3 Reasons to Protect Your Interiors from the Sun with Window Tint
While most of us take steps to protect ourselves from heat and sunburn when we’re outdoors, we don’t do much to prevent sun damage when we’re indoors. Unfortunately, most windows do almost nothing to stop the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, which pose risks to people and possessions inside your home or office. The risks include sunburn, premature aging of the skin, and eye damage. Studies have associated UV light with cancer, as well.
“People look for window tint that blocks solar heat and glare in the summer, without realizing they also need protection from UV radiation,” says Luc Goemaere, Business Segment Manager Americas – Solar Gard. “72% of windows in homes and businesses in the U.S. provide only minimal protection from the uncomfortable heat and harmful UV rays that pass right through glass.”
With this in mind, glass companies have started offering glass for windows and doors pre-coated with a low-e glazing, which can help — but it ends up being more costly and less effective than most window tint solutions. That said, many of these low-e glass panels are compatible with window tint, just to be sure before we install tint on your windows we use a special tool to see if the coating will work with our window tint.
Here are three ways window tint can help you enjoy the summer sun streaming in through your windows, without the negative side effects.
1. Window tint blocks up to 79% of solar heat, keeping rooms cooler and cutting cooling costs. “Depending on the type of window tint you choose, it will reject enough of the sun’s heat to promote comfort and energy savings,” says Goemaere.
2. Most window tints reject over 99% of UV light to protect you from the sun’s damaging rays. The fact is, clear glass alone offers little protection from harmful UVA and UVB radiation.
3. Window tint helps prevents fading caused by sunlight. Carpets lose their color, furniture fades, and hardwood floors start to look bleached and dry, all due to sun damage.
There are window tint solutions for every challenge and options to fit every budget. A window tint professional can show you how different films look aesthetically, both inside and outside, and explain their protective properties. These can include reduced glare, and improved security and safety.
“Deterring heat is at the top of the list in the summer, but protection from UV radiation is important all year long,” says Goemaere. Imagine taking a long walk in the winter, you wouldn’t expect to have any kind of sunburn and yet it still happens! We’ve grown used to associating UV rays with the heat, but the two aren’t mutually exclusive, you can very much have the damaging UV rays on a cold day.
Start preparing your home for summer today! To learn more about the films we use, check out Solar Gard’s homepage here.