Window Tint Percentage: Factors in Making Your Choice
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.