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Annealed Glass – (Also called Standard, Float, or Clear Glass) A softer glass that has been thermally treated and then slowly cooled to relieve any internal stresses. Annealed glass tends to break into longer, jagged shards which can be a safety hazard.

Ceramic Tint – Non-conductive, color-stable, non-corroding metal component that gets deposited onto a polyester window film to increase the film’s performance and heat rejection qualities.

Clear Glass – Type of annealed glass which offers extreme transparency and clarity.

Dual Reflective – Type of window film that produces an exterior surface more reflective than the interior surface. From the outside looking in, the look is similar to a mirror. From the inside looking out, your view isn’t hindered by the tint qualities.

Dyed Film – Dye-based window tint product. The dye absorbs the sun’s heat. It is produced in various shades. In most of these products, the darker the film, the more heat is absorbed and reduced.

Electrochromics (EC) – materials that are able to change their optical properties, reversibly and persistently, by the application of an electrical voltage. In smart windows, thin films of tungsten oxide and nickel oxide are typically used for tint in solar control or privacy.

Electrochromism – a process in which a material displays changes in color or opacity in response to an electrical stimulus. In this way, a smart window made of electrochromic material can block specific wavelengths of ultraviolet, visible, or infrared light.

Frosted Glass – Type of translucent annealed glass, made by the process of sandblasting or acid etching. It has a pitted, rough surface gives it a distorted, foggy appearance.

IR – Infrared – Electromagnetic radiation with longer wavelengths than those of visible light, and is therefore generally invisible to the human eye. It is sometimes called infrared light. To sum it up, we cannot see it with our eyes but we can feel it. It’s basically heat!

IRR – Infrared Rejection – The total infrared light (IR) rejected.

Laminated Safety Glass – Made by adhering two pieces of annealed glass together by a layer of vinyl or plastic. This vinyl or plastic layer holds the glass together if the glass is broken or impaled.

Light to Solar Heat Gain Ratio (LSG) – Ratio of the visible light transmittance (VLT) and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of a glass. This ratio is the measurement used to determine whether the glazing is spectrally selective. A ratio greater than 1 signifies that the daylight passing through the glass is more than the sun’s direct heat passing through it.

MIL – Unit of measurement to describe thickness, equal to one thousandth of an inch (.001”). Basically, to know how thick or thin a film/tint is, you will need to refer to Mil. 1 MIL = 25 micron. There are many options in the market, ranging from 2mil all the way to 14mil and more.

Nano Ceramic Tint – Smaller particles than ceramic tint, allowing better visibility through the film. Nano Ceramics make the window film less reflective and gives the film better IR rejection.

PLY – Ply is used to display the number of separate layers of polyester film that are used in the manufacturing process to make a particular window film product. Example: A 1-ply product would consist of one single layer of polyester film where a 3-ply product would be made with three separate layers of various types of polyester film.

Smart Windows (AKA Smart Glass or Dynamic Glass) – typically referring to electrochromic materials within the glass, able to change optical properties by the application of an electrical voltage.

Spectrally Selective – Type of window film that improves the performance of the glass without the expense of full window replacement. It reduces the sun’s UV light and is an affordable solution without the complications and expense of full window replacement.

Tempered Glass – (Also called Toughened Glass) Manufactured through a process of extreme heating and rapid cooling, it is much harder and stronger than standard annealed glass.

Tinted Glass – Type of annealed glass that has a coating or a film that imparts its color and reduces light transmission properties, including UV radiation.

TSER – Total Solar Energy Rejected – The percentage of the total solar energy that is rejected. TSER includes all three: visible light, infrared and ultraviolet. The higher the percentage, the higher the percentage of solar energy deflected. Most window film/tinting shops use Infrared Rejection (IRR) as a guide to the level of heat rejection but IRR only covers 1/3 of TSER. Internationally, TSER is used as a guide as it is a more accurate way of measuring heat rejection as it includes all three (visible light, infrared and ultraviolet).

UV – Ultraviolet – Electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength from 10 nm to 400 nm. UV radiation is present in sunlight and this is what causes the most damage to our eyes and skin. UV radiation can also damage furnishings and furniture, causing fading over time.

UVR – Ultraviolet Rejection – The percentage of UV that is rejected. In the window film market nowadays, it can go as high as 99%. This is important and one of the main point that everyone needs to look for while purchasing window films/tints.

VLT – Visible Light Transmitted – The ratio of visible solar energy (380 – 750nm) that passes through the glazing system. VLT value is the percentage of visible light the film/tint allows through from the exterior of a vehicle, building or home to the interior. Based on your preference, this determines how much light you want to enter.

The lower the VLT percentage, the darker the tint and the more outside light it blocks. For example, a window film/tint that has a VLT value of 5% indicates that the window film only permits 5% of the exterior light to pass through and enter while a film with a 50% VLT value allows 50% of the light from outside to pass through.