Q: Why should I choose Northeast Tint Co. to tint my windows?
A: The owner of Northeast Tint, Charlie G. Arakelian, has 15 years of tinting experience and is ranked 2nd best window tinter in the world 2005 by the International Window Film Association (www.iwfa.com). Six judges put Charlie’s skills to the test through an intense competition of cutting, splicing, seaming and cleanliness, and chose the best of the best (read more) selecting him over other world competitors.

Northeast Tint is a/an:
• Leader in the industry centrally located in Springfield, MA delivering professional, high quality service to the entire Northeast corridor.
• Trustworthy partner working with property management companies, glass companies, architecture firms, interior decorators, realtors, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) companies, builders and developers.
• Consumer of top quality, state of the art window film by SolarGard®, a leading manufacturer for over 30 years in more than 70 countries.
• Creditworthy business registered with Dunn & Bradstreet (D-U-N-S Number 146054452).
• Energy Star Partner® helping individuals and businesses protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.

Q: Does Northeast Tint provide residential or commercial window tinting services?
A: Yes, we provide both residential and commercial window tinting services. No job is too large! We have a full staff of trained professionals ready to service your window tinting needs.

Please feel free to browse our online galleries to view photos of past jobs and read our references to learn more about us.

Q: Who are your clients?
A: In addition to hundreds of satisfied homeowners, our commercial clients include: American Saw, Bath & Body Works®, Bed Bath & Beyond®, Cardinal Health, Cingular Wireless®, Colebrook Realty Services, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Dunkin’ Donuts®, Econo Lodge®, Franklin Pierce College, General Service Administration (GSA), Great Cuts, UTC-Hamilton-Sunstrand, Holiday Inn®, Hollywood Video®, Linens ’n Things®, Priscilla of Boston, Quizno’s Subs®, Staples®, Starbucks Coffee®, Sovereign Bank, Springfield College, Sun Healthcare Group, University of Massachusetts, AMA Laboratories, Anachemia Chemicals, Mid-Sun Group, CT Parent Magazine, Sprint Wireless, Butler Power Equipment, Gingerbread Daycare Inc., Highland Park Market, Higgum Mutual Insurance Co., Stone Insurance Co., Amica Insurance Co., Chevy-Dodge Music Center, Wachovia Bank, etc.

Q: What are the benefits of window tinting?
A: There are several practical and esthetic benefits to tinting your windows:

• Beautifies the exterior of homes, buildings and storefronts.
• Serves as a safety and security measure providing additional privacy to your home/business.
• Reduces your cooling and heating costs by approximately 15% monthly.
• Controls and reduces the sun’s glare and harmful effects.
• Preserves interior furnishings from damaging Ultraviolet (UV) light that causes fading.
• Affordable alternative to solar cooled glass which is very expensive.
• Maintains your view without compromise (drapes, curtains and blinds can stay open).

Q: How does tinting my windows reduce cooling costs?
A: Solar control window films significantly reduce the sun’s solar heat gain which results in reduced air conditioning costs, reduced HVAC equipment wear and tear/upkeep maintenance. During the hot summer months, tint reduces the heat entering the interior space and maintains a cool environment. This means you can lower your AC resulting in considerable cost savings.

Q: How does tinting my windows reduce heating costs?
A: During the cold winter months, tint greatly improves heat retention within a room’s interior. With energy costs escalating, retro-fitting window film to existing glass is a valuable investment for commercial and residential owners. Northeast Tint will consult with you to choose just the right film to fit your needs

Q: Will window film make the room appear darker?
A: Most films are hardly noticeable once installed. In fact, it will make the interior more comfortable and enjoyable. A daylight natural, neutral window film is the most popular choice preserving the integrity of your original glass. It reduces the harshness of bright light, while providing an “invisible shade” that will not distort your view to the outside world.

Q: Will it look like a mirror from the outside?
A: No, most people select a daylight natural, neutral window film that is a subtle non-reflective film that preserves the look of regular glass. There are many window film selections available that do give the look of a dull reflective mirror of solar cooled glass, such as Silver, Bronze or Gold window tint, that can enhance the architecture of some buildings and homes.

Q: Will tinting my windows reduce the fading of my interior furnishings?
A: Yes. All window films typically offer 99% UV light reduction resulting in significant fade protection for your draperies, furniture, carpeting, flooring, artwork, etc.

Let’s look at what cause fading. It is heat, visible light and UV A-B rays that do the most damage to your interior furnishings. Some additional causes of fading are caused by quality of dye fastness, humidity, interior lighting and wear & tear.

