You’ve heard the saying, “Nothing lasts forever.” Is that true of window tint? In this article, we will look at how long window tinting lasts. Cars, homes, and commercial buildings all benefit from tinted windows. During your ownership of any of these big purchases, will you need to have the windows re-tinted? If your car, home, or commercial building has tinted windows, then this is need-to-know information.
Window tinting does not last forever, but it may outlast the length of your ownership of your car, home, or commercial building. A high-quality tint applied by a window tinting professional can have a long life of 10 to 20 years if cared for properly.
Solar Solutions specializes in window tinting for cars, homes, and commercial buildings. We understand that you have questions about window tinting. You have come to the right place. With almost 30 years of experience in the window tinting industry, we have answers! Cars, homes, and commercial buildings all require routine maintenance. It’s fair that you want to know if re-tinting the windows will be a part of that maintenance. Let’s take a closer look at that question, and we will give you the answers you need.
How Long Does Window Tint Last?
That is the question at hand. The answer varies, but we will do our best to satisfy your curiosity. Cheap window tints, such as do-it-yourself kits, may only last a year or so before bubbling and peeling begin to rear their ugly heads. We never recommend using cheap quality tint or doing it yourself. Window tinting is something that a trained professional should do. When a high-quality tint is used and applied by a professional, you should get 10 years or more out of your tint. When an extremely high-quality tint, such as ceramic tint is used, you may have 20 years before needing to re-tint. You may be thinking that you have the answer, so why read further, but there is more to know about the life of your window tint!
Will you own your car, home, or building long enough to need to re-tint? Obviously, that answer varies, as well, but let’s examine the statistics. According to IHS Market, cars on the road in 2021 were an average of 12.1 years of age compared to 11.9 years old in 2020 and 9.6 years in 2002. That tells us that in less than 20 years, people shifted to keeping their cars approximately 2.5 years longer. That means you may need to have your car’s windows retinted at some point. The average homeowner lives in their home for approximately 8 years, so they will most likely not need to re-tint their windows. The average commercial property holding is 5-10 years. You will probably not need to re-tint your windows during that time if you used a professional installer and high-quality tint.
How to Prolong the Life of Your Window Tint
As with anything else you own, how well you take care of your window tint can prolong its life. For example, in Florida, the high humidity, high volume of rain, high UV index, and salt content in the air if you are near the coast all contribute to deterioration. Most Floridians will tell you that, in Florida, everything rusts eventually! But, you can do things to prolong the life of your belongings and your tint. Keeping your car in the garage greatly helps in preventing fading and rusting. It can also help prolong the life of your window tint. What else can you do? If you don’t have a garage, covering your car is also very helpful. Plus, it protects your car from dirt and bird droppings!
Your home’s and building’s windows are constantly exposed to the elements. They can’t be covered or put away in a garage. How can you help prolong their tint’s life? Don’t use abrasive materials to scrub your windows! Squeegees or microfiber cloths are effective and non-abrasive. Don’t use cleaners with harsh chemicals. A simple solution of dish soap and water is an effective cleaner and gentle enough for your tint.
You also want to protect your window tint from scratches. Don’t park right next to a bush full of sharp thorns every day and expect your tint to escape unscathed. Don’t let your kids play with your keys and “draw” pictures on your windows. You get the point! Use simple, common-sense precautions like this to protect your tint.
Summary
A high-quality tint applied by a professional will help prolong the life of your window tint. Additionally, proper care and maintenance by you will also help prolong its life. Because the average American does not keep their car, home, or building for many decades, chances are that you will not need to have your windows re-tinted. However, if you have taken ownership of a car, home, or building that has untinted windows, poorly tinted windows, or windows that were tinted 30 years ago, then you need to give us a call! Solar Solutions, located in Vero Beach, is your hometown professional window tinting business. With almost 30 years of experience, we can guide you to the best tint to meet both your needs and budget. We look forward to adding you to our list of satisfied customers!