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Window Tint Percentage: Factors in Making Your Choice

Tuesday, November 9th, 2021

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the common window tint percentage options available to you if you’re tinting your windows. Window tint percentage refers to how much visible light a given form of tint allows through, and which you choose will depend on a few factors, from the laws in your area to your needs for the window tint and more.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re happy to provide a wide range of window tinting services to all our clients, with various tinting percentages available depending on your circumstances. In today’s part two of our series, we’ll go over the important variables to consider as you’re deciding which tint percentage to order.

Reasons for Tint

As we noted above, different vehicle owners have differing reasons for obtaining window tint. Some are looking to block the sun’s UV rays from damaging upholstery, dashboards or other parts of the vehicle. Others want to provide privacy for passengers or keep prying eyes from seeing into their cars. Still others are mostly in it for a stylistic upgrade — and all of these are legitimate reasons to consider tint.

If you just need to block UV rays, 50% tint is usually enough to do the job; this same range works if you just want to block light-induced headaches and similar issues. If you’re looking to block outside viewers from seeing in, on the other hand, you’ll want to go with a lower percentage that blocks even more light.

Desired Appearance

Whether aesthetics are your top priority for window tint or not, you should at least be considering how your vehicle will look with various window tint percentages.

In general, it’s a smart move to go with the lightest tint percentage that meets your needs from a safety or legal standpoint. If you want to block out nearly all visible light with no regard for appearances, 50% is a fine choice — but if you want a look that allows more visible light in, going with a lighter shade isn’t bad either.

Window Tint Laws

As we just mentioned, another important factor here is the tint laws in your area. There are both state laws and often individual city or municipality laws that determine how much window tint you can have for a given vehicle. Figuring out what’s legal is well beyond the scope of this article, but it’s something to keep in mind as you consider your options when shopping around for a tint percentage.

In most cases, these laws apply both to aftermarket and factory-installed tint. If you’re unsure where to find this information for your area of Utah, contact our pros — we’re familiar with all the local laws on tint allowances.

For more on choosing the ideal window tint percentage for your vehicle, or to learn about any of our window tinting, paint protection film or other services, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah today.

Posted in Blogs, Window Tinting | No Comments »

Utah Window Tint Percentage: Common Ranges to Choose From

Tuesday, October 12th, 2021

Window tint for vehicles comes with several distinct benefits, from protection against the sun’s UV rays to increased privacy and security of the vehicle. And depending on which of these areas you’re most interested in, plus a few related factors, your choice of window tint “percentage” may vary significantly.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re proud to offer a wide range of window tinting services in Utah, with a huge range of different tint levels and percentages available depending on your needs and desires. We offer tints for vehicles of any color and style, and will help you choose the ideal tint level based on all the important variables. In this two-part blog series, we’ll go over some basics on vehicle tint percentage, plus how to choose the ideal number for your car.

Window Tint Percentage Basics

First and foremost, let’s define window tint percentage for those who aren’t aware of what it is. As the name suggests, window tint percentage refers to how much of the visible light entering a vehicle through its glass is blocked by the tint itself.

The total percentage of light allowed through is equal to 100 minus the number you see, so if a tint allows 30% of visible light in it’s labeled as “30% window tint.” The label is based on the percentage of light blocked in a theoretical scenario in which only a single line of light strikes a window, and not an entire beam.

So, what does this mean for you when picking out the right tinted film for your car? Here are a couple general window tint percentage ranges that are generally offered, plus the benefits each tend to offer.

50% or 35%

Perhaps the two most common window tint percentages in many areas are 50% and 35% window tint. For those using 50% window tint, blockage of UV rays is the biggest benefit. UV rays, which are highly linked to skin cancer, can cause extensive damage from the inside of a vehicle.

In places where it’s legal to drive with 50% window tinting, many still prefer the extra privacy and heat blocking aspects of 35% tint. This tint offers a bit better visibility than lower tint levels for those who prefer it, but still provides improved protection from sun rays compared to 50%.

20% or Below

In many other cases, clients will prefer either 20% tint or a lower number, often as low as 5% tint. These numbers offer an ideal balance between UV blocking and heat management as well as privacy — it’s tough top see into a car’s interior if it has even 20% tint applied to its windows, which deters onlookers and potential criminals from poking around.

It should be noted that in many states or locations, 5% tint is actually illegal because it’s too dark. As we’ll dig into in part two of this series, knowing local regulations is important in this area as well.

For more on how to choose the ideal window tint percentage for your vehicle, or to learn about any of our window tint or paint protection services in Utah, speak to the team at Pro Tint Utah today.

