Review on BDF NC20 Window Film - High Performance Heat Control Nichrome 20, Medium Dark (36in X 7ft) by Kristen Campbell

Update 3/2017: The bubbles eventually disappeared, but I didn't know when. So no more rain. Still, I wouldn't recommend it unless you can live with a rainy window for at least a couple of weeks. A week has passed but there are still tiny bubbles under the foil. In comparison, another popular brand has even large blisters that disappear within a day or two. The first foils of this brand that I glued many years ago are still holding up well and have no bubbles! I took the scraps of foil from back then from the garage and recently taped the windows and they're just as great as they were years ago - no blisters. This old film and the new film I brought were taped to the windows on the same side of the house. This is a side-by-side comparison, although the bay windows are not exactly parallel. I'm pretty sure the blisters aren't due to my poor skills. Popping bubbles with the included tools is pretty easy. They all look bubble free after installation. But soon tiny bubbles appear that spread throughout the evening. And they won't go. No other brand has that. More bubbles due to poor craftsmanship disappear for another brand. I've also used a variety of soap solutions - proprietary working solution, diluted organic liquid soap from Castile, clear eco-friendly dishwashing detergent (not dishwasher safe). I chose this brand because my HOC doesn't allow reflective foils. (I dispute this because solar roofs are now allowed.) Another popular brand only has a static-adhesive version, which is usually thicker and not as see-through as the thinner sticky versions. So if you want to apply window film to your home or car, anti-static glue is not that difficult. For static, you can remove it and reapply if something goes wrong. However, static is usually thicker and less defined. So the choice is cool if the view is important - driver's side window, window with a view. You can also easily remove the adhesive film with any suitable steaming device (turning water into steam), but the film cannot be reused. Tint Some heat reducing films that claim to maintain appearance have a bronze tint. It's not bad at all, but the blue sky doesn't seem so blue anymore. Most films have an anti-reflective coating and everything looks a lot better in the sunlight except for the sky. My favorite is reflective privacy screens with a slight bluish tint that enhances the color of the sky. This BDF is almost neutral, so blue skies don't look that good. Anti-glare, reflective, privacy, heat control. The same applies to transparent types! Films work by, for example, blocking 80% of the light that passes through them. Therefore, the area under sunlight becomes much cooler. And since 80% of light is reflected, during the day the reflection from the outside is much stronger than what you see inside. The thermal insulation properties of plastic films are much better than glass, but they are too thin to make a difference. Unfortunately only manufacturers list VLT (Visible Light Transmission) on car wraps so you can see what is legal in your state. It's a bit tricky to match VLTs inside houses. blisters. I can assure you that bubble free installation is not difficult at all. So don't settle for marks that bubble after applying the film.* Steps for rectangular windows1. Cut out the outline of the film. I would line up the top of the window frame with the straight edge of the film. For the other three sides, leave a 1/4" to 1" border to cover window frames that aren't exactly "square".2. Cleaning the window Cleaning the outside also helps to spot dirt, but not necessarily on tall windows. One of the best limescale and water spot removers is Bartender's Friend in liquid form. The acid is strong for organic species and is present in very low concentrations in plants. But you must not allow it to be absorbed through the skin for reuse. The potassium salt of the acid is insoluble in water. Rinse off the acid or wipe with a damp cloth. Clean with soapy water. I've tried Castilian liquid soap and clear dish soap (hand wash), both work well. Cut off excess sealant. Scrape off any residue stuck to the glass. Wipe the glass with a mop and you'll understand how clean it is.3 Remove the foil. I would use a flat, clean surface like a vinyl floor. Peel off the corner by separating the foil layer and the protective layer with the two-tape method. Masking tapes are good. Spray the soapy solution on the corner to prevent the two surfaces from sticking together. Apply a soapy solution to the film layer and lay the sheet flat with the film layer on a flat surface. Spray the soapy solution over the entire protective layer. Start removing the protective layer from the top by spraying the soapy solution between the two layers. 4 Wet the window glass with soapy water. Also make sure that there is enough soap solution left on the adhesive side of the film. sanded or flat surface with the sticky side up and plenty of soapy water. You just have to pick it up and go to the window very slowly. When the film comes into contact with the adhesive side, it reaches the end of its useful life. So you can handle very large films with just a few hands. But you might want to put some weight on the non-stick side of the bottom edge. Choose a windless day if you're doing it outside in a car. Align the top edge of the window with the corresponding edge of the cut film. Attach the film to the glass using the tool provided, not the rubber edge provided for glass cleaning. Any hard plastic edge will do. First, make a capital letter T. That is, using a squeegee, the top edge of the film, and then from top to bottom, starting from the middle. Then scrape off the rest of the foil to avoid creating large bubbles. If the film is undemanding, there may be slight corners and edges. 6 Cut off excess film After enough scrapers, the film can no longer slide on the glass. To cut off excess film, run the squeegee all the way to the edge of the window and apply light pressure until the film is almost curled around the edge. Insert a cutting tool between the window frame and the edge of the squeegee and cut using the edge of the window frame as a ruler. Repeat the same for the other two sides.* Window with curves. You can use the same method as with rectangular windows if you can find a straight edge to align with. But it's easier to make a stencil out of thick paper.1. Cut out a few pieces of paper covering all the edges of the window.2. Tape each sheet of paper to the window with masking tape. Make small holes in the paper to allow the tape to stick to the glass.3. Use your fingernail to trace the edge of the window.4. Repeat for the other sheet of paper, covering the other part of the edges. Glue paper to other papers that are already there.5. If the window glass is not completely covered with paper, add another sheet of paper and stick it on top of the paper already there.6. Using the window frame as a guide, cut out the template with tool 7. Remove the template 8. Place the paper template on the foil and cut along the contour.9. Attach the film to the glass using the same procedure as for the rectangular window above.10. Simply slide the foil into position and use the squeegee. You can use thick paper and the like. Butcher paper is cheap. The paper must be strong enough to hold all of the tape together and hold its shape. The paper should be soft enough so that the outlines can be seen clearly when you run your fingernail along the edge of the window. The paper should cut easily on the glass using the window frame as a guide. You must watch the video in one take to appreciate it. The easiest way is to first make a template out of thick paper (or colored paper, etc.). I don't leave top margins for scrollable windows. Nobody will see if the windows are up lol. I leave no margins on the sides. If everything is done correctly, there will be no visible gap. I leave a small border at the bottom to avoid damage from daily window scrolling. Hold on first. So I have to align 3 pages and it won't be hard at all. After the squeegee, I press the edge of the film against the underside of the window with my fingernails and a small flathead screwdriver. There are no cuts at all. The alternative is to leave enough margins on all sides. Simply cut the film on the window after the squeegee and tuck the excess into the window frame. It's not easy to add excess to the sides and open the window a little to crop the top edge.