Ceramic (IR) Window Tinting in Florida

In practice the two names describe the same thing. Kepler's ceramic films are sold as IR films because the ceramic particles in them are aimed at the infrared part of sunlight, the part carried as heat. What actually differs between products is the figure each one is rated at, not the word on the box, so compare the infrared, UV and glare percentages published for the exact film and shade rather than the name it is sold under.

Kepler publishes up to 81% infrared heat rejection for Kepler IR and up to 98% for Kepler IR+, with up to 99% UV reduction and under 1% UV transmittance listed for every shade in both ranges. Those are infrared and ultraviolet figures rather than a cabin temperature, and total solar energy rejected is quoted separately, running from 51% to 72% depending on the shade. Ask your dealer for the product sheet covering the film being quoted, so you are comparing the same measurements on the same glass.

A dyed film mainly darkens the glass. A ceramic film is built to work on the invisible part of sunlight as well, which is where the published infrared and UV figures come from, and Kepler rates the range for colour stability, meaning it is made to resist fading, haze and discolouration. There is no metal in the ceramic layer, so unlike a metalised tint it does not bring the mirror-like look or the phone, GPS and radio problems that metal can cause. The trade-off is price, which is why the range runs from a near-black shade to a near-clear one.

Cost depends on the film you choose and on the car: the number of windows, the size of the glass and how curved the rear screen is all change the job, so a coupe and a three-row SUV are not priced alike. Start with our pricing guides page, then use the online quote to get a figure for your make and model. The independent dealer who fits the film confirms the final price with you before anything is booked.

Fresh film needs time to cure before the windows are used, so follow the curing time your installer gives you for the film they fitted. After that it looks after itself: clean the glass with a soft cloth and a mild, ammonia-free cleaner, since ammonia attacks film, and keep abrasive pads away from the tinted face. If you are still choosing a shade, check the legal limits on our window tint laws page first. Kepler's Warranty Information covers manufacturing defects such as bubbling, peeling and fading, and claims go through the company that installed the film rather than through Kepler, so keep the paperwork from your fitting.

You can get a rough impression with a heat lamp and a thermometer, holding the lamp at a fixed distance and comparing a tinted pane with an untinted one, but treat it as a demonstration rather than a measurement. Published figures come from laboratory testing on specified glass, and a kitchen-table version will not reproduce them. For anything you need to rely on, ask your dealer for the manufacturer's product sheet for the film and shade fitted to your car.

Florida sets its limits in statute, and they differ by window. Under section 316.2953 the front side windows must let at least 28% of visible light through, with total solar reflectance of no more than 25% measured on the non-film side. Under section 316.2954 the windows behind the driver must reach at least 15% light transmittance, or 6% on a multipurpose passenger vehicle, with reflectance no higher than 35%, and a car whose rear window is not transparent needs mirrors on both sides. Section 316.2952 allows only a transparent strip at the top of the windshield that does not encroach on the AS/1 area. The limits apply to the glass and the film together, so factory glazing counts towards the reading. Our Florida window tint laws page goes through it window by window, and your dealer can say which shades keep a particular car inside the limits.

Ceramic sits at the top of the automotive range. Against a dyed film it adds the infrared and UV performance Kepler publishes for IR and IR+. Against a metalised film it avoids the mirror-like appearance and the signal problems metal layers can cause, because the ceramic layer contains none. Kepler also rates the ceramic range for colour stability, so it is built to resist fading, haze and discolouration. Every automotive film carries the same Warranty Information against manufacturing defects, which leaves the choice to the figures and the finish you want.

Ceramic is the most expensive way to tint a car because of what goes into the film: nano-ceramic particles instead of dye, an Ultra Bond adhesive to the glass, a Scratch Guard+ coat on the inside face and 1.5 mil of material in every shade. That buys the highest infrared and UV figures Kepler publishes and a finish rated for colour stability. Whether it is worth the difference depends on how much time your car spends in the sun and how much of the heat and glare you want taken out of it.

Kepler is an independent supplier of window film to tinting businesses and is not involved in the installation itself. Use the Florida locations link in the menu to search for a tinting business, or send an enquiry and Kepler passes it to a dealer. From there the dealer talks through the film, the shade and the price with you and arranges the work directly. Availability, scheduling and pricing are theirs to confirm, and any warranty claim is handled by the business that fitted the film.