| Frequently
Asked Questions
Do
any of your Premium Films show an iridescent (rainbow
effect) to the exterior side of the glass?
No, our select films will not do
this. Ask for your free installation sample when making
your consultation with us to ensure you will be completely
happy with our selections. Some newer films on the
market in fact do have these inherited iridescent aesthetics
that are not visible until after the film has been installed
to the glass. We recommend you always ask for a
free sample installation to be sure!
Do
you have a film that provides privacy during the nighttime?
This is probably the most common
question we get! There is no such film that can block
the view from the exterior during Nighttime while allowing
you to see out. Privacy
Films can be considered many things, Medium to Very
Dark, Reflective, Frost (allows light in), Opaque/Blackout
or Whiteout Films (blocks 100% light). The important
thing to remember is as soon as you turn your interior
lights on at nighttime, no matter how dark or reflective the 'Solar'
Film is, others can still see through it from the outside.
The only way to get complete nighttime privacy with
a film application is by choosing a Frosted or Opaque
type of film which is part of our Decorative Line, these
films will give you nighttime privacy but you can't
see through the glass either direction day or night.
Solar Films are designed to see through, Decorative
Films in most cases are not! You can slightly see through
some 'patterned' decorative films.
Will
Window Film Really Stop Fading Of Fabrics?
There are six factors affecting fabric fading:
1) Ultraviolet Light (40%)
2)
Visible Light (25%)
3)
Heat (25%)
4)
Chemical Vapors (including ozone)
5)
Age of Fabric
6)
Dye Fastness
Clear single pane glass (1/8" to 1/4") will
reject 23-28% of the ultraviolet light from the sun.
Insulated glass is slightly better, rejecting 36-41%.
Our Window films installed on glass reject 99.9% of
solar ultraviolet light.
Different types of clear glass and window systems will
reject 13-29% of the solar heat. With Panorama
window films for example, 80% of the total solar energy
can be rejected. No window film can eliminate fading.
It can, however, offer maximum protection from fading
due to solar ultraviolet light, visible light and
solar heat. Please refer to "About
Films" for more information pertaining to this
subject.
Is
the window film applied in the interior or exterior?
All films except for extremely rare circumstances are
applied on the interior surface of the glass. Exterior
films are applied for three reasons.
1, If for any reason
a window is not accessible from the inside, an exterior
window film would then be your only option unless the
glass is pulled out from the frame.
2, You are applying
graffiti film. Graffiti films are thick clear films
applied on the exterior surface of glass, mirrors and
even elevator doors designed to protect the surface
from accidental and (or) malicious behavior. This saves
you from having to replace the damaged surface.
3, If your glass is Laminated, 'most' films can not be applied to Laminated glass to the interior side although exterior films can be used.
How
is window film applied?
1)
We prep your windows for installation by scraping
and cleaning the glass thoroughly.
2)
The film is then cut to the size of the window
pane it’s being applied to, actually we will cut
the film bigger than the actual measurement, this way
we can custom fit the film to your glass.
3)
Think of window film as a big postage stamp or
like putting up wallpaper on glass. The film has an
adhesive on one side but unlike wallpaper or postage
stamps is protected with a  clear
plastic sheeting. The plastic is removed therefore exposing
the adhesives. The adhesive is activated with a safe
cleaning solution, which is usually Baby Shampoo and
water and then applied to your window. We squeegee out
most of the water that is in between the film and glass
with a special tool towards the edges of the frame.
We then do some magic and it’s all over, you will
then be amazed how unobtrusive the film looks on your
windows.
What is window
film made of?
Window film products are the result of a very sophisticated
manufacturing process using only the finest raw materials
and state-of-the-art manufacturing technology.
Transparent layers of high quality polyester are laminated
and coated using special adhesives, ultraviolet inhibitors
and protective scratch resistant coatings. Select concentrations
of metal particles (or ceramic particles) are sputter
coated onto sheets of polyester, allowing for varying
degrees of color and solar energy rejection performance
capability. The result is the finest quality window
film products in the world.
What
are some of the benefits of window films?
Because our window films can reject
up to 82 percent of the sun’s total solar energy
and block out almost 100 percent of harmful and damaging
ultraviolet, you can experience these benefits after
installation
- Increased fade protection
- Reduced interior heat
- Reduced utility costs
- Reduced glare
- Improved occupant comfort
- Increased privacy
- Extended air conditioning equipment life
- Added protection from accidents, storms, earthquakes
and burglars
Does
window films cause seal failure when applied to Insulated
Glass (IG) Units?
No, window films do not cause seal failure. All of
our Huper Optik and Panorama films are IG unit safe.
When recommended films are applied to the inside pane
of an (IG) unit, there will be some absorption (except
with clear safety films) of the sun's energy, which
will increase the temperature of the glass pane. Some
of this heat will transmit to the airspace, slightly
raising the airspace temperature. Even a 20° F increase
(unusual for most films) will result in a less than
3% change in air pressure, whereas properly made units
are designed and tested to withstand 22% changes in
air pressure.
Risk of seal failure is greatly determined by the quality
of workmanship and the quality of materials that go
into building the (IG) units. The best guard against
seal failure is to purchase well-made units from reputable
window manufacturers that have solid experience and
histories with insulated units. Most films come with
a standard 3 year (IG) Unit Seal Failure warranty. An
additional Optional Warranty may be purchased for a
modest fee that will cover any window or (IG) unit which
breaks as a result of any defect in the glass or window
at any time during the period covered by the window
manufacturer’s warranty. As a Premium
Warranty Dealer our Huper Optik customers automatically
receive this optional warranty at no additional cost's.
