Different Types Of Tints For Impact Windows And Doors

One of the best ways to protect your home or business in South Florida is by fitting impact windows and doors. Built to resist the impact of hurricane and tropical storm winds, they also offer extra advantages like improved energy efficiency and added privacy. An additional feature of hurricane windows and doors is the option for different tints, enhancing both functionality and visual appeal.

Types Of Impact Window Tints

There are several types of tints that can be applied to the glass of your impact doors and windows, each with its own benefits and applications. Some of the most popular include:

Clear Tint

Clear tint adds an additional sacrificial layer of protection to your windows. Impact glass is made by taking planes of glass and sandwiching them together with layers of laminate (a film similar to window tint). By combining these laminate layers with a clear tint you can reduce the amount of UV light that enters the building.

Another benefit of clear tint is that you are adding a protective layer that will take the brunt of scratches, acid bird droppings, and sand being blasted against the glass from storm winds, ensuring the glass layer remains unscathed.

Privacy Tint

A privacy tint does exactly that, adds some privacy to a room by offering an opaque finish that obscures visibility through the glass but still allows light to pass, all the time continuing to offer the same benefits of clear tint.

Privacy tints are popular on bathroom and changing room windows.

Decorative Tint

Turn your windows into works of art. Decorative tints can be made with different cuts, shades, textures, and colors to create an artwork out of any window. Different color tints can add to a room’s mood, depending on the scene you are attempting to set.

Low-E or Solar Tint

Solar Tint, or Low-E coatings is a tint consisting of a silver oxide coating that creates a reflective finish on the exterior of the window while keeping the interior clear, similar to a pair of mirror finish sunglasses. While you can see out, it’s very difficult for anyone to see in.

Low-E coatings block UV from entering the building, which in turn keeps the building cooler for longer and protects furniture from sun-bleaching and damage. Low-E tints come in several varieties each blocking a different percentage of UV rays.

Turtle Tint

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission implemented a statute that requires windows that face the ocean on oceanfront property to be equipped with a very dark tint, which is referred to as Dark Gray Glass or Turtle Glass. Any property that is facing a beach that is commonly used or may be ideal for turtle nesting areas must comply with this statute.

This is because Turtle Glass has the lowest visible transmittance value (light being transmitted from inside the property outwards), which is set at 45% or less light being transmitted. The purpose of this is so that there are no bright lights that may confuse newly hatched turtles, and cause them to walk away from the water. Hatchlings have a natural instinct to look for the light of the moon reflecting off the water. The presence of additional light sources may confuse them, and lead them to harm.

Benefits Of Impact Window Tint

Impact windows and doors are built for safety, but choosing a tint adds extra benefits and customization.

Increased Toughness

As previously mentioned, any film-based tint will add a sacrificial layer to your windows, taking the brunt of what nature may throw at them. Instead of having your glass become scratched, pitted, and run the risk of becoming opaque from acidic bird droppings, debris, and tree sap, the tint takes all that damage.

When your windows start to look worse for wear, it’s simply a matter of removing the old tint, cleaning the glass, and having fresh tint applied. Should the glass ever crack or suffer an impact, tint also prevents shattering and keeps glass shards contained, protecting passersby who would usually be at risk of getting cut.

UV Protection

UV rays can cause some serious damage, they bleach colors from furniture, and can cause rubbers and plastics to become brittle and fragile and even ruin the finishing on some items, this is all without considering the damage it can do to you and your family.

By going with tinted windows you are offering everything and everyone in the building a complementary layer of sunblock, protecting the things you love.

Increased Energy Efficiency

The best way to keep the cooling costs down is to keep the heat outside. Tinted windows dramatically decrease the amount of heat that enters your home through convection from the sun, which in turn means your air-conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the temperature down and leads to lower electricity bills and more money in your pocket!

Impact Window & Door Specialists In South Florida

At STS Impact Windows, Doors & Roofing we provide professional impact window and door installations using products from the most trusted manufacturers in the industry, backed by a 3-year warranty.

Our history of preparing homes and businesses in South Florida to withstand the worst mother nature can throw at a home has given us the edge and experience to ensure that we recommend the best solution for your home.

For quotes, questions, or more information on our wide array of impact doors and windows, please call us at 561-763-1675.