Window Tinting FAQs

Vista™ Window Film helps combat the problems of fading, glare and damage to furniture. It also helps make occupants feel more comfortable in the room. Most importantly, window film blocks 99.9% of harmful UV rays which can cause skin cancer and premature aging.
 
The sun will damage window treatments such as draperies, curtains, blinds and shades. Window film helps protect all furnishings, including the window.
No. Vista™ Window Film will maintain the natural colors of your interior spaces without the glare. With less need for drapes, curtains, blinds, and shades, your may actually be brighter.
Yes. Up to 75% of the heat is rejected by Vista™ Window Film. You no longer need to worry about having too many windows or keeping your blinds down and curtains drawn for fear of increased heat and energy bills in the summer.
Absolutely. Window film reduces glare and helps eliminate eye fatigue, making your family or your tenants more comfortable and happier.
If the window breaks, the window film acts as a brace to hold the glass in place, thus reducing an incidence of injury or damage to furnishings.
Yes. Southern Glass Protection can professionally install film to fit virtually any size and shape of flat-glass window.
Professionally installed by Southern Glass Protection, residential Vista™ Window Film comes with a lifetime warranty against cracking, peeling, adhesive failure or demetallizing. Most films carry a 10- or 15-year warranty for non-residential installations. Warranties include total film replacement, including labor and materials. Many films last 20 years or more. Some restrictions and limitations apply. Call for details.
Window film is a low-cost, high-return energy conservation measure. It is made of micro-thin layers of film combined with high-performance adhesives which bond to the glass surface.
Most windows can be filmed in 15 minutes with little to no disruption to home owners or building occupants.
Vista™ Window Film is around $5–$10 per square foot installed. This is only 5%–10% of the cost of window replacement, depending on the application.
The energy savings depend on many factors, such as the existing type of glass, existence of overhangs, and energy rates in your area. However, for most buildings, high-performance window films can reduce energy costs from 5% to 15%. Use our Energy Savings Calculator to estimate your savings.
Though window films and replacement windows provide similar energy savings, window films are much cheaper to install—about 5% to 10% of the cost. Therefore, the capital investment is much lower for window film. Many projects produce a simple payback in less than three years (when including utility company rebates)—equivalent to a 33% return on investment! Use our Energy Savings Calculator to estimate how much you could save.
The installation of window films is proven safe. With 18 years of experience, we are able to quickly and safely install window film. Plus, we provide warranties against glass breakage and seal failure. (Some restrictions and limitations apply.
Often, solar heat gain from untreated windows requires you or your tenants to keep shades down or curtains drawn. With energy-efficient window film, you can keep your blinds or shades open, allowing in more light while reducing glare on TV or computer screens. Plus, you can choose the degree of light transmission, from very dark (0% light transmission) to very light (80% light transmission.

Films with high Luminous Efficacies, also known as Spectrally Selective Films, can be the best option for many applications. However, the solar heat rejection of Spectrally Selective Film is typically less than high-performance films, so they don’t reduce air-conditioning costs as much. In addition, films higher in light transmission offer less of glare reduction.

Many utility companies offer specific rebates for window film installation, both for residential and commercial applications. Often window film is specifically listed as one of the rebate-eligible products. Other times window film qualifies under the “Custom Measures” option (commercial applications only). For Florida’s tax credits, incentives, and rebates, click here. For details in another state, by utility company, click here.

According to U.S. Department of Energy statistics, solar heat gain through windows is responsible for a whopping ⅓ of a building’s cooling costs. Energy-saving window film can reduce solar heat gain by 75% or more, significantly reducing the run time of air-conditioning systems or allowing them to operate at lower load conditions. The benefits for this are numerous: reducing commercial cooling costs up to 30%, lower maintenance costs for HVAC equipment, increase the life of air-conditioning and heating systems, and allowing for the use of smaller, less expensive equipment.

Window films can assist with up to 9 LEED Certification points (out of the 32 required for Silver LEED Certification). For more information about LEED Certification, see www.usgbc.org/leed. The energy savings provided by Southern Glass Protection and Vista™ Window Films can also assist buildings with their Energy Star Labeling requirements.