When residents living in the heat and glare of the California sun seek ways to avoid the property and skin damage the harsh rays cause, they often consider having window tint applied to their homes or businesses. Many people often wonder if there is a particular time of year that is best for having the window films applied. The truth is that here in southern California you don’t have to be concerned with time of year. Our weather conditions are typically perfect year around, which is why so many of us choose to live here.
Too Hot
In rare instances the glass may be too hot complete the installation. This typically is because we are unable to get the glass temperature down to a temperature that we can clean and prep the glass surface. In extreme cases the glass is so hot that the water steams off the glass surface when we spray it on. Even when we are able to get it to not steam off the glass is so hot that the soapy water solution dries too quickly to complete the installation. This can happen at any time of the year here in the Los Angeles area. Luckily it is one of those things where we can usually work on another window facing away from the sun at that time and then come back a little later and do the installation on the hot window once the sun has moved slightly.
Rain
Lots of people are concerned that wet weather might be a bad time to do the installation. On the contrary, this is a great time to have the film installed. The high moisture in the air means that there is less airborne dust and debris which can get trapped behind the film which can happen in dry and windy conditions. Therefore many installers prefer to do their work when it is rainy or heavy fog conditions. The only drawback to having film installed at this time is that it will typically take longer for the film to completely dry and cure. The drying and curing of film is a very slow process that takes typically 30-90 days to complete depending on conditions and film structure. If it is very hot outside and very dry weather conditions with low humidity then the film can dry faster than this.
Construction Site
This is not the best time to do the installation since there can be a lot of dust from sawing and sanding etc. Window films need to be installed in a clean environment or you run the risk of having dirt and debris trapped behind the film. We often do installations on construction sites but typically towards the end and when there is no other trades doing work in the areas we are working in. It is also important that the floor and surfaces in the area have been cleaned to reduce the chance of contamination. Window films should be considered a finish product such as carpeting, flooring, drapes and blinds. The other consideration if you are planning to have window film installed during construction is plan on protecting the windows from other trades and damage caused by things bumping into the windows that might gouge or scratch the film.