High Traffic Areas - Areas such as entrance doors, sliding patio doors or windows that people touch frequently.

Due to the unique hard-coat construction, hand and finger oils are more easily visible on TCC window film, so you may find yourself cleaning it more often when it is touched. In addition, the Thinsulate hard-coat is not as scratch resistant as the other 3M window film hard-coats, making it more susceptible to scratches from rings or other hard objects pushing against the film. If people will push against the film rather than using the door handles scratching is likely. Installing another, protective film over Thinsulate to provide more scratch resistance will eliminate its low-e properties.

 

High Humidity Areas – Areas like pools, bathrooms, or near kitchen sinks. Due to the low-e properties of TCC window film, it will maintain a lower glass surface temperature on the windows where it is applied. If those windows are in high humidity areas, you can expect the amount of water condensation to be significantly more than it was prior to the film application. If the window currently gets condensation, it is not recommended to apply Thinsulate.

 

Salt Air Exposure – As with other metal surfaces, TCC may be affected by salt air environments. Salt acts as a corrosion agent, deteriorating metal, paint and other building surfaces. Coastal zones with higher salt, corrosive pollution and/or airborne particulate, and a regular source of moisture present a higher risk for corrosion. The distance salt travel inland is highly dependent on factors such as topography, wind speed, water droplet size and the coastal concentration of salt aerosols. In some locations coastal salt will only be an issue within a mile of shore, while in others significant concentrations can be found 200 miles in from shore. It is especially important to avoid installation in buildings or homes with open windows that allow direct salt air exposure.  Commercial office buildings that have closed windows and climate-controlled atmospheres will be at significantly less risk.

 

Direct Sunlight Exposure to Film Interior – Casement windows, bay windows, or three season porches. It is best to avoid any installation where the Thinsulate hard-coat sees direct sunlight, such as casement windows that can be opened to the outside air or three season porches / bay windows where the light can come through adjacent windows to hit the film on its metallic side

 

Transportation – Busses, trains, trams, boats, cars. These are areas of high traffic and high humidity. For the reasons given above, TCC is not recommended for use in vehicles of any kind.