We all love cars, and some of us love them a tad more aggressive than others. Case in point — you know that guy who installs a big wing on the back of his 1996 Honda Civic? Don't be that guy. One of the easiest upgrades that enhances the look and function of your vehicle is by adding car window tinting.
It's exceedingly rare in life to come across things that are both beautiful and functional. Among the best examples of beautiful functionality are what we find roaming on the roads of America. Yes, at their core, our cars, trucks, and SUVs are designed to serve a purpose — a purpose that shifts as we move in and out of different stages of our lives.
Whether you're an automotive enthusiast or shuttling around children in your three-row SUV, window tint is one of the most effective ways to enhance the beauty of your vehicle while also providing a ton of health and safety benefits. Tinting your car's windows is about way more than the looks. Here's everything you need to know.
The Danger of UV Rays in Cars
Although most of us have had the unfortunate honor of being blessed by a righteous sunburn on a sunny day, most people aren't actually aware of what causes this uncomfortable problem. All the energy that reaches our planet falls into the Electro-Magnetic Spectrum, which includes visible light, ultraviolet light, infrared, radio waves, X-rays, and gamma rays. Ultraviolet (UV) light is the main culprit behind sun damage to skin and car interiors.
UV radiation is broken up into three groups:
- UVA: The weakest of the UV rays and thought to have an effect on conditions like wrinkles, with a trace effect on skin cancer.
- UVB: Carry slightly more energy than UVA and are responsible for the mutation of DNA in our skin cells that causes cancer.
- UVC: The most dangerous UV ray, but does not reach the surface due to atmospheric filtering.
According to the University of Utah, if the sun is shining on your skin through your side windows, you are being exposed to potentially dangerous UV rays. While front glass is legally required to block UVA and UVB rays, there's nothing to block these rays from coming in through other windows in your vehicle. Quality car window tinting will block 99.9% of UV rays from entering your vehicle — recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation as a part of a comprehensive skin care routine.
Infrared Heat = Hot Interiors
Most of us have had the joy of entering our cars on a sweltering summer day, only to be blasted by a wall of screaming hot air. You know the drill — you immediately rush to turn the vehicle on so you can blast your AC at full force to bring some comfort to yourself and your passengers.
In order to mitigate this condition, owners have different types of film, including ceramic film which utilizes its Infrared Rejection (IR) properties to substantially reduce this problem. To reflect infrared heat, high-performance window films use materials like nano-ceramic coatings designed to block infrared waves before they ever reach the cabin.
Shattered Glass in Car Accidents
Among the biggest advances of the last 50 years is the advent and wide adoption of automotive safety glass. Modern automotive glass is designed to minimize danger to occupants during an accident by fracturing into tiny pieces vs. large, sharp shards of glass. Window tinting adds an additional layer of protection — holding glass shards together in the event of an accident, helping reduce the risk of injury.
Does Darker Tint Mean More Protection?
While it may seem perfectly logical to assume that darker window tint provides more UV and infrared protection, this isn't necessarily true. In the early days of auto window tinting, manufacturers did indeed rely on darker shades to provide protection to occupants. Window tint is designed to block both visible light and invisible UV/IR rays — and those are different problems.
As car window tint technology has progressed, manufacturers have developed ways to maintain an effective product without resorting to ever darker shades. In fact, there are completely clear versions of window film that block UV and infrared rays without any shading at all. Dark tint absolutely does not ensure more protection.
Car Theft: An Impulse Crime
We're not going to delve into the psychology and science of criminals here, but there is a mountain of evidence that indicates smash-and-grab crimes are committed by individuals acting on opportunistic impulse rather than being criminal masterminds. Window tinting reduces the visibility into the cabin and helps remove that impulse.
Car thieves are less likely to break into your car if there is little guarantee of reward and will simply move past your car and on to easier targets. Will window tinting prevent all crime against your vehicle? No, but it could make a big difference in which vehicle thieves choose to target.
Window Tinting Rules and Regulations
Jurisdictions seek to maintain driver safety and officer safety by regulating the darkness of car window tint. As frustrating as it can be, every single state in the country has a slightly varied version of what is acceptable when applying car window tint. Violations of these regulations can lead to fines.
Here's a comprehensive list of state-by-state regulations from the good people at AAA: Tinting Regulations by State.
Your Top Choice for Professional Window Tinting in Orange County
When considering tinting the windows on your own personal ride, you may be overwhelmed by the huge selection of brands and options in the marketplace. Keep in mind: not all window film is created equal. At Ultra Autoworks, our certified installers walk you through the legal options, recommend the right VLT for your driving habits, and back every install with a Lifetime Warranty.
Ready to upgrade your ride? Book a free quote or stop by the shop in Fountain Valley to see sample swatches on actual cars.