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Does Car Window Tint Fade Over Time?
You must have seen a lot of vehicles with faded window tint on the road every day. If you wonder, does window tint fade rapidly and so quickly, then the answer is indefinite. The window tint would not last forever. Just like everything else, they also have a lifetime which might be relatively long or short. But still, the lifespan of window tint would depend on the type of window tint, the quality of the work, and the way you take care of it. Let’s elaborate on this statement and learn how does car window tint fade over time.
What Causes Faded Window Tint?
The product type and quality have an impact on the lifespan of the window tint. Color fading of low-quality tint films might occur within few months of installation, while films of higher quality would last even up to ten or twenty years. If there is no UV ray blocking polyester, then the film would depreciate faster. If there is a UV blocking mechanism, then the low range tints such as dyed tint and metalized tints would also have a better lifespan.
The climatic conditions would also determine how long the window tint would last long without fading. If you live in a Northern state where the climate is cooler, then the film would have a lesser impact. If the climate is warmer, humid, and tropical, then the window tint would fade soon. Parking the vehicle in good conditions or a garage can minimize the negative impacts of the climate.
The amount of direct sunlight hitting on the vehicle and the time period of exposure also impacts the lifetime of the window tints. If your car is often exposed to the sun on a daily basis, then the rate of fading of the films will increase.
What Causes the Purple Color in Faded Window Tint?
The discoloration of window films occurs due to inferior manufacturing procedures. This would mainly occur in the regular dyed tint films. The basic idea of experts is that green and yellow dyes are comparably weaker and would get damaged and faded due to direct sunlight sooner. The red and blue dyes, which are thought to be stronger, would last longer on the colored film. Thus, the combination of this red and blue would create a purple shade on the faded window tint. If the dyed tint is weaker, then this color combination would be broken down easily and faded quickly. In order to avoid this, always try to purchase better quality products.
Formation of Discolored Patches
In addition to purpling of the faded tint, losing the original color of the window tint might also cause the occurrence of dark and light patches on the surface. These discolored patches would grow all over the window tint as an indication of wearing off of the window film. Therefore, if you see any such color change in your car windows, it is recommended to consider this as the depreciation of the tint and replace the film in order to safeguard your health.
If your window tint is quite old and you start to feel that the temperature inside has risen more than the earlier times, then this might also be an indication that your car window tint has started to age and wear out. You need to pay attention to this, just as you care for a faded and discolored film of tint.
Taking proper care of your window tints would reduce the process of wearing off and fading. You can find more tips on this in Window Tinting Aftercare.
How Long Does Window Tint Last?
In brief, the time taken for a window tint to fade would depend on the type, quality, and installation method. Low-quality window tints would start to fade away within a few days or weeks of exposure to direct sunlight. The more durable types such as carbon and ceramic tints would go without for beyond five or ten years. High-quality tint with professional installation would last beyond ten or twenty years with proper care and maintenance.
The window tint films are usually backed by a warranty of three years to more. Thus, a better lifespan is evident. Manufacture defects such as failure in the adhesive layer, cracking of film, or delamination would be covered by this warranty. You would need a professionally skilled technician to install the film, as installation faults are not covered by any warranty.
How to Secure Long Life of Window Tint?
In order to slow down the process of fading, daily routines of maintenance such as cleaning and dusting the films are essential. The addition of UV inhibitors in polyesters also helps to secure the window tint from fading. The window films that consist of advanced dyes now tend to have long-lasting colors that would remain longer than the normal ones. If you can go for such a variety, then it would be the best choice. Refer UV Blocking Window Film.
Getting a window film with a warranty of a considerable time period would guarantee the average time span. You can always expect a longer lifespan from the best quality window films. For this, refer to the article on Types of Window Tints and Regular vs Ceramic Window Tint.
Should You Replace the Faded Window Tint?
Just like any other worn-off part of your vehicle, the window film would also need to be replaced as it gets faded and inefficient over time. The procedure would not be much difficult, and you would first have to remove the old tint. If you want to know how to do this, refer to the article on How to Remove Window Tint.
After proper removal of tint, you need to identify the process of window tinting. For more on this, it is recommended to read How to Tint Car Windows.
If you keep on using the faded window tint without replacement and renewal, you would be most likely to face health and safety issues. Refer to the chapter Why You Should Care About Reducing Interior Heat in the article Regular vs Ceramic Window Tint.
