Maybe you’ve considered installing your own window film, and you found some on Facebook marketplace or eBay. That’s all well and good, but did you consider the down side to buying and then installing that cheap film yourself? There are a few reasons, but here are the top five. We’ve written about all the reasons window film is not a DIY project, but we thought this adjacent post was a good idea.

You’ll void the warranty (if there even is one!)

Many of the major window film manufacturers will provide a warranty, but the window film needs to be correctly installed. And by that, we don’t mean by your brother-in-law who has a few extra hours on the weekend! We are professionals here and have installed window film at many homes and businesses. The cheaper film probably doesn’t come with a warranty, so there’s that, too.

Install failure and inferior adhesives

Even with the best intentions, sometimes things happen. Ladders slip, people fall down, and window film can be destroyed. And occasionally, all three of those things can happen at the same time! Not to scare you, but it’s safer to let a pro handle your installation, especially on larger windows or in tricky situations. Cheaper window film often has inferior adhesives, so that makes installation even more difficult.

Bubbles and creases

Installing window film can be tricky. For instance, you can get bubbles and creases if you’re not careful. If you don’t know how to install film and remove the bubbles, your film could look really bad. And as we’ve said before, the best film installations are when you don’t even know it’s there. With cheap film, bubbles and creases are more likely.

Poor heat or UV protection

With high-quality window film, you’re protected against UV radiation (depending upon the film you choose). But if you choose cheap film, you never know what could happen! Maybe the film won’t protect you even if their marketing promises that it will. Not only that, but promises of heat protection probably won’t happen, either.

It’s ugly

Do you care about how your window film looks? If so, avoiding the cheap stuff is highly recommended. When your family and friends come for a visit, do you want them to make the face they make when they eat something they don’t like? NOOO! And that’s a pretty good reason to avoid the cheap stuff.

We can answer your questions!

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you have already decided what you want and need us to install some window film. Otherwise, give us a call and we can give you advice on choosing the best window film for your building. We’d love to help you choose! We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the San Mateo Peninsula and Marin–and have expanded into southern California (Costa Mesa) and Scottsdale, Arizona, too! Give us a call at our San Francisco location at 415.623.8700.