Window security film is not the same thing as regular solar window film, in terms to its main purpose. Although both will protect you from the rays of the sun, your security film’s principal purpose is to prevent fragments of flying glass from wounding your family members if your window gets shattered.
What are the reasons why your window would break? Well, there could be many instances such as burglars, thieves, accidents, seismic events, hurricanes, and bombs to name a few. The film encapsulates the broken glass so that it won’t shatter into smaller pieces that could fly, pierce and eventually cause harmful damage to those in the room.
Security film is much thicker at 4 to 14 mm compared to that of regular solar control film which has about a 2mm thickness. In addition, solar film is only applied to the part of the window that is visible. Therefore, between the two, security film offers the best type of protection, from the sun and from burglars.
Security films are applied or installed on your window through the process called “anchoring”. There are actually two ways of anchoring your film onto your window. The first one is known as “wet-glazed installation” and the second type is “mechanical installation”. Wet-glazed installation requires the removal of the rubber around your window from the gasket. The rubber is then replaced with a structural silicon sealant. This silicon sealant fills the space between your window and its frame. Mechanical installation, on the other hand, requires the overlapping of the film around the edges of your window. Afterwards, it requires the securing of the film with bolts to an internal frame. It doesn’t matter what method you eventually choose because both guarantees a secure window.
An attachment system is another method of increasing the performance of your window film. It is installed to fix the filmed glass to your window frame. What is the purpose of an attachment system? Simple, it prevents the entire unit of your window from dislodgment and it prevents it from flying into your home’s interior during a blast or from any form of breakage.
The attachment method can be used with either a mechanical system or a chemical sealant system. The purpose of which is to “attach” the film to the window frame after the installation of the film. This process holds the sheet of film with the attached glass fragments in place longer than what your typical solar glass film can achieve. Thus, it provides a greater level of protection for your home.
For best results, it is better that you discuss the application of your security film and your attachment system with an actual manufacturer of the window films. They can give you tips and hints that will help you effectively attach both to the windows in your house.