The front windshield is usually the biggest window in a car or truck and will transmit the greatest amount of heat. In addition, you will also get an excessive amount of glare which will reduce visibility in most cases. In the past, when you tinted the front windshield, you were limited to using darker dyed films. These films carried many disadvantages that have been overcome by today's advancement in film technologies.
Disadvantages of dyed films applied to windshields
• Severe obstruction of visibility creating a serious safety hazard. Especially during night driving.
• Tinted films on windshields are illegal in all states.
• Dyed films absorb heat rather than reflect it. This type of technology creates excessive and unnecessary heat stress on the glass resulting in poor heat rejecting performance and possible cracked glass.
• Reduced life expectancy of the films due to unstable molecular structures in the dye combined with extreme sun and U.V. exposure due to angle of the glass in relationship to the sun.
Due to recent technological advances in window films pioneered primarily by 3M, These disadvantages all have been overcome. 3M has developed a new, clear and dye free, film called Crystalline that blocks 97.5% of Infrared light which is responsible for a large majority of heat transmission. It is a 90% Variable Light Transmission (VLT) film that has a 33% heat rejection. This is equivalent or even superior to the heat reduction properties of most films in the darker category.
Crystalline now comes in 40%, 50%, 60%, 70% and 90% VLT, giving you anywhere from 33% to 66% heat rejection. The darkest of all dyed films ( limo tint ) will only produce on average 53% heat reduction.
You can tint your windshield legally in Florida and some other states if you get a medical exception from your doctor then take it to the clerk of courts or DMV for the medical exception.
Without that medical exception even though D.O.T says it's legal to tint your windshields long as its not darker than 70% you will not be legal. Anything on the front windshield is illegal even if it is completely clear and does not obstruct your view. Now if they cant see it and they don't know its there can you get away with it? We tint a lot of windshields with clear film and have never heard of any of our customers getting a ticket.
Advantages of 3m Crystalline films on Windshields
• Completely clear and will not obstruct vision day or night.
• Clear films are visually undetectable.
• Significant glare reduction and improved visibility.
• Reflects heat rather than absorbing it.
• Does not create unnecessary heat loads on glass.
• Significant increase in life expectancy backed by a lifetime warranty.
• Will not fade or change colors as with dyed films.
• Protects interior from fading caused by U.V. light and heat.
