Should a section be left uncovered for the rearview mirror when applying car window film?
2 Answers
Should a section be left uncovered for the rearview mirror when applying car window film? It is unnecessary. Below are the detailed explanations: 1. Principle: During the film application process, the glass needs to be cleaned, and water is used as a lubricant to position the film. Therefore, it is impossible to completely remove all water at that time. Small water droplets may accumulate after a few hours, which is a normal phenomenon. These droplets will disappear automatically after some time. 2. Precautions: After the car window film is applied, the windows should not be rolled down. This is mainly to prevent the edges of the film from loosening when the windows are rolled up or down, as the edges may not have completely dried. If the film does not adhere tightly, it will affect the lifespan of the film and its effectiveness in heat insulation and filtering strong or glaring light. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the edges of the windows during the film application process.
As a long-distance driver, I recommend leaving a triangular area on the side mirrors. Last time I helped a friend apply window film, I specifically chose a high-transmittance film, but during rainy nights when turning, the mirrors still appeared hazy. The installer mentioned that even the most expensive film reduces visibility by about 30% at night. Once on an unlit suburban road, a car without the triangular area almost scraped a roadside curb. Nowadays, most vehicle inspection stations require at least 70% light transmittance for the driver and passenger windows, making it hard to pass without the triangular area. However, be careful not to cut the triangular area too small—about 15 cm in length is reasonable—otherwise, the improvement in visibility won’t be significant.
