AUTOMATIVE TINTING

Q: What do I use to safely clean my windows?

A: After your windows are tinted, you need to wait a couple of days to clean them. Basically, you don’t want to risk pulling the tint loose before it has a chance to dry. Once your vehicle has been tinted the windows will have been lightly wiped down, but will probably need a proper cleaning with a soft paper towel and any non-ammonia cleaner. Do not use any blue colored cleaners because they usually have ammonia in them. There are other cleaners made specifically for tinted windows such as “Ammonia-Free Spray Away-Foam Spray,” which work very well. You can also use soap and water, vinegar and water, or really anything without ammonia or abrasives. You can click to view our Window Tint Care Instructions.

 
Q: How long will it take to install window tint on my vehicle?

A: Installation time ranges from 1 to 3 hours depending on how many windows are being tinted and what type of vehicle it is.

Q: Should I drop off my vehicle or wait?

A: Both options are available and you can do what works best with your schedule. We prefer that the vehicle be dropped off for the day, but we do have a waiting area with free WiFi, cable TV and magazines for customers who choose to stay for the installation.

Q: Can you have window tinting applied to your windows in wet or cold weather?

A: Yes! With the modern adhesive systems found on today's window tinting products, it is possible to have your car windows tinted even in freezing weather. However, the curing time may be extended in adverse conditions. Professional installers take the weather into consideration during installation, allowing more time to apply heat to the edges of the tint to activate the drying process. Be sure to purchase name brand high performance or metal window tinting products to insure high quality adhesives.

Q: How long should I keep my windows rolled up after I have window tint installed?

A: We recommend keeping your windows up for at least 7 days. If windows are rolled down before that time frame the tint often peels off because it has not had enough time to cure. Should this happen we can redo your window at a low cost, but it is not covered under the warranty.

Q: I just had my windows tinted and they look a little hazy. Is this normal?

A: Yes, this is completely normal and temporary. For the first few days after your windows are tinted they might appear cloudy, hazy, and you may see little water pockets forming underneath the film. This is very typical. When windows are tinted, the squeegee can only remove a certain amount of the water from between the film and the glass. As the film dries, the remaining water will form little pockets. Window film is a porous material that allows water to evaporate, so these water pockets will simply evaporate and go away by themselves as the film fully adheres to the glass. The amount of time before your new tint will be totally dry is determined by the amount of sunlight it gets. If it's cloudy and overcast outside, it will take longer, if it's hot and sunny, then the film dries very quickly. This time frame can range from 2 days, up to 1 month.

Q: What causes window tinting to turn purple and bubble?

A: UV rays from the sun that are responsible for damaging your car’s interior and excessive heat build-up are usually the cause of bubbles forming in the window tint. The bubbles are a result of a failure in the films adhesive. You can protect yourself from this potential problem by purchasing a major brand name window tint material. X^e carries a line of film that has a high temperature adhesive system and 99% of UV protection capabilities, which allows them to give a longer warranty against fading and bubbling.

Q: How durable is window tint?

A: Many times our customers inquire about the durability of window film - "Will my kids tear it up?" We are glad to report this is not a problem. Pets are also a concern but damage is usually confined to smudges that just need to be cleaned. The hard scratch-resistant coating found on quality window film products do an excellent job protecting window tint from everyday use as well as kids and pets. A word of caution is to remember window tinting is installed on the inside of the glass and is usually coated with a high quality scratch resistant layer for protection. However, the key word is **resistant**. Take care when loading and unloading objects with sharp or hard edges, boxes, sporting equipment, etc. It is possible to tear even the best window tinting material with a sharp or hard object hitting against the tint. Glass without tinting, or with factory window tint, can be damaged in this fashion also. If you accidentally cause damage to the film, the cost of re-doing the window is generally inexpensive. Unfortunately, these types of damage are not covered under the warranty.

Q: How do black dots and lines at the edge of a window on newer cars affect window tinting?

A: The black dots, or matrix patters, as well as the lines at the top of some windows are made of a Teflon material that is applied at the factory. Purely cosmetic, they hide trim lines and edges on different styles of autos. The thickness of these Teflon-type areas makes them incredibly difficult when applying window tint. Window tint is designed to adhere directly to the glass. The black lines across the top of some windows can prevent window tint from sticking and cannot be covered. When black dots are encountered, the window tint sticks to the slightly raised dot. This can give, depending on the thickness of the material, a lighter or different look in the area of the black matrix dots. This poses no risk of peeling. In some cases, the dot pattern or lines usually put at the top of some windows are so thick that it makes it impossible for the tint to stick at all.

Q: Does the tint go on the outside or inside? 

A: The short answer is on the inside. First, the film is laid on the outside of the car's windows and cut out to fit. Those pieces are then placed on a large piece of glass and trimmed before being installed on the inside of the windows.

Q: Will you travel to my home to tint my vehicle?

A: We do travel to install window film on vehicles, for our dealerships. Window tinting must be done inside a controlled environment to prevent dirt, dust and debris from getting under the film. If you have dust free, closed, air conditioned garage, we can do the tinting OR we can pickup and drop your car –subject to additional costs and car owner Insurance Cover.

Q: What are these scratches or streaks in my window tint?

A: This is another commonly asked question and is sometimes confused with being a defect in the film; however, it is actually caused by a vehicle’s weather stripping. You’ll notice a fuzzy, felt-type material that lines the weather stripping around your windows. This felt functions as a trap for small particles of dirt when you roll your windows up or down. Some vehicles have both sides lined, some only have the exterior side. When only the exterior side is lined it makes the interior more susceptible to trapping dirt and debris. Then when you roll your windows up or down, the dirt, or sometimes even the hard plastic of the stripping itself, can cause the film to scratch.

Q: What are these chips in my tint? 

A: One thing to be careful about, once you have window tint, is your seat belts. When removing your seat belt, be careful to not allow it to sling over and hit the window as this will make a little chip in the tint each time the seat belt hits.