Considerations in Making The Right Choice of Window Film

BE CLEAR ON WHAT YOU ARE GETTING ON YOUR WINDOWS
REMEMBER to check on the performance of the film that will be installed on your windows.

Numbers lifted from a brochure can be deceiving as some film companies tend to state the actual performance specifications of the lower performing films to figures that are higher than they actually are. In order to ensure that you are getting for what you are paying for, do ask for Test Reports that indicate these performance specifications on.

Credibility
False statements are often made about V-KOOL's product and services. Competitors who fail to understand the technology behind V-KOOL have made claims like V-KOOL will ¡°oxidize¡± or demetalize. This is false. V-KOOL products all undergo stringent Quality Control checks during and after manufacturing. V-KOOL films are also warranted by the Manufacturer (not the film company installing the film) with a comprehensive warranty that includes oxidization and demetalization. It is important to ensure the film's performance is appropriately matched with its price.

Is The Film A Private-Labeled Brand?
More often than not, you will find films in the market that are 3rd and 4th party private-label. This means conventional and lesser performing films repackaged and sold as high performance spectrally selective film. Many merchants have claimed that they offer similar to V-KOOL products at lower prices.

The truth is, quality and performance in films, never come cheap. You pay for what you get and sometimes even that is not so … cheap conventional films have often been sold at premium prices. Trust a reputable and international brand like V-KOOL that is franchised in over 25 countries, and can be found in 500 outlets worldwide. V-KOOL is in the business of energy conservation and heat control for both the automotive and architectural industries. Be wary of private-labels and labels that make claims that are too good to be true.

In 1999, Popular Science magazine awarded the V-KOOL technology as one of the Top 100 Inventions of the Millennium, alongside inventions such as the telephone and the Internet, for its energy saving property. At a Desert Test programme conducted by Southwall Technologies, Visteon Corporation and the US Department of Energy's Renewable Energy Laboratory, it was found that a V-KOOL/XIR coated car improves fuel economy by 3%. Also, in terms of passenger comfort levels, V-KOOL/XIR coated car improves comfort level by 20%-25% faster than other cars with just standard tinted glass.

Ask For Performance Tests
Most companies that deal in window films would have standard tests done to their products to confirm its specifications. Ensure that you get for what you pay for rather than what is written on the brochure! Ultimately your reason to spend on heat control film is to cut down heat that is coming through your windows. Reputable companies would go that extra mile to prove this to you. V-KOOL technology has been tested by Curtin University to show that it reduces cabin temperature by 10 to 12 degrees after parked under the sun for 5 hours. V-KOOL technology has also been tested and found to reduce fuel consumption by 3% due to lower air-conditioning running cost.

Some Important Terms to Understand

Visible Light Transmission (VLT)
Refers to the percent of total visible light that passes through

Visible Light Reflectance (VLR)
Refers to the percent of total visible light that is reflected

Ultraviolet (UV) Rejection
Refers to the percent of ultraviolet light that is rejected from passing through. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun may result in serious consequences such as cataracts, which lead to blindness, skin cancer and pre-mature aging. It is largely responsible for fading of car upholstery. It gives the vehicle interior an aged look and reduces its lifespan.

Infra-Red Transmission (IRT)
This is the major part of solar radiation that contributes to heat. IR is absorbed by the interior materials and skin, making them warmer. The lower the IRT, the less heat is transmitted through the window. You may also find the term spectrally selective being referred to as a film with high VLT and low IRT.

Total Solar Energy Rejected (Tser)
Refers to the combination energy rejection of the visible light, infra-red and ultra violet. A high Tser reading need not necessarily mean a high heat rejection as it could also mean a high visible light rejection. Therefore a darker film gives a better Tser rejection than that of a lighter film. To ensure that a film has a good heat rejection performance, it is best to look at the infra-red rejection specification.

Shading Coefficient
Refers to the ratio of solar heat gain through any given window system to the solar heat gain that would occur under the same conditions if the windows were made with clear window glass. The lower the shading coefficient, the greater the capacity of the window to control solar energy.