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Vehicle Risks Posed by the Sun’s UV Rays

Tuesday, September 14th, 2021

There are a few common threats to the appearance and integrity of your vehicle, and one of these you should be well aware of is UV rays from the sun. Sunlight that hits the outside of your car can be as high as 195 degrees Fahrenheit, or as high as 145 on the interior, and these high temperatures can pose several risks you should be aware of — but there are also simple solutions to avoid these.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re happy to provide these simple solutions in the form of our window tinting, paint protection and other products that keep vehicles protected from not only the sun, but also several other potential threats or risks that may be present. What are the ways the sun may be damaging your vehicle, and how do our products help? Here’s a primer.

Interior Fading

When you’re parked in the sun, the interior of your vehicle is exposed to UV rays that can damage not only the aesthetics of your vehicle, but also its finishes. Leather and vinyl surfaces are especially vulnerable to fading and discoloration from exposure to sunlight, which is why it’s critical you take steps like adding window tinting or paint protection to mitigate this.

You can also use window shades and seat covers to assist you here, but window tint is the most efficient and when it comes to the UV rays themselves, nothing beats real window film. We have several different varieties of this, including Ceramic Films that are used on high end luxury vehicles, and other Tint Film options — all featuring varying levels of darkness in order for you to choose what’s best for your needs.

Paint Damage

Aside from fading and discoloration of the interior, paint damage is another common side effect of sun exposure. Again, high temperatures from direct sunlight can warp or temper paints that are not properly protected — and if you don’t get sufficient coverage with clear bra or other products, more costly repairs may be required down the road.

Baked-On Dirt

And if there’s significant dirt on your vehicle while the sun is beating down on it, you risk the intense heat acting like an oven — and all that dirt will bake onto your car, becoming much harder to remove. Abrasive cleaners may have a tough time removing this kind of dirt, so it’s important to take steps against baked-on dirt as well.

Solutions Available

Luckily, as we noted above, we have the solution for any and all of these problems. Our window tinting solutions stop UV rays from entering your vehicle at such hot temperatures, maintaining the quality of seats and other materials; paint protection products installed by our team will stop the sun from baking dirt onto your vehicle, plus will prevent any paint damage or other concerns.

For more on these products or any of our other services, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah today.

Posted in Blogs, Paint Protection, Window Tinting | No Comments »

Headlight Restoration: Additional Signs and Restoration Options

Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some basics on common signs that your vehicle might require headlight restoration services. Helping return your car’s vital headlights to a brand-new state and improve both safety and aesthetics, headlight restoration is a simple, straightforward process.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re happy to offer several services in addition to our window tinting and paint protection, including vehicle headlight restoration for those whose headlights have begun to dim or otherwise fail. Here are a few of the other signs that you might require headlight restoration, plus how our team will help.

Scuffed, Scratched or Cracked Headlights

Given that headlights are often the first thing people notice about your vehicle, it makes sense to keep them looking their best. Scratches signify a lack of care over time, which can lead to more damage and costly repairs down the road.

Scratches and cracks can be caused by a variety of issues, from rocks and debris to minor accidents. Although some scratches can be polished out by our staff, headlight restoration is still recommended in order to ensure that your headlights are properly protected. And in cases where damage is more significant, headlight restoration might be more of a requirement to keep your headlights safe on the road.

Difficult or Dangerous Driving Due to Poor Headlights

In other cases, the signs that you need headlight restoration might become apparent while you drive. If you’re struggling to see while driving at night or in the rain, this might be a sign that your headlights aren’t up to snuff. It’s important to have this checked out immediately, as it can be very dangerous for both you and the other drivers on the road around you. Headlight restoration will be one of the top options if it’s determined that your headlights are too dull for safe driving.

Don’t Settle for Low-Performance Headlights

Luckily, if any of these issues we’ve gone over are present for your vehicle headlights, we’re here to offer professional headlight restoration services. These services will not only restore the lights to their prior quality level, but will also avoid expensive replacement and will protect the lights from future wear-and-tear.

It’s important to realize that not all headlight restoration services are created equal, and this generally traces back to the professionals performing these services. At Pro Tint Utah, we’re proud to offer our customers the best, most effective headlight restoration in the country. Our professional staff boasts decades of experience and high-end training that allows us to perform a full headlight restoration with unparalleled results.

To learn more about how our team can help your vehicle’s headlights achieve their maximum potential again, or for information on any of our window tint or other automotive services, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah today.

