What's The Deal With Rolling Down Tinted Windows?
Window tint for cars is very helpful, both in terms of privacy and in terms of sun protection. After tint is applied, you'll be told not to roll down your windows at all for a while -- not even a little. While the tint may seem like it is stuck to your windows quite well, rolling the windows down before the tint is ready can destroy the job.
Early Use Could Remove the Film
When the tint is first applied, it sticks to the glass pretty well, but the film can still be removed fairly easily at first. If you roll the window down even partway, the bottom edge of the tint film can be pushed up and crumpled. You don't want to expose the film to any friction that could pull it off or move it around. Once the film has been peeled off or pushed around, it can be very difficult to reposition the film. You could have to have the entire window redone.
Initial Drying Time Can Change
Depending on the film brand, you could have to wait one to two days before rolling down the window. This gives the film enough time to dry to a point where minor friction, such as when the window glass slides against the gasket at the bottom of the window, won't pull the film off the glass. If you really want to be sure that the film will stay in place, wait at least two days even if you're told one is sufficient. Try to avoid lowering the window at all for a few days if you really want to be sure that the film stays in place.
Window film can actually take up to a couple of weeks to fully dry, or cure. Leaving the car in the sun helps dry up any remaining moisture between the film and window. The worse the weather, the longer it will take. However, the film will eventually dry completely even when there's a lot of bad weather to contend with. It will simply take a bit longer.
By the time the film is dry, it should no longer seem hazy or have any water pockets in it. If you still see those after a couple of weeks, contact the people who installed the film. Window film should let moisture evaporate through the film, so if you still see water pockets, you may still have enough moisture between the film and glass to ruin the position of the film when you roll down the window. Note that a problem like this, assuming you took care of the windows as instructed, should be covered by a warranty from the installers.
Window film is incredibly helpful, so do what you can to care for the film properly. Place notes in the car if you have to remind yourself not to lower the window for a while. If you can get past that stage, you'll be able to enjoy that film for a long time.
Contact a service like Utah Window Tinting for more help.
