Frequently Asked Questions

It is a USA-made, high-tech polycarbonate film that is applied to your existing glass, which armors it from breach by impact by either hurricane-force winds or human intrusion. Flying glass injuries thousands every year, and it also kills. We sell it because the same film was chosen for installation on all federal buildings in DC, etc. after 9/11 (for explosion protection). Window breaks lead to roof uplift as the winds enter and look for a way out. That leads to structural failure in storms, and burglar break-ins. Armor Glass upgrades a material – glass – that has not evolved in 5,000 years, until now. More details in the Free EBook “Houses of Straw.

Yes. In fact, we need to inspect each building to determine what kind of glass you have in order to give you a valid quote. We provide this at no charge or obligation. It gives you a chance to also see the film choices against your own windows. Our rep will then measure the windows and run the numbers through an Excel program to determine the exact cost, which are then emailed to you.

Armor Glass typically goes on the inside of the glass, so it is out of the weather and is also providing a polycarbonate (plastic) barrier between those on the inside of the building and the broken glass. There are some occasions where it has to be applied on the outside of a particular window. For example, sometimes a bath window was installed with the rough side on the inside. We need to apply it to the smooth side. We have done some schools which wanted the film applied to both sides of the glass to prevent glass injuries and to impede a shooter or intruder. But normally it is applied only on the inside of the glass.

Yes definitely. The minimum film thickness that passes the ASTM 1886/1996 Large Missile Impact test (4.5 lb. Level C) is 8 mil. Buying a film thinner than that is cheaper but none pass that test. We highly recommend not applying any film that is a minimum of 8 mil thick. We can apply thicker films, but then you are paying more for films that also pass the same test.

It goes on like solar film, using just baby shampoo and water – nothing toxic. Some companies use a potentially harmful nano-tech spray which is applied to the glass. If it is going on your glass then fine particles like that can get into a person’s lungs, like the silicia dust that miners got that led to “black lung.” Armor Glass® uses a green installation process that uses nothing toxic. We recycle our waste material.

Yes. If you have tempered glass windows such as glass doors, in addition to Armor Glass® security film we also add a frame bonding that looks like caulk but it acts as a cement anchor to bond the film to the frame. Plate glass doesn’t need bonding –just film has kept burglars from breaking into their homes. But tempered glass is like your car windows, when it breaks it becomes tiny pieces that will detach from the frame unless a Dow 995-type attachment is used. We prefer the GE Silpruf since it comes in more colors to match different frame colors. And it has almost zero volatiles in the drying process compared to the Dow product. It takes about 10 days for it to fully cure.

Yes, it comes in CLEAR, which is invisible when it is on the glass and in various tints to cut more solar heat and save more energy. Our reps will show you the choices.

The International Window Film Association has established a uniform set of standards on window film installations. We strive to beat those standards.

Armor Glass crews are handpicked the best of the best. Clients often tell us how professional our crews are. While bubbles can occur in the process, they WILL bake out via evaporation though the film. This process can take 30 days or longer depending on weather conditions. It’s rare for our crew to have a bubble noticeable at the Window film standards, looking at the window from a distance of six feet (not six inches).

For residential applications, it is a lifetime warranty by the manufacturer (for as long as you own your home). For commercial purposes, it is 12 years.