Window film is basically a self-adhesive polyester film that is applied to the interior surface of glass. It’s used as a “retrofit” for existing glass on automobiles, homes and commercial buildings in order to upgrade solar control and safety.

Solar radiation from the sun is divided into 3 components; visible light we can see, and infrared and ultraviolet rays which we can only feel. As solar radiation strikes a piece of glass, window film acts as a “sunscreen” to block harmful UV rays as well as regulates the levels of heat and light passing through the glass. The amount of heat and light rejected is all dependant on the type of window film selected.

Glass is designed to be a barrier from exterior elements (i.e. wind, rain and snow) while providing a natural view of the outside world. When solar energy – comprised of heat, light and UV Rays – hits a glass window almost 90% of the energy is transmitted through.

When window film is applied to glass, its properties including special dyes and/or metals and/or nano ceramic incorporated within the film act as a solar energy barrier either by absorbing part of the energy or reflecting a portion of the energy away from the glass. The level of absorption and reflectance is dependant on how the film is constructed.

Solar Rays consist of Ultraviolet (UV) Rays, Infrared (IR) Radiation and Visible Light. All of these three elements make up what is known as the Solar Spectrum and their combined energy is what we called the "Total Solar Energy." In general, 53% of the sun's energy comes to us in the Infrared Spectrum, 44% from the Visible Light Spectrum, and 3% from the Ultra Violet Spectrum.

TserWindow Films act as a filter reducing varying percentages of each part of the Solar Spectrum to reduce the total solar energy transmitted to the room. Darker films will filter out more visible light resulting in energy reduction whereas lighter films have to filter out more infrared in order to reject large amounts of energy. There are various types of Films designed to work on either one part of the Solar Spectrum or all three in the market. However, current technology focus had been put on the ability of the solar control film to reject UV and IR radiation (which can be considered as the main source of solar heat).

The infrared waves are converted to heat when it reached the earth and strikes people or objects. If you block the transfer of this energy, you keep it from turning into heat. The window film interrupts the transfer of this energy by reflection and absorption. It can reduce the rate that energy enters a room which helps reduce the cooling load of the air conditioning systems. The greater the glass area, the greater the impact window film can have on heat transfer both into or out of a room. This makes window films an essential component to creating a more energy efficient for building, home and car.