By applying a solar glass film that filters out 99% of the UV A-B rays, the solar heat and light that damages furnishings can be reduced up to 80%.

There is no way to completely stop fading, but by applying window film you can extend the life of your interior’s contents and increase the value of your home or building for many years to come.

Q: How much does tinting my windows cost?
A: The cost of tinting windows varies on each job depending on the estimated time for labor, scope of work entailed, the number of windows, materials and tax.

Northeast Tint is available for free estimates, call (800) 920-8468 or email sales@northeasttint.com. Set up an appointment today and ask for Charlie!

Q: Do window films come with a warranty?
A: Yes. For residential installations, most of our window film selections are backed by a lifetime, all-inclusive warranty from Northeast Tint that covers any type of defect with the film, i.e., lifting, chipping, bubbling, peeling, delaminating or fading of a window film’s original color. Most commercial installations carry a 5 or 10-year all-inclusive warranty with tax, labor and materials included.

We use only top-of-the-line window films that stand up to the most severe conditions year after year, so once it is installed it will continue to always look great and it requires little to no upkeep.

Q: Will the new tint on my windows harm my indoor plants?
A: It is fine for your plants and, in some instances, even better for your plants once your windows are tinted. Some plants begin to wilt by the end of the day from too much heat and light, so by reducing that harmful sun’s energy, plants will thrive. It is important to note that all your plants will have ample photosynthesis to grow; it just may take a few weeks for the plants to adjust to the lighting.

Q: Should I clean the windows before you apply the tint?
A: No, our trained professionals clean the interior surface of your glass with soap and water using razors and squeegees prior to applying the film to make sure the surface is as clean as possible.

Q: How do we clean the window film once it is applied?
A: Simple! Use a non-abrasive, non-ammonia based window cleaner. Dishwashing soap and water is best with a soft damp cloth, soft paper towel or a squeegee. If you have professional window cleaners, just make sure to tell them that the windows have been treated with window tint and not to use a razor blade.

Q: Can window film be removed if necessary?
A: Yes, it can be removed with soap, water and a razor blade.

Q: Can you tint skylights?
A: Yes, flat glass skylights are very popular to tint. The heat build-up that comes through skylights is a tremendous overload for AC units. It is recommended to apply a stronger shade of tint on skylights.

Q: Is window film safe for pets?
A: Yes, we order window films with a scratch resistant coating that will withstand the day-to-day traffic of house pets. There are no harmful chemicals emitted from the film while installation is in progress or after the job is completed.

Q: Is it safe to tint low E glass?
A: Yes, we tint low-E glass all the time. Even though the glass has a low Emissive coating on the glass, it is usually coated on the surface of the glass in between the airspace of the two inside panes of glass. This gives some heat loss reduction, but does little to reduce excessive heat or glare control. Plus, Low-E glass has no UV coatings to help reduce fading.

There is another low-E glass that is rare but has the coating on the interior facing glass. This type of low-E has been coated after the glass was manufactured by depositing multiple layers of metals and conductive coatings on the glass.

Check with your window manufacturer for specs on the glass or ask us to check for you.

If it has been coated from the interior side of the innermost pane of glass, there is a heat reduction of 25% to 50% already, and with window film applied, the heat reduction may increase to 60% to 100%.

Q: Can applying window tint cause seal failure or glass to break?
A: The answer is yes and no. It depends on factors such as age of the glass unit in question, the condition of the glass (visibly chipped, cracked or damaged), the compass orientation of the glass and the window film applied.

There are five types of stress which may cause glass breakage or seal failure:

• Thermal stress (absorption of solar radiation)
• Tensile stress (weight of the building and glazing unit)
• Mechanical stress (flexing from the wind)
• Impact stress (flying objects, storms, abuse)
• Twisting stress (settling of window frame or foundation)

Thermal stress is the only factor in glass breakage concerning the use of window films. There is a heat absorption ratio that is used to determine the type of glass that you have and the correct film to be applied to its inner surface.

Understanding the heat absorption ratio factor alone is one of the most important reasons for selecting Northeast Tint to recommend the correct window film to apply to your glazing units. There are many types of glazing systems on the market such as:

• Single pane glass
• Double pane glass
• Insulated glass
• Triple pane glass
• Low-E glass
• Clear glass thicker than ¼ of an inch
• Tinted glass thicker than ¼ of an inch
• Reflective glass
• Wired glass
• Textured glass
• Annealed glass
• Tempered glass
• Laminated glass
• Stained glass

For each type of glass there are film-to-glass table guidelines used by Northeast Tint in determining the correct film to be applied.