5 Signs That You Need New Window Tint For Your Car
Having your car’s windows tinted can help make driving a more enjoyable experience by enhancing privacy, reducing the heat inside your vehicle, and by keeping protecting your car’s interior against the sun’s harsh UV rays. However, just like many components on your vehicle, wear and tear will cause damage to your window tint over time, and this tinting will eventually need to be replaced. Yet, how will you know when the time has come to get your car’s windows tinted once again?
Unfortunately, there is no set rule as to how long window tint lasts, as a variety of factors including sunlight exposure, environmental conditions, the quality of the tint used, and how the tinting was maintained will all affect the longevity of window tinting. Luckily, it will likely be obvious when your car’s tint needs to be replaced as it will begin to show signs of aging. Here is a look at just a few of the signs you can look out for indicating that your car’s tint needs replacing.
Bubbles Have Started to Form
One of the clearest signs that your car’s tint needs to be replaced is the presence of air bubbles and bulges between the glass and the tint film. Bubbling is often a sign that poor quality film was used, and it can start to appear months, or even days, after installation. These bubbles can also form if the windows are not properly cleaned prior to tint installation, as grease, dust, and other contaminants will get trapped between the glass and the tint film, creating air pockets that will expand when the tint gets exposed to the sun.
Unfortunately, aside from being an eyesore, these bubbles can also severely compromise the performance of your tint job, and you will likely begin to notice other problems soon after the bubbles form. You should then plan to have your car’s tinting replaced as soon as possible after any bubbles appear. If your tint job is relatively new, you may want to see if the installation came with any kind of warranty. Either way, it is important that you make sure that your next tint job uses high-quality film, and you should also ask the installer how they prep the window’s surface.
The Tint is Fading or Turning Purple
An obvious sign that your car’s tint is aging and will soon need to be replaced is if you have noticed that it has begun to change color. Over time, prolonged exposure to the sun will cause even the best tints to fade, oftentimes causing dark gray tints to turn a light shade of purple. This fading will likely happen gradually, and it may even occur at an uneven rate, causing the formation of dark and light patches and your windows. This fading is a clear indication that your car’s tint film is compromised, and you will need to have it replaced soon if you want to ensure the continued protection of your car’s interior. If it felt like your tint did not last very long, remember that premium tints tend to retain their color better over time.
Your Tint is Peeling
Another common indicator that your window tinting needs replacing is if it has begun to peel. After years of being exposed to heat and the sun’s harsh UV rays, it is not uncommon for tint film to begin peeling away from the window, as this is usually a result of the film’s adhesive starting to deteriorate. While a newly installed window tint will lie flush against the surface of your window, as your tint ages you may notice that the tint slowly starts to peel away at the corners and edges.
As the tint begins to peel more, you may even notice screeching sounds when rolling down your windows, and rolling down your windows may even cause the peeling to accelerate. At this point, it is imperative that you have your tinting professionally removed and replaced. While it may be tempting to remove the tint yourself to save money, this process is not as easy as it may seem, and you could end up doing more harm than good. Save yourself time, money, and stress by having the old tinting professionally removed.
Your Car isn’t as Cool as it Used to Be
One of the main benefits of having tinted windows on your car is that this tint can help keep the interior of your car cooler during the summer by blocking the sun’s harsh UV rays. However, after years of sun exposure, you may find that your window tint is no longer able to block out the summer heat like it once did. If you have noticed that your car is noticeably hotter inside than normal when you first get in it, and/or your AC no longer seems to keep you cool, this could be a sign that your tint film has deteriorated and needs to be replaced. Of course, if nothing seems to be visually wrong with your tinting, you may first want to have your car’s AC inspected to make sure that it is working properly. If that is not the culprit, then it is likely time to consider having your windows re-tinted.
Your Car’s Interior Has Begun to Fade
Perhaps the most obvious sign that your car needs to be re-tinted is if you have noticed sun damage on your car’s interior. One of the primary functions of window tinting is to block out the sun’s UV rays in order to protect your car’s interior. Without window tinting, your car’s upholstery would likely fade, and plastic fixtures may even crack on hot days. If your windows are tinted and you are still noticing subtle signs of damage to your car’s interior, this is a clear indicator that it is time to have your window tinting replaced. This indicates that the tint film has deteriorated and is no longer protecting your car from the sun.
Looking out for signs indicating that it is time to have your car’s window tinting replaced is crucial in order to ensure that your car is protected from the sun’s harsh UV rays. If your car’s tinting has begun to show signs of age, feel free to contact us to find out about having it replaced.
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