Automotive Warmth Insulation Movie vs. Curtains: Easy methods to Select

With the continuing intense warmth, automobile inside temperatures can soar. Many automobile house owners choose to put in curtains or apply warmth insulation movie (also referred to as window tint) to cut back cabin temperature. What are the professionals and cons of every choice? And the way do you have to select authorized and efficient warmth insulation movie given Hong Kong’s strict laws on window transparency? Kwiksure shares the important thing issues to remember when deciding on automotive warmth insulation movie.

Automotive Warmth Insulation Movie vs. Curtains

Each automotive warmth insulation movies and curtains are well-liked choices for cooling down a car. This is a comparability of their advantages and disadvantages:

	Automotive Warmth Insulation Movie	Curtains
Value	Greater	Cheaper
Look	Adheres on to the glass	Exterior accent
Operation	Strikes with window glass	Handbook operation
Warmth Insulation	Will depend on the kind of movie	Excessive degree of opacity
Flexibility	Irreversible as soon as eliminated	Might be eliminated and put in anytime
Sturdiness	5 – 10 years	2 – 3 years

Automotive Warmth Insulation Movie Transparency Necessities

Based on Hong Kong’s Highway Visitors Ordinance (Cap. 374) and the Transport Division’s laws, car home windows should meet particular transparency necessities. As of April 2023, the newest laws are as follows:

• All home windows (together with the windshield) will need to have a transparency of 70%, except in any other case specified.
• For automobiles with mirrors on either side, the rear facet home windows of personal automobiles, vehicles, special-purpose automobiles, and buses will need to have a transparency of 44%.
• Higher-deck home windows and windshields of double-decker buses should even have a transparency of 44%.

Development of Automotive Warmth Insulation Movie

What precisely is automotive warmth insulation movie, and the way does it hold the warmth out? Automotive warmth insulation movies (Warmth Discount Window Movies) are constituted of a number of layers of supplies, together with PET (polyester movie), steel reflective coatings, natural dye coatings, scratch-resistant layers, and adhesive coatings. These layers work collectively to dam, replicate, or take up photo voltaic warmth, infrared rays, UV rays, and glare, thereby lowering the cabin temperature of the car.

Easy methods to Select Automotive Warmth Insulation Movie

Whereas the features of warmth insulation movies are typically related, they arrive with varied specs corresponding to transparency, warmth rejection charge, and glare discount. Apart from noting these values, you also needs to test if the movie accommodates steel layers, as steel layers can block digital alerts, affecting units like HKeToll, cell phones, or in-car navigation methods. All the time seek the advice of with the store earlier than set up.

Warmth Discount Window Movie Index
Complete Photo voltaic Vitality Rejection (TSER)	Decrease values point out increased transparency. Superior movies might not require darkish tint for efficient insulation; select movies that adjust to authorized transparency necessities.
Seen Gentle Transmittance (VLT)	Greater values imply higher UV safety, which helps defend pores and skin and stop inside plastic elements from ageing.
Ultraviolet Rejection (UV Blocking)	Greater values imply higher UV safety, which helps defend pores and skin and stop inside plastic elements from ageing.
Infrared Rejection	Greater values point out higher warmth discount. Infrared rays are a significant supply of photo voltaic warmth.
Inside Reflection	Greater reflection ranges may cause extra picture reflection on the glass, affecting visibility.
Glare Discount	Decrease values point out higher glare discount, useful for nighttime driving.
Influence Safety	Helps cut back glass shattering and works equally as security glass.

Value of Warmth Insulation Movie

Varied manufacturers provide completely different warmth insulation movies, and costs range primarily based on supplies and set up strategies. Listed below are the approximate prices for various manufacturers (for a four-door automobile, in Hong Kong {dollars}):

Upkeep of Warmth Insulation Movie

Since warmth insulation movie doesn’t adhere completely to the glass edges, frequent cleansing might let moisture and air into the movie, inflicting bubbles and lowering effectiveness. Clear with water and a towel gently. Additionally, if planning to steam-clean the inside, inform the service supplier in regards to the put in movie to keep away from injury.

Transport Division Exemption Utility Process

After making use of warmth insulation movie, you will need to apply for an exemption from the Transport Division to make sure compliance. With out this exemption, even when the glass meets transparency necessities, it could nonetheless be deemed non-compliant throughout car inspection. The exemption includes the next steps:

1. Fill out the “Car Exemption Utility Type.”
2. Submit the shape together with a duplicate of the car registration doc to the Transport Division Car Kind Approval Unit, 1/F, Complete Car Inspection Constructing, 18 Sai Tso Wan Highway, Tsing Yi, New Territories.
3. The Transport Division will ship a reply letter in about 2-3 weeks.
4. Name to schedule an appointment to carry the car to the inspection heart for an inspection (no inspection payment required).
5. After passing the inspection, you’ll obtain the exemption. Hold it within the automobile for proof throughout checks.

Supply: Transport Division