Tint Atlanta’s Safety and Security Films comprise a special class of window film products. What distinguish them as a group are both their physical properties and the uses to which they are put. Functionally, they provide a stronger physical barrier that is more firmly bonded to the glass surface (generally speaking) than conventional solar control or decorative films. While solar control & decorative elements can be, and often are, added to safety and security films, it is their physical properties (such as their peel, tensile, puncture, and break strength) that allow them serve a variety of safety and other protective uses. These functions, discussed below, can be grouped into seven major categories, with corresponding unique market avenues.
Spontaneous Glass Breakage
There is growing awareness that tempered glass windows are often subject to sudden, random, catastrophic failure, for no readily apparent reason. We now understand that surface contaminants (nickel sulfide inclusions, for example) embedded in the glass during manufacturing can cause this explosive failure months or years later. Such failure in homes and commercial buildings can cause a sudden opening in the building, exposing its contents to the elements, with wind and rain causing far more damage than the simple cost of replacing a window pane. Certain films are an ideal remedy to maintain the weather seal of the building and retain the massive rain of glass pellets that instantly falls from tempered glass breakage.
Personal Safety
Most types of glass, when broken from any cause, particularly from human impact, produce sharp, ragged shards that are extremely dangerous to people. Even tempered glass in auto accidents can produce showers of small glass pellets that can cause serious injury to passengers. To meet the requirements for personal safety specified in various building codes, certain films, in many jurisdictions, serve to upgrade existing glazing to meet safety standards.
Earthquake
In many parts of the world, earthquake activity is an ever-present fact of life. Ground motion during seismic activity causes building movement, which in turn causes glass breakage and glass fall-out, endangering people below, and again exposing a building’s contents to weather damage and theft during looting sprees. Safety and security films have proven their worth in protecting people and property during seismic activity.
Graffiti
Many cities in the world are experiencing the growing problem of vandals “tagging” glass and other surfaces in public places using mechanical etching tools, acid, and paint. Specially designed films, nearly invisible once installed, provide a removable, sacrificial surface that can cost-effectively reduce or eliminate the need for glass replacement. Often, certain non-glass surfaces can be protected in this manner was well.
Blast Hazard
No one needs to be reminded that explosions, whether motivated by terrorist agendas or caused by industrial accidents, generally cause lethal damage to life and expensive damage to property from the massive sprays of shattered glass, and often at great distances from the blast itself. Flying glass is often the single greatest source of injury and death in such explosions. But what everyone needs to know is that selected safety and security films perform astonishingly well to contain the spray of shards, and with certain installation techniques can hold the pane entirely within its frame.
Windborne Debris
With urban density increasing in storm-prone areas of the world, damage to property from wind-borne debris is a growing concern. Whether hurricanes are increasing in frequency and severity is matter for the Weather Service to decide, but it is clear that safety and security films have much to offer to mitigate the damage from wind-borne debris. By helping to prevent windows from shattering, they can help maintain the weather seal of the building that would otherwise open structures to damaging water and high winds. Roofs are less likely to be lifted away, and entire buildings can be more frequently saved.
Forced Entry
While little can be done to thwart a determined and well-equipped thief, much can be done reduce the likelihood of successful forced-entry attempts in homes, businesses, and cars. The most likely entry point for illegal intrusion is the building or car’s weakest barrier: the windows. Various security films, with simple perimeter attachment systems or special installation methods, are extremely effective at slowing down the intruder to the point where he simply decides to go elsewhere before the police arrive.