Questions about tinting

[acousticbiker]

I plan on tinting my Prius and had a few questions:

1. I remember someone posted the tint level that the factory windows have (and specifically also the lower rear window tint, as it is heavier). But I could not find the info by searching. Anyone know offhand?

2. Clarification on terminology: does a 30% tint mean that 30% of light is allowed through or that it blocks 30% of light?

3. Anyone know of a good installer in the Denver area?

[Rancid13]

I don't know about all of the Prius windows being factory tinted but I do know that they have a special kind of treated glass. According to the Toyota website, the windows are made of "High Solar Energy-Absorbing (HSEA) glass". I had noticed (prior to getting my windows tinted) that when viewed thru the window, the interior of my car (light beige) looked almost gray, so there must be a teeny tiny amount of tint already there.

The lower rear window in the hatch is definitely tinted. The detailer I went to for my tint job guesstimated that it was about a 30% tint. I had my rear windows tinted at 20% and the front 2 at 30%, nothing on the windshield.

The lower the % level of tint used means that less light is able to come in thru the window. The higher % level tint allow more light in, and are thus lighter in shade to the lower % level tint.

Here's a little blurb from www.tintcenter.com about tinting and how much light is let in:

"Once tinting film is applied to a window, the characteristics of how visible light comes into the car changes. Normal auto glass without tint reflects around 5% of visible light (known as VLR%), absorbs another 5% (known as VLA%), and transmits 90% of visible light (known as VLT%) into the car.

Depending on the type and quality of tinting film applied to a window, these percentages change dramatically. Some tint are more reflective, and others absorb more light. The number you will most commonly see is the VLT% (Visible Light Transmittance). Almost all the official names of films include the VLT% within it like Johnson Executive PBC30 or Madico Charcool CH-55. VLT% tells you how much visible light is allowed to shine into the car, and also indirectly how dark the tint looks.

Tinting film doesn't just block visible light. It also blocks harmful cancer-causing ultra-violet (UV-A and UV- rays as well as infra-red (IR) rays that cause heat to build up in your car; however, how effective a film is in blocking these rays depends on the type of film, the manufacturer, and the quality of installation."