Re-posted- Originally submitted June 4, 2008.  The information remains relevant six years later.

6/4/2008
The following is a “Guest Blog” Entry from my respected associate VClimber .

VClimber is well known on the very informative Tintdude web site where his knowledge concerning all aspects of this window film business is legendary. He prefers to remain anonymous throughout his communications and since that is his preference, that’s “good enough” for me!

His text is as follows:

Did you know that there are more than 7,500 known varieties of apples?

How many can you name?

The choices are staggering when you think about it. It should be noted however, that each variety can vary in size, color, shape, and taste. If you were to search for your favorite variety, comparing apples to apples can be a daunting task.

Similarly, there are a lot of different window films on the market today. They come in all colors, sizes, and technologies. Each brand seems to tout that they are the best apple. How does a consumer determine this?

To make matters worse, how do you identify the proverbial “bad apple?” You know that apple that looks good on the outside but once you bite into it, yikes!

The window film industry, to its discredit, does have a few bad apples out there amongst many good ones. Knowing this fact, a window film professional should feel a sort of moral responsibility to educate and inform the consumer so that they can identify the bad apples for the good ones. When a consumer is empowered with the right knowledge, they are in a better position to identify good value, and to make an informed decision that will most likely result in their satisfaction.

What to look for in a Good Window Film Dealer -How About Accuracy!

It all starts here.

You deserve to have the best!  However, you are not guaranteed that every window film dealer and the product that he or she is trying to sell to you is the best. You have to sort out the bad apples. Here is one of the latest tools in the industry to help YOU avoid choosing the wrong window film professional and in turn, the wrong window film.

NFRC Ratings: The National Fenestration Ratings Council© is anon-profit organization that administers the only uniform,independent rating and labeling system for the energy performance of windows,doors, skylights, attachment products, and Window Films.

Their goal is to provide fair, accurate, and reliable energy
performance ratings so that you can compare apples to apples. Protect yourself for deceptive marketing tactics by asking your window film professional if they sell NFRC Certified Products.

Here is an example of how you can be deceived:

In a previous blog our vigilant friends at Advanced Film Solutions uncovered a strategy employed by a dealer of one of the largest names in Window Film.

We can only imagine that the dealer was trained by his manufacturer, so sadly, these practices could be quite possibly be nationwide even worldwide. This dealer claims that competing manufacturers are deceiving consumers by posting product performance specifications for only one type of glass. He even uses an old outdated specification card to try and prove his point.

Is this true?

It could be construed that way if an explanation is not given.

However, as you will come to appreciate it is not deceptive; for
there has always been a reason for this industry practice. You will also come to appreciate that this is a claim based not on the most current industry developments and changes.

There are almost as many glass combinations as there are varieties of apples.

Depending on where you live, the most common glass combination may be either single pane or perhaps dual pane(IG) glass. It may be coated, tinted, filled with gas such as argon, or it maybe simply clear glass.

Due to this fact, it would be impossible to list performance
specifications for every possible glass combination. And to make matters even more confusing, what if one window film manufacturer chose to publish their product’s specifications on 1/8″ single pane glass and another manufacturer chose to publish theirs on ¼”dual pane glass, and then a third manufacturer goes and decides to publish their film’s performance specifications on dual pane low E glass.

 

How is a consumer to compare apples to apples and find out how one film compares to the next when the testing surfaces are not equal?Insane!  So, what the window film industry did (as a whole) was to publish their performance specifications on 1/8″ clear glass as the default testing surface.

Most manufacturers publish these results so that a consumer can easily compare the performance of one product as compared to another. This is a simple solution as compared to listing every glass
combination possible and this has been the window film industry’s
standard for many years now. Deceptive? No!

Could there be a better way to bring accurate and relative data to the consumer?

Yes indeed!

So in comes the latest industry development.

Due to the above mentioned challenges, the International Window Film Association (IWFA)along with certain window film manufacturers who saw the need for industry change, all have been working hard with the Nation Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC) to have this US Department of Energy (DOE) recognized institution independently provide a standardized way of measuring the
performance of window films so that you the consumer will not have to worry about being misinformed.

This milestone accomplishment has arrived!

You can find a list of NFRC Certified Films right here.

All of the films listed have been tested using NFRC strict standards, the same standards that are used in rating the performance of windows.

NFRC Certified Products are not just recognized by the DOE but they also qualify for the DOE’s Energy Star® program.

Non-certified films do not qualify no matter how prestigious their dealers make them out to be.

Additionally, you will now start seeing on all boxes,literature, and specification cards, the official NFRC Label that will list the product’s performance specifications.

These labels assure the consumer that they are purchasing a genuine NFRC Certified and Rated product rather than a product that could possibly have an unsubstantiated performance measurement.

You can now see that this particular dealer’s claim of deception and inaccuracy is an inaccurate and outdated claim in itself. Inaccuracy is a sign of a bad apple, buyer beware!