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Headlight Restoration: Basics and Common Signs

Tuesday, July 13th, 2021

Does your vehicle have older headlights, or headlights you’ve recently noticed have begun to fade or otherwise work less efficiently? You could be in need of headlight restoration, both to improve your vehicle’s safety capabilities but also to improve aesthetics.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re here to help. We offer a variety of additional services in addition to our window tinting and paint protection solutions, including vehicle headlight restoration for all those in need. What are some of the signs you should pay attention to that might signal headlights that require restoration, and why is restoration a more effective solution in many of these cases than your other options? This two-part blog series will go over everything you need to know.

Cost-Effective Solution

Before we dig into some of the telltale signs that you might need headlight restoration, a quick word on why it’s so effective for many in this position – especially compared to other headlight options. These other options are generally limited to either replacing the headlights or taking a much more in-depth process to repair them.

As you may have guessed, both these processes are much more expensive than headlight restoration – and really don’t provide appreciably different results in most cases. Rather than spending too much on that sort of thing, you can pay far less and get the exact same final result from quality headlight restoration.

Our next several sections will go over some red flags that might indicate headlights that need restoration.

Haze or Cloudiness

The majority of vehicle headlights today are what are known as halogen reflector lights, which means they have a protective clear coating on them that limits scratching and other forms of direct damage. However, there are some risks that may break down this coating: Things like salt, dirt or even ultraviolet rays from the sun may all contribute, wearing out your coating and causing it to become hazy or cloudy.

In some cases, a simple cleaning of these covers is all you’ll need to remove the haziness. But in other cases, such as when the actual coating has been damaged, headlight restoration will remedy this concern easily.

Dimming or Dulling

In other situations, you’ll notice headlights that have begun to dull out, often due to a combination of UV rays and rain over time. Especially if you park outside often, this may begin happening after five years or so. Headlights that are dull or yellow are producing under 25% of the light they did when they were new, and this is a clear safety concern – but one that’s easily remedied by headlight restoration, which returns the lights to the exact brightness they were while new.

For more on signs you need headlight restoration, or to learn about any of our window tinting or paint protection services, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah.

Posted in Blogs, Headlight Restoration | No Comments »

Privacy Benefits of West Valley City Window Tint

Tuesday, June 8th, 2021

While some think of window tint as only a stylistic upgrade to their vehicle, this couldn’t be further from the truth for modern window tint options. While it’s true that tinting your windows often makes your vehicle look sleeker and more appealing, this is just one of several potential benefits that come with window tint, and another that’s a big deal for many vehicle owners is the privacy tint offers.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re proud to offer quality window tinting services to a variety of West Valley City clients, including those who are interested in tint primarily for the privacy benefits it offers them. What are some of the specific areas or situations in which window tint is beneficial from a privacy standpoint? Here are several to consider.

Child or Pet Protection

For many vehicle owners, the primary benefit of utilizing window tint is its ability to keep children, pets or anyone else in the vehicle protected. This protection comes in multiple formats: Protection from harmful UV rays and skin risks, for one, but also privacy for vehicle occupants.

Say you’re making a quick run into a gas station, for instance, or forgot something at home and need to quickly pick it up without parking the car – and your child is with you. While you’ll only be leaving them alone for a few seconds or minutes, and the doors will surely be locked, many parents simply feel better about this situation when they have tinted windows that don’t allow passers-by to easily spot their kids.

High-Value Items

In other cases, the privacy offered by window tint will be important for the protection of high-value items inside the vehicle. While it’s not advisable to store too many such items in the car at once, there may be times where this is unavoidable for at least a few minutes, days or hours – and if you must do so, it’s better to store them in a vehicle where anyone walking by can’t see them due to window tint.

In fact, some of the items we’re referring to here are actual vehicle components. If you have a high-value stereo and speaker system, for instance, window tint will stop potential burglars from seeing this easily – and will lower the risk of break-in attempts in the process.

Leather or Interior Protection

Finally, it’s important not to forget that window tint protects other vehicle fixtures, too, namely interior surfaces. Particularly for those who have leather seats, the reduction of UV rays entering the vehicle will make a huge impact, allowing the material to last longer and look great while doing so.

For more on the privacy elements offered by window tint, or to learn about any of our window tint, paint protection or other automotive services in West Valley City or other parts of Utah, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah today.

