effectively UV light, helping you regulate the temperature in your home much better.

East- and west-facing rooms are especially prone to glare and undesirable overheating issues in the hot weather months, making you turn your cooling devices to a higher setting. Therefore, if you treat the window panes with a solar tinting material, you can expect reduced heat and solar energy in those rooms by up to 70%. Of course, in the cooler months, the insulating properties of the solar tinting covering will help you keep your property comfortable and warm.

Is house window tinting worth it? (Pros & Cons)

Right then, many would ask themselves whether window tinting is really worth the investment. Well, its advantages are closely related to what exactly you’d like to accomplish with applying the special film to the glass. So, let’s cover the pros, again, in more detail and check out the situations, where window tinting might not be such a good idea overall.

The advantages of house window tinting

The drawbacks of residential window tinting

As you can see, there are pros and cons of house window tinting, so make your decision wisely, in order to have no regrets later on. In general, you can’t go badly wrong if you treat older windows that will benefit from further insulation and improved security against the elements or break-in attempts.

How much does home window tinting cost on average?

House window tinting prices vary, of course, from project to project, as different factors are at play. Depending on what type of film you want to tint your windows with, you could be looking at paying from $50 to $200 per sq.m., with clear UV protection and Low-e insulation films being the most expensive. Add $15-$20 per sq.m. for the installation cost, and you get the picture.

Have a look below at what goes in the price estimation when it comes to calculating the final house window tinting cost.

Factors that determine the price:

Tinting house windows should not be on your DIY to-do list, really. Always resort to a professional to treat the glass of your windows so that you get the desired outcome.

Takeaways