If this or any other dealer is talking only in half-truths and citing outdated materials then what else is he or she not fully explaining to you? If this claim is thus outdated then it makes you wonder if the films that this company sells are NFRC Certified?

You can always check for yourself right here. Our hope is that all window film manufacturers apply for NFRC Certification of their products. It truly benefits us all in many ways.

This latest accomplishment prevents so many slanted marketing tactics such as on-angle measurements, IR rejection percentages mistakenly perceived as total heat rejection, and so forth. It increases the credibility for the manufacturer by showing that they went the extra mile to verify the energy performance of their products. This creates a level playing field for manufacturers no matter how large or how small they may be, they can now show their products’ energy performance ratings in a standardized way that is reliable and well-recognized.

The power is in your hands to make sure that the window film professional you choose has partnered with companies that have taken this most important step to help you reliably compare apples to apples.

Many thanks to my host Mike Feldman for allowing me to guest blog. Perhaps, I could explain in a future article another claim that is used to make you think that you have found the best apple in the bunch. Stay tuned and stay informed

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I had never expected to stay at my summer job way back in 1974. I considered it pure luck that through a friend of a friend I wiggled my way into a New York City Employment Agency and called on Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing AKA 3M.

I actually thought that 3M made bowling balls like AMF when I called their order department manager, Howard Katz that fateful day back in April, 1974. I asked if they had any openings and was quickly punted to Bob Kemp who ran the old BPSI Service department. Back in those days 3M had copiers, fax machines and microfilm products that needed a bunch of guys to fix them when they broke.  The job was to take the complaint and dispatch the technician.

I sent myself to the interview after getting a haircut worthy of a court date!  I aced the job interview and grabbed hold of my first full time JOB.

Less than 4 years later I was the Credit Manager of the Manhattan Office and feeling every bit the young turk!!

It happened that as junior manager I was tabbed to be in charge of the entire office the day before Christmas, December 24, 1979.  All the senior operations managers were off shopping or whatever, and no one was really about to do any work. This was the ultimate goof off day and we were laughing it up hoping to leave as early as we could.

Seriously as Mr. Big Shot the entire staff started lobbying me for an early exit the moment I walked into the office at 8 AM.  There was absolutely no way I would authorize the early escape, since the head honcho of the office Dick Keller had been quite emphatic that everyone would have to stay until 5 PM!!

Evidently this early exit desire was an annual event that somehow I never noticed before or more likely we were simply already off the day before Christmas!

As I recall the office was a complete chaos in the late afternoon when my phone rang and the receptionist asked me if I would come to the front and meet the CEO of 3M, Lew Lehr. My reaction was of course typically NY as I asked her if she was drinking or completely full of %^&$?

Good old Marilyn Merotta (God rest her soul) simply responded ” You had better come up front- -and move your as$!”

I love a good prank so up front I headed wondering what type of silly hoax I was going to be confronted with when I got there?

OOPS!!

Standing in the lobby is Lew Lehr, in the flesh, for real, the Chairman of the Board of 3M!!

I just about passed out when I realized two things very quickly.

A) This was no prank. .

and

The 3M CEO would probably want a tour of his offices given the fact that he sure wasn’t there to see little old me!!

Mr. Lehr shakes my hand, introduces himself and hands me his business card.  I tried not to stammer when I replied that it was an “honor” to meet him. .and asked what I might be able to do for him today?

He smiled and said that he was in town and simply wanted to say hello to the 3M employees at our lovely office on 845 Third Ave, and would really appreciate the nickel tour.

Off we went into what was rapidly becoming an office right out of Animal House (The Movie) and as we approached the main office the laughter was louder than I had remembered from ten minutes earlier, probably  because I had been out of sight.

In we walk, me walking in front of the CEO like I was his bodyguard.

“Folks!! Folks!! Hey GUYS!!” CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!!!” I SHOUTED!

“I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF 3M–LOU LEHR!!”

 

One of the more boisterous ladies in the office yells out ” Stop the Bull Sh&$!”

I quickly shoot a look at Mr. Lehr who has a quiet smile on his face. No way he missed that retort but he was as calm as a fellow could be. .just smiling.

Mr. Leher yells back: “I CAN ASSURE YOU- I AM IN FACT LOU LEHR AND I’D SURE LIKE TO MEET YOU ALL!!”

The office became as silent as a wake.

Mr. Lehr stopped by every desk, every employee and handed them his business card. Shook their hands and wished them all a Merry Christmas!

By the way; you should have seen the face of the Operations Manager and the senior managers the following Monday when they heard that the CEO had dropped by before Christmas!!

PS- I worked plenty of days before major holidays in the next 29 years- -but never had something like that ever happen to me again.

Moral of the story??

Be prepared for anything!!??