Home Window Film Case Study from Happy Customers

Today we have a home window film case study to share. Sheri, a recent Concord Window Film customer sent us some amazing before and after photos and a very detailed and thoughtful five star review of our ComforTech Ceramic Series 15 film. We thought it would make a great home window film case study for folks thinking about tint and Sheri was gracious enough to allow us to publish the photos and review.

The text below comes straight unaltered from the customer – links were added for convenience by us.

Home Window Film Case Study

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We live in a harsh desert climate with over 300 days of sunshine a year, and the temperature hovers over 100 F the entire summer. Given the rugged local conditions and the exposed surfaces at our entryways, we were eager to enhance UV and privacy control on two glass-paneled doors in our home. We initially considered mounting shades to the front door and sidelight, but there were a variety of issues that made that difficult (the raised frames around the door’s four glass panels, the overlap of the handle and glass, the inconvenience of manual units and/or expense of automated, and the “all or nothing” view). After deciding film would be a better choice, we searched online but encountered products that were flimsy, too mirrored or dark, or lacking in privacy.

When we landed on Concord’s website, Kristen offered immediate support, providing candid answers to a range of questions about our specific applications (use on tempered glass, strange shade/sun ratios from our house’s architecture, desert temperature differentials, night visibility, etc.). We then purchased the sample kit and moved into the prep phase, addressing the following:

• We were wavering between ComforTech 15 and 25 and wondered if 15 might look too dark during the day or too mirror-reversed at night. The pieces in the sample kit gave us an excellent feel for the product. We taped the 15 and 25 to our front-door glass for almost three days, to study the pieces in real-time conditions, including cloudy weather and sunset glare. (One tip here: the samples look good when taped to the surface, but the film looks its best once it’s installed, with truest clarity when fully flat against the glass.)
• Since privacy was a main goal, we opted for 15 despite our original concerns. We’re so glad we did — in both our spaces, it provides perfect visibility both day and night.
• We ordered all our pieces precut, and they arrived inside sturdy packaging, with the installation kit in a separate box. They flattened out easily when placed atop our kitchen island, and after trimming the width lightly, we were ready to roll. Purchasing precut isn’t essential, but it just makes life easier if you’re a first-time installer.
• We watched the installation video multiple times, which was a significant help, and we fully agree with other reviewers who note that fitting the films as a DYI project is easily achievable for most homeowners. (We worried about our novice skills, but the film is robust and simple to cut, resisting tears, shreds, and wrinkles/dents. We’ve all seen those memes comparing “look how easy it is” perfection to ragged reality, and it was definitely not a problem here…what you see online is what you get in real life.)
• The Concord installation kit makes the process much easier — highly recommend it.
• Our project presented three distinct challenges: 1. the raised frames around our front-door panels required a bit of finesse at the corners; 2. the sidelight next to the front door is long and narrow, so we needed a ladder and a bit of flexibility; 3. the manufacturer of our back door had left some glue along the glass panel’s edges, some of which would not scrape off in entirety. The solution to all of that was simply to follow Concord’s instructions as precisely as possible, use the Concord installation kit, and have a second person available during the fitting and trimming. (It’s not a necessity to have someone assist, but it’s easier to tackle “tricky” edges if one person operates the X-acto blade and the other trims off the dangling strips.)

The film went up smoothly, occasional small bubbles vanished exactly as Concord’s video stated, and the whole process was easier than we’d imagined — we even took a little pride that our “first timer” attempt could look so professional.

But then came the BIG question…how would ComforTech 15 actually perform, day and night?

We’re 100% satisfied with the results. By day, the ComforTech 15 cuts glare dramatically and gives a mildly shaded appearance — light gray, not a “dark sunglasses” look — and we now have the substantial added privacy we desperately needed. We can see out the door glass fully, but from the street and walkway and even near the door, there’s enough mirroring to keep others from peering directly in.

Our nighttime results are just as amazing. We leave our interior lights relatively dim in the evening, and before adding the film, we kept our porchlight at 50% output, since it shined so intensely through the front door. Now, with the glare-dampening film in place, we’ve been able to change the porchlight to 80% brightness. As a result, the light out on the porch is greater than the light immediately inside the door, which has allowed us to achieve a fantastic amount of nighttime privacy.

It’s far surpassed our expectations, and we greatly appreciate having clear views at night, to look for packages and check for wildlife on the porch before opening the door, with no “reverse mirroring / can’t see out” issues in the slightest. (So the tip here: nighttime privacy can be maximized by adjusting the indoor/outdoor light ratio.)

A final thought is what a value this product is. Shades would’ve been ridiculously expensive and not nearly as impressive in form or function. With the samples, the installation kit, the pieces themselves, and shipping, we covered two doors and a sidelight for a fraction of the cost of a single shade. (I’m the frugal one in the family and also the shopper of the house, so price point always makes a difference to me.)

We’re THRILLED with the outstanding ambiance, privacy, and glare control ComforTech 15 offers. It’s truly a commercial-grade DIY product that will wow you with its ease of installation and its exceptionally professional performance. The quality just shines here — and, hooray, the glare does not!

Home Window Film Case Study Summary

We hope you found this unsolicited review/case study helpful! Our ComforTech Ceramic Series Window Film is a professional grade film that is ideal for home installation. The robust 2MIL thickness and dry adhesive make it easy to install. Our neutral charcoal gray color is aesthetically pleasing. And the dual reflective feature of the film allows you to see out of the house at night and not look at your reflection.