Window Tinting vs Window Shades (with Videos)

June 14, 2020

Window Shades and Window Tint are two different methods of creating privacy and saving you money on your energy utility bill but what are the key differences on how can you make an educated decision?

Let's break the window treatment debate down into parts:

• Cost
• Efficiency
• Labor
• Moving
• View
• Control

Cost

Well first of all tint is cheap for the most part as it is just plastic. WRONG! Some films are made out of high-quality materials and can cost you a fortune and that is not including the labor which fluctuates depending on where you live and at what time of the year you are buying and the economy's situation.

Now, shades & blinds... they are made in a factory and shipped by big corporations which make their prices stable and affordable (except for Sheer Shades which are extremely beautiful and expensive to manufacture).

Efficiency

The second most important thing about tint is that it does not block heat unless it is a real authentic gold mirrored tint. The chemical used in the production of this film slightly resembles the effect of the Argon Gas and is found on high-end of the pricing and quality spectrum of the window tint industry which makes it harder to find as there are so many "real" gold mirror tint providers out there.


Air is a very bad heat conductor so yes your shades can even help you with keeping heat inside when it is cold outside. Shades create an air barrier (between the shade and the glass) very similar to what insulation creates inside walls and in the attic.

The main heat blocker component is the chemical Ar (Argon Gas) which is trapped between two or more panes of glass.

What happens if your window cracks due to a storm or damaged in an accident? You have to tint it again when reinstalled but not just that, some windows lose a special gas that is trapped inside of them!

To watch a video demonstrating an imperfection preventing a window from blocking a heat transfer click here.

How to tell if I have a double pane window?
Flames will be reflected twice, If you see it three times it means you have a triple pane window.

Labor

Window film installation is pretty hard and there is no way you will be able to do it without prior experience, we do not want to mess up a good film, right?

An average home tint installation is around $2,000 which does not include the cost of the tint itself.

Shade Monster's team of experts provides a video chat service with a team of experts and step by step instructions:
Shade Installation Guide & Window Measurement Guide

Moving

There is a fundamental issue with a tint that makes it very unlikable by most homeowners - you can not move with it!

Shades are easily removable without any expert installation and installation is pretty easy. But you could still use a highly rated moving company if you are not certain you can do it yourself.

View

Window tint blocks light from coming in, and your view will not be the same and reduce the light in the house which will require more power to add more light. Unlike shades and blinds as demonstrated in our video below.
Infra-red ceramic tint and gold mirror tint can keep a good view and has decent heat blocking but it only works on a moving car which will only be a good substitute for shades on a plane or an RV (which already has multiple pane windows).

Control

Window tint can not be controlled with your own assistants such as Alexa, Wyze, Google, or a remote that comes with the shade.

Conclusion

Window tint will not block as much heat as good shades will, even if you but the highest quality that is available on the market. Window properties and shade quality matters, not the price.

Windows, doors & glass are not measured on an R-value like walls and roofs. They are measured on a U-Value. Both values will still measure heat transfer. However in an R-value, the higher the value the better performing. A u-value on the other hand is the opposite. The lower the value the better performing it is. Changing the gas from Argon to Krypton will increase the performance by approximately 11%. However, the price of Krypton gas is costly. You would need to weigh up the cost & result benefit here. (Credit to Oknalux - Double Glazed Specialists https://oknalux.com.au)

If you want maximum privacy and maximum efficiency and you do not care about the cost, labor, or the view outside your window, the best solution is to use both shades and tint. But remember, your tint stays when you leave and your investment is gone.

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