Athermal tinting: reviews, advantages and disadvantages

A modern car to provide good circular visibility has fairly large windows along the entire perimeter of the cabin. Through them, of course, everything is very clearly visible. But with the same ease, sunlight enters. Often it not only shines, but also heats.

What is glass tinting?

Often, fleeing from bright and hot rays, car owners obscure the windows of their cars. Almost always, this darkening reduces the percentage of light penetration. However, the thermal radiation continues to enter the interior and heat it. Toning of car windows is carried out either with a special coating on the glass itself (a kind of paint that reduces transparency) or by gluing a special film on the surface. The first method is used in the manufacture of the product and is carried out by the factory method. The second method is possible for a newcomer if the technology and sequence of actions are observed.

Toning functions

Tinting the glass reduces its transparency for different types of solar radiation. The simplest film delays only the visible light, darkening, thus, the interior. But from heating on a hot day it does not save. Often, after a long parking temperature in the cabin reaches 50 degrees. Do not touch the steering wheel and seats. So, the classic tint only darkens the salon. Advantages of this film is that in this way you can hide the contents of the cabin and passengers from prying eyes. The downside is that transparency (light transmission) is now clearly stipulated by GOST

Features of the athermal film

To reduce the amount of heat entering the interior, athermal tinting is called for. Reviews about it are only positive. Such a film, depending on the type, can hold up to 50% of the thermal radiation and almost completely the entire ultraviolet spectrum, which is harmful to the eyes.

At the same time, it weakly darkens the interior, being almost completely transparent. Atermal tinting of the windshield is especially popular. Reviews say that it, being the largest glass in the car, greatly affects the heating of the front panel and air in the cabin. Thus, with this film, you do not need to install a mirror protective curtain under the frontal. A characteristic feature of athermal tinting is a light greenish or bluish tinge of glass. It does not interfere with normal light perception.

Advantages and disadvantages

Protection of the car interior from heating by solar beams - this is the quality of athermal tinting. The reviews say that lowering the heating results in less and less frequent activation of the air conditioning, which increases its life and ultimately saves fuel. Such tinting delays only a certain type of solar radiation, remaining absolutely permeable for all its other types: radio waves and other. Another advantage of the athermal film is that in the case of an accident, glass will not break up into small pieces and will not injure passengers and the driver.

To date, it is quite popular to tint with anthermal film. Reviews say that such a quality coating will not burn out and will not lose its properties for a long period of time. Tinting is athermal, according to reviews, especially useful in cars with leather interior, as this material is often prone to cracking under the influence of high temperature. In the case of textile interior trim, the effect will also be visible to the naked eye-the burning out or fading of the upholstery of the seats will be reduced.

As for the shortcomings, the main disadvantage is the price at which the athermal tint is sold. Reviews say that it is about twice as expensive as regular film. The price varies from 1.5 to 3 thousand rubles per glass. The cost of toning in a circle can be about 10 thousand rubles. Of course, this is not cheap, but the result is quite palpable and generally positive. There is another nuance - the light transmittance of such glasses. Different types of films may not comply with GOST and, therefore, are prohibited for use. Therefore, when selecting, you must be careful and pay attention to the technical characteristics.

Is it permissible athermal tinting

In our country (and abroad), there are fairly strict requirements for light transmission of automotive glass. Modern standards say that the front side and windscreen should pass at least 70% of the light. Does this rate fulfill the athermal tinting? Reviews of the traffic police say that this type of film meets the standards of light transmission, and even with a margin.

But it should be borne in mind that any glass is not 100% transparent, so this tinting should be as colorless as possible. Automotive glass, aging with time, is covered with small scratches that degrade transparency. Therefore, it is best to apply athermal tint to new machines.

Composition

What does athermal tinting look like? Reviews say that the glass with it is almost completely transparent, except that it is very bright, and has a greenish or blue tinge. This tinting has in its composition a special coating consisting of a thin graphite layer. It also detains most of the infrared and ultraviolet radiation. What else is good athermal toning? Reviews say that thanks to this coating, glass acquires a strong reflectivity. Also, when the car is in the sun in the cabin it will be just warm, not hot. In this case, the windows themselves will feel hot. This is the work of athermal glazing.

Types of athermal film

In the case of the tint film, several of its varieties are produced:

• ATR - a simple neutral film without a color shade, which is used most often.
• LA - has a bluish tint with a more pronounced effect of toning (smoothed shades).
• "Chameleon" - a film that independently changes its light transmission, depending on the level of illumination.

How to apply with your own hands?

It is also possible and self-tinting auto atermal film. Reviews of this work say that it is not too difficult. The effect depends primarily on the quality of the starting material. For gluing it is desirable to use a quality film of 3M, CPFilms or LLumar. It is sold in various meters and the width of the roll. Beforehand, it is necessary to estimate how much film is needed, and take with a small margin.

Particular attention should be paid to the room in which the work will be carried out. It must be necessarily clean and not dusty. In the open air, such work is extremely undesirable, since dust can enter the film.

The process of pasting includes the following steps:

• After fitting, the required strip is cut to the size of the glass with allowances up to 10 cm.
• The film itself is superimposed on the outside of the glass and heated by a hair dryer so that it softens.
• With a stationery knife, the film is cut out along the contour of the glass.
• Pre-washed glass on the inside is processed from the spray with a soap solution to facilitate the movement of the film after application.
• The substrate is removed from the material and treated with soap solution on both sides.
• The film is applied from the inside of the glass and smoothed with a rubber spatula from the center to the edges. This work is better done with an assistant, especially when pasting the front. Thus, excess solution and air bubbles are removed. Since there is a solution between the film and the glass, it can be easily sheared before drying, properly positioned.
• After all the air bubbles have been removed, the film can be warmed up again by the dryer before it dries.

Reviews

The majority of car owners praise such improvement of the car as tinting of glasses with anthermal film. Reviews say that the salon is really much less heated. Less often you have to turn on the air conditioner. In addition, when tinted athermal reviews suggest that it is easier to find a place for long-term parking - do not look for shade in sunny and hot weather.

Of course, this pleasure is not cheap. But it is very effective and with a constant and active ride can pay back. So, we found out what the athermal tinting of the owners' reviews is, and what are its features.