Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Have a large front door with 12 glass panels. We have a western exposure and the afternoon North Carolina sun is very intense coming through our doors. When we first moved in we noticed that the temp was a LOT higher in our entry way than the rest of the home. We started looking at ways to cut down on the heat as well as the UV rays entering our home. We decided to go with a Gila all season heat control (Gila Platinum Window Film). Listed as "rejects 70% of sun's heat, low-e retains winter heat, blocks glare and reduces fading. We found this to be an excellent solution for heat and glare reduction. There was immediate heat reduction inside our home. The only real problem was it did not provide any type of privacy from those outside looking into our home. With doors as large as ours inside exposure to the street outside was of some concern. Well it is almost 8 years later and we finally decided to try another product. The gila was still working but had developed some "cracks" in the film. Not surprising as it has withstood very intense heat over a long period of time. Started looking for a product with same benefits but with privacy. We did have a glass replacement company come to our home and they said replacing the glass would be a waste of money as we already have low e thermo panes in the door. Said we could change out for privacy (rain glass, etched etc. but would not change the heat coming in). After reseaching diferent brands I decided to give the Velimax Rain glass a try. I liked the way it looked in other pictures and the price was right too. I ordered 3 rolls (enough for my particular project). Product arrived with no damage, nicely packaged and I began the process. Old Gila film was easily removed from my windows. Only left behind a small amount of adhesive in a couple of areas that I had to scrape with a razor blade. Thouroughly cleaned each pane with 50/50 water and white vinegar (which by the way is all I ever use on my windows). Mixed a spray bottle of water with a small amount of dish soap. Got out all supplies I needed and began the measuring, cutting, application process. After I applied the first pane (see pics) I waited 24 hours before starting on the rest. Wanted to be sure it applied firmly .. and didn't curl up or fall off as several other reviewers noted. Still good after 24 hours, I loved how it looked so off I went. I did pre cut all my remaining 11 pieces before I began "hanging" the film. Sizes I needed were 10 x 20 so I cut 12 X 22 to allow for trimming inside the panes. Application went smoothly. I did soak the back of the film and windows with soapy water as instructed. I used the squeegie that I had purchased with the Gila installation kit to apply and smooth out all the air bubbles. I then trimmed the excess using a new blade on my utility knife and a 4" metal putty knife as my edge to hold down the film while making my cuts. This worked perfectly for me and had all windows done in a couple of hours. By far the slowest part for me was the trimming. Just be sure to keep a sharp blade on your utility knife. I have supplied a few pictures to show how the first sheet went up and how it compared to the gila (I did not remove all the gila until after my first test pane). Pictures were taken in daytime and then from outside at night. Then inside and out after all product was installed. Product offers excellent privacy both inside and out. There is no afternoon glare and it does cut down on sunlight coming through. We have had a number of 90 degree days and it seems to do a good job on cutting down the heat. This product is a lot thicker than the gila film. Don't know how it will hold up after years of intense heat; I don't expect anything to last as long as the gila - that performed above and beyond all expectations. If it weren't for the privacy issue I definitely would have replaced the "cracked" gila panes with the same product. Sum up: recommended for ease of application, beauty of product, and especially added privacy. ALso the price is right, won't break the bank even to give it a try.