Let me start by telling you I own a window tinting business. Some cases there is no need for window film. It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. What I try to explain to people is that drapes, blinds and window film over lap but bring different positives to the situation. General rule of thumb, drapes are for decoration, blinds are for privacy, window film lowers heat and protects your things from UV. Yes drapes lowers heat and blocks some UV. Blinds block some heat and UV. Window film blocks more heat and UV. They all go together, it depends on the amount of protection and money you want to spend. Will blinds help you with the heat? Yes. Will film give you more protection along with the blinds? Yes.

thanks Woody
Have heard several opinions. Have you seen many cases of where professionally installed tinting has caused problems with double pained insulated windows? I heard people say they cause seals to leak and such. Is that someting that happens no rare, rare insulations?

You'll want to check with your window warranty to find out if you can tint the glass. In most cases this voids the warranty on any window glass. I've seen tinting damage the glass many times. It usually causes a stress crack on the exterior sheet of glass. I'm not sure why it happens, maybe Oberon will see this and explain the problem. He's the glass God around here. Good Luck!!!

The window tint especially on Low E or High perf. glass will cause it actually do the opposite effect and heat up the glass and crack it. If you take a low E piece of glass and turn its interior side to the sun it will crack. By having tint on the glass it in a way is like the sun being reversed and glaring the opposite direction into the wrong side of the Low E film. Thats why most companies void your warranty if they have window film applied. The best alternative is to reglaze that problem side of the house with factory tinted glass.

Check with the window film company as well. Mine came with a lifetime warranty on the film, 5 year warranty for the window glass breaking due to thernal fracture and 3 years for seal failure. I could've paid about 80 dollars for the warranty to cover longer duration, but I figured 5 was enough.

I would say to be very careful about any company tinting a window of your house. Tinting a car is one thing, but a house really needs delicate attention paid to it.

We live in Dallas and it gets extremely hot here. 95+ degrees regularly in summer.

We have a piano in our living room and we noticed that it was getting slightly damaged by the sun, so we got our windows tinted. The film itself took a week to special order. Most companies only have automotive in stock; DO NOT let a company put automotive tint on your house. Big mistake.

Anyway, the film came, it worked wonders.

This company did a real bang up job..Window Tinting Dallas