How to Keep Sunlight from Fading Your Valuable Home Furnishings
Most know that Sunlight is the direct UV (ultra-violet) radiation source. And all Floridians know that the UV rays are among the most powerful in the US. What you may not know is that UV rays make up just a tiny portion of the sun’s rays.
Different types of rays come through your windows in different amounts. UV rays not only cause skin cancer, but they can also cause your furniture, flooring, and curtains, etc., to fade.
You can prevent UV fading from occurring in different ways. Films are available that can block up to 99.9% of the UV rays. Applying film is an option if you already have new non-impact windows installed. However, suppose you live in South Florida, and you are still shopping for replacement windows. In that case, there is a better way to protect your home against the harmful effects of UV. That is to invest in hurricane windows made with laminated impact-resistant glass.
How Laminated Impact-Resistant Glass Prevents UV Fading
Layers are fused by applying heat and pressure to create a solid monolithic glass pane.
Laminated glass is commonly used in architecture and for hurricane protection. Laminated glass incorporates a special protective interlayer, and it is made by sandwiching that interlayer between two glass panels. The process uses heat and pressure to bond the panels together. It’s kind of like making a high-tech grilled cheese sandwich. When glass panels and the interlayer are fused this way, the glass acts as a single unit and looks like ordinary glass.
The interlayer is comprised of either PVB (Polyvinyl butyral) or SGP when used to create laminated glass. SGP is stronger than PVB, but it costs more because it is an ionoplast semi-crystalline polymer that is more expensive to produce. Glazing manufacturers use SGP because it enables them to create impact windows for larger openings. Both PVB and SGP provide UV fading because the rays cannot pass through them.
If you are considering buying new windows or sliding glass doors, keep these things in mind.
- The best way to prevent UV fading is to make sure all windows and doors have laminated glass.
- Both the PVB or SGP interlayers used in all laminated impact-resistant glass will help prevent UV fading equally.
- Since these interlayers can block up to 99.9% of the UV rays that try to pass through, it means you are blocking out virtually all UV rays.
- The interlayer within the laminated glass will block all UV radiation, so it will help prevent fading damage to your expensive stuff.
Garabar typically uses PVB interlayers in most of our window installations. We use mainly use PVB because it performs incredibly well for residential use. In addition to superior UV control, you’ll enjoy:
- Hurricane protection
- Intruder prevention
- Noise reduction
- Value for your money
Most importantly, we provide the very best hurricane protection possible for an affordable price. Of course, in some cases, we will use SGP, like when the NOA specifies its use to add strength and security for larger openings or by customer request.
Is your ultimate goal complete protection from fading from Florida’s sunlight?
Windows with clear laminated impact-resistant glass may not provide all the protection you want. You must be aware that UV rays are only responsible for about 40% of the fading process. The remaining 60% of the fading process will come from heat and visible light coming into your home, so there are other steps you must take to eliminate fading thoroughly. Call Garabar at [phone] to speak with one of our professional window and door consultants to learn how best to protect your home and furnishings from destructive UV rays.