Posted in Blogs, Window Tinting | No Comments »

Value of Paint Protection: Durability, Cost Efficiency

Monday, May 10th, 2021

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the primary issues that you’re protecting your vehicle against by installing paint protection film, or PFF. These and related products, such as clear bras and ceramic coatings, are ideal for protecting your car from several potential risks, from day-to-day areas to those you may experience in special situations.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re happy to offer a variety of paint protection film installations for any of our clients. We’re also here to work with you in terms of basic questions like whether PFF will be a worthwhile product installation for your vehicle, the kinds of risks your car frequently faces and several related areas. What are some of the other reasons our clients commonly choose to install PFF, and how will we help you determine if this is the right move for you? Here are some basics.

General Durability

Another great form of value you receive from paint protection film is simply how long it lasts, especially if you take basic care of it. Most PFF is known to continue protecting your vehicle for several years and as long as a decade with proper maintenance, and as we noted in part one, many of these products even self-heal themselves for minor forms of damage.

This means that for the better part of a decade, you aren’t dealing with chips, cracks, scratches or other surface and paint damage. Simple peace-of-mind is a major factor for many vehicle owners, and PFF offers it in some pretty robust ways.

Accounting for the Unknown

While we’ve gone over a half-dozen ways PFF helps protect your vehicle here, we’ve only touched on the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential risks to your car’s paint and surface. Especially for those who drive in new places regularly, but even for those who don’t, you never know what’s around the corner – having strong paint protection in case of any kind of unique threat is enormously beneficial, especially if you value paint quality as a primary care factor for your vehicle. There are even some threats or risks you may not have thought of that PFF will protect you from.

Determining PFF Cost Efficiency

There are a couple factors to use to determine whether installing PFF is the right move for you:

  • Value of appearance: The fist is a very personal variable – how much do you value paint and car appearance? Those who consider it a top priority should always install PFF, while others may be in between.
  • Prevention vs repairs: In most cases, for high-value vehicles, protection is much more affordable than repairs for the same ki8nds of issues – if your vehicle is even somewhat new, PFF is a far more affordable cost than repairing scratches or other damage it prevents.
  • Highway driving frequency: If you drive more often on the highway, you’ll be more exposed to paint damage risks and may consider PFF more strongly than someone who doesn’t drive on highways often.

For more on the value of PFF and when it’s a viable choice for you, or to learn about any of our window tint, paint protection or other services, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah today.

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Value of Paint Protection: Chip and Scratch Protection, Self-Healing

Monday, April 12th, 2021

There are several decisions you might be faced with when it comes to protecting your vehicle, and one is whether to use paint protection. There are many car owners for whom quality paint protection film (PPF) and related products like clear bras and ceramic coatings will be enormously beneficial and easily worth their cost of installation, but also some others who will need to consider whether this theme is worth the cost they’ll pay.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re here to help. We offer several varieties of paint protection in addition to our window tint and other services, and we’re also happy to assist clients who are deliberating on a paint protection installation and trying to determine if it’s the right move for them. We’ll inform you on everything from our basic costs to the long-term expectations you receive from any of our products, plus will listen to your needs and explain which of our solutions is best for them. This two-part blog series will go over some basics on PPF and its beneficial characteristics, plus help you determine whether it’s ideal for your needs.

PPF Basics

Using PPF specifically as our example, this is an invisible film that creates a glossy, cover-all coat on your vehicle. It blocks various kinds of damage that might take place, with areas like mirrors, door handles and others serving as some of those that often require the most protection. However, said protection can be applied virtually anywhere you want it, including on bumpers, fenders, rocker panels or basically any other surface of your vehicle.

Paint protection is valuable not only for aesthetics, but also practical purposes. Not only will damage look bad, it often impacts the actual driving or related quality factors of the vehicle – but paint protection stops it from happening.

Our next several sections will go over some common issues paint protection helps block; if you experience any of these regularly, the chances of PPF being worth it for you go up.

Rock Chip Issues

If you regularly do long drives on highways with heavy truck traffic, regularly drive off-road or even if you’ve simply had rock chip issues in the past you want to avoid, paint protection is hugely valuable. It’s one of the single best forms of protection against rock chip threats of varying sizes.

Self-Healing Capabilities

Many PPF products have the ability to self-heal, or regrow based on chemical makeup. If damage takes place to the film, it’s often able to remedy this without any maintenance whatsoever. It also naturally resists many levels of pressure.

Resisting Scratches

Another major benefit of paint protection is blocking scratches, which are a common concern for some vehicle owners. Whether you commonly park in a narrow parking lot where scratches happen more often, have kids or pets who risk scratches, or are in any other situation where paint scratching is common, considering paint protection is a valuable pursuit.

For more on situations where paint protection is often worth it for the buyer, or to learn about any of our paint protection, window tinting or other services, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah today.