Will
window films cause glass to break?
Glass breaks when stressed. There are five types
of stress, which may cause glass breakage:
1. Thermal Stress--from
absorption of solar radiation.
2. Tensile Stress--from
the weight of the glass itself.
3. Mechanical Flexing
Stress--from wind.
4. Impact Stress--from
flying objects, hail, baseballs.
5. Twisting Stress--from
building or window frame sagging or settling.
The first type, thermal stress, is the only one which
film may affect. The use of window films will increase
the thermal stress on sunlit glass. However, there are
also other factors which will increase thermal stress
such as: partial shading of windows from overhangs,
tightly fitting drapes or blinds, signs or decals on
windows, heating and cooling vents directed at glass.
In addition, different types of glass (annealed versus
tempered, clear versus tinted) have different solar
absorption rates and will withstand different degrees
of thermal stress.
Panorama for example has recommended film-to-glass
tables for use by factory-trained dealer installers.
If a consumer is ever in doubt, he/she should request
a copy of such guidelines. Listed are some glass types
or conditions where the use of a solar control (not
clear safety) type of window film is not recommended
without extreme caution.
- ANY SINGLE PANE GLASS LARGER THAN 100 SQUARE FEET
- DOUBLE PANE GLASS LARGER THAN 40 SQUARE FEET
- CLEAR GLASS THICKER THAN 3/8 INCH
- TRIPLE OR QUADRUPLE PANE IG UNITS
- WINDOW FRAMING SYSTEMS OF CONCRETE OR METAL THAT
HAS NO GASKETS OR SEALS
- GLASS WHERE FRAMING SEALANT OR GASKETS THAT ARE
NO LONGER RESILIENT.
- DAMAGED, CHIPPED, CRACKED OR SCRATCHED GLASS
- ROUND, BENT, LAMINATED, TEXTURED, OR WIRED GLASS
OR SKYLIGHTS
Our films come with a standard Five to Ten Year Limited Glass
Breakage Warranty.
Will
window film kill my house plants?
In most cases if a house plant is already receiving
adequate light the use of window film will not harm
it. New growth or flowering may be retarded, and,
for a few days, a plant may go into a state of shock
while it adjusts to the light change. If a particular
plant normally wilts by the end of a sunny day, it will
actually thrive better with film installed. Although
there are some obvious guidelines in determining what,
if any, effect window film will have on a plant (for
instance, dark green plants need less light than lighter
colored ones), there is one sample test which can be
done prior to film installation: merely move the plant
to an area with less sunlight for a few days.
In addition, most nurseries or local agriculture agencies
can advise you whether a particular plant needs closer
to maximal or minimal light.
How
should I clean my windows after installation and what
kind of cleaning solutions should I use?
Always use fresh clean soft materials to wash and dry
your window film surfaces. A soft cloth or a clean synthetic
sponge is recommended for washing the window film followed
by another clean soft clothe or soft rubber squeegee
for drying.
A good
economical cleaning solution for window film is one ounce of liquid dish soap added to 1 quart of fresh
water.
How
long should I wait after the installation before I can
clean my windows?
Do not clean the film for 30 days after installation.
This will help secure proper curing of the special mounting
adhesive to the glass. Your interior windows will not
need to be cleaned after an installation. It is ok to
clean your exterior windows immediately after installation
as long as there are no leaks in your window panes.
I
have a spectacular view that I do not wish to diminish.
I like the high performance features that some medium
to dark metallized films have to offer and especially
like the fact that these films reflect a lot of solar
energy and glare during the day, but I was told when
at night time these metallized films reflects light
back towards the interior side of the room, meaning
I will not be able to see through them after I turn
my interior lights on, is this true?
Yes it's true for most medium to
dark metallized window films. It all depends solely
on the film you choose. We offer an easy solution with
films that are “Dual Reflective” which is
designed exactly for this type of application. Dual
Reflective is a manufacturing process that is designed
to make a film less reflective towards the interior
side of a room. This way you can have all the benefits
a metallized film has to offer but with an additional
bonus, less reflectivity indoors such as Panorama's
Slate Series! That means you will see clearly day
and night. If these “Dual Reflective”
films still do not meet your criteria we also carry
an excellent variety of non-reflective films that will
block most of the glare and heat. Ask about our Huper
C30 or 40.
What
kind of warranty does Panorama and/or Huper Optik window
films come with?
As South Bay's only Premium Warranty Dealer, every customer inherits the finest warranty program available to date. Highlights on our Recommended Window Films are;
1) Lifetime for Residential, 16 yr's Commercial (Panorama)
2) 10 yr Glass Breakage (Panorama)
3) $2,000 per unit coverage (Huper Optik)
4) Match existing window manufacturer's 'Seal Failure' Warranty
For additional information on our no cost
Premium Warranty's please click here.
What
kind of guarantee does ClearView Sun Control, Inc provide?
We guarantee our workmanship 100%,
if for any practical reason you are not satisfied with
a particular installation let us know on the spot or
call us and we will fix or replace it at no additional
cost. Our strict installation policy ensures professional
results every time.
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