When looking for a contractor for specialized services such as window tinting, it’s important to educate yourself and find a company you trust. The only real way to accomplish that, says Rocky Burcham of Solar Control Glass Tinting Company, is through background research. Here are a few tips for getting started:
Confirm the license number.
Once you get and confirm a contractor’s license number, you can use the California State License Board’s website to verify the owner’s name, their years in business and any complaints registered against them.
Get references.
Review a contractor’s current work and talk to their previous customers. “I know of one company in the landscaping business that suddenly got into window tinting,” says Mr. Burcham. “They changed their license and code by adding to their landscaping license and said they’d been in business for 20 years. Maybe in landscaping, but not in window tinting.”
Product choices.
Make sure the contractor is using top-quality films. There are many different types of window tinting films to choose from, and the cheapest isn’t always the best option for every job. “An experienced company will offer a wide variety of brands rather than try to push clients into one specific choice,” says Mr. Burcham. “The least expensive brands are a reflective type with a mirror finish. Many homeowners and businesses want a higher quality film that won’t give a reflective look to the outside of the building.”
The glass tinting film industry is constantly working on new, lighter products that do the same job as darker, more reflective films. Options for commercial properties also include:
Anti-eavesdropping film
Some retailers and other companies have found that sensitive electronic information can leak through windows when Wi-Fi, radio interference or certain radio frequencies are used. A few manufacturers have developed film to go on windows that distorts and scrambles this information.
Anti-graffiti film
Developed in the 1980s to combat glass being scratched or broken by vandals, a clear security film can be used to help prevent breaking and entering. It doesn’t change the look of a building, but it can be very hard to remove. A new film has been developed with a low tack adhesive that can easily be removed. In addition to applying the film on glass, it can be used on stainless steel elevators and other walls or doors. “It can also be used to coat granites used for sitting areas at malls, bathroom stalls and other public areas,” notes Mr. Burcham.