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How Window Tint Helps Protect Vehicle Leather

Tuesday, February 9th, 2021

There are several reasons vehicle owners are commonly looking to protect their car’s interior from the sun, and those with leather interiors have yet another such reason. Sunlight will have a direct negative impact on leather fabric over time, and protecting from this damage is one significant piece of any such car owner’s maintenance routine.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re happy to offer a wide range of window tint options, including our nano ceramic tint solutions, to assist vehicle owners with several specific needs, from style improvements to protection from heat and the sun. How do UV rays and leather interact, how does window tint help limit the risks here, and what are some additional protection methods to take for a vehicle with leather interior that’s often parked outdoors? Here’s a primer.

UV Rays and Leather

The problems with UV rays and leather are twofold: The impact of the rays themselves, and the effects of the heat. In the former area, too much UV light will cause leather to begin to fade over time, losing it’s beautiful aesthetic until it’s only showing a shadow of its previous rich color.

Meanwhile, as your car sits in the hot sun, this heat draws moisture out of your leather fabric. This leads to the leather cracking and warping – this won’t happen in a single day or even a week, but long-term exposure of this sort will absolutely lead to dull, aged-looking leather that’s not only less appealing, but also lowers your vehicle value if you ever look to sell or trade-in.

How Window Tint Helps

Window tint, however, protects against both the risks we went over above. This protective film is virtually invisible, but darkens the windows and keeps UV rays at bay – in fact, it blocks upwards of 99% of all such rays, completely stopping them from fading your leather.

Window tint also blocks 50% or more of incoming heat, even when in the dead of the Utah desert summer. This reduces the drying-out effect of heat on leather.

Other Protection Methods

Now, because some level of heat is still able to make it in through a window tint, those who regularly park their vehicles outdoors during warmer months should take some extra precautions on top of tint:

  • Park in the shade whenever possible
  • Purchase quality car and/or seat covers for additional protection
  • If you drive a convertible, never park it in the sun with the top down
  • Use high-quality leather conditioner on your leather seats regularly, both for UV protection and other basic damage prevention – and increase frequency here during summer
  • Clean leather seats regularly

For more on how window tint helps you avoid leather damage in your vehicle, or to learn about any of our window tint, paint protection or other vehicle services, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah today.

Posted in Blogs, Window Tinting | No Comments »

Window Tint Care: Scratches and General Cleaning

Tuesday, January 12th, 2021

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some basics on how to care for vehicle windows you’ve recently tinted. Care of window tint is important for multiple reasons, from general aesthetics to ensuring you don’t void the vehicle warranty, and most of the involved areas here are very simple and easy to perform.

At Pro Tint Utah, we’re happy to offer a wide range of window tinting materials and solutions for a variety of vehicles. On top of our installation services, we also provide our clients with detailed expertise on how to care for and maintain their tint for years into the future, from immediate post-tint care to long-term areas they should keep an eye on. Here are a few other important variables when it comes to keeping your window tint and vehicle in great shape.

Temporary Issues

In the aftermath of your tint installation, you may notice a hazy look and perhaps some small water pockets forming underneath the film. You may be tempted to take action here, such as popping the pockets or assuming the installation was done poorly.

In reality, though, these are expected issues that are known to take place some of the time with window tinting – and they are not permanent. It’s common for them to happen within the first couple days after the film has been applied, generally due to excess water that’s made its way in between the glass and the film. Luckily, over a period of days, or perhaps a couple weeks depending on climate, this water will evaporate and the issues will disappear. Again, do not try to pop these bubbles or perform any other changes of your own.

Scratch-Resistant, Not Scratch-Proof

Unfortunately, there’s an assumption from some that once they’ve installed window tint, any area covered by tint film is completely invincible. This is based on the fact that most window tint is scratch-resistant.

Here’s the thing: Scratch-resistant does not mean scratch-proof. While your fingernail isn’t likely able to scratch your window tint, heavier items with hard and sharp edges absolutely can. One other item to be careful with as you open car doors: Your seatbelt, which could dent or scratch tint if the metal piece slams into the film.

Washing Tips

First and foremost, as we noted in part one, wait several days after window tint installation before washing the vehicle – or a week to be safe. For basic cleaning, all you’ll need is a light wipe with a paper towel or microfiber cloth. For more robust cleaning, we recommend purchasing products specifically meant for tinted windows, as others like Windex may damage it.

For more on how to care for your vehicle’s window tint, or to learn about any of our window tint, paint protection or other vehicle services, speak to the staff at Pro Tint Utah today.

Posted in Blogs, Window Tinting | No Comments »

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