You know that pretty spot where the sun pours in through your windows every morning? Look a little closer next time you pass by that area in your house. Do you see the discoloring the sunlight has caused the furniture or floor? That’s UV rays damaging your home, just as it can your skin. UV rays have the potential to harm any organic substance. Although sunscreen won’t help this problem, you can still protect your home and furniture from the damage caused by the sun.
If you don’t mind reducing the amount of light coming into the house, you can simply choose a window covering to reduce the UV rays. A light filtering shade, like an inexpensive cell shade, will allow light in your home but still block out the damaging rays.
Another option is tinting your windows. This will block some of the UV rays, but not all – so be prepared that discoloration will still happen, but at a slower rate.
Finally, if you are in the market for a more radical change, you can update the windows themselves. Window glass can be made that blocks UV rays while still allowing visible light to come through your home – but as this isn’t the norm for standard window glass, you will have to seek it out in most cases. Laminated glass and UV-blocking coated glass can filter anywhere from 95-99% of all UV light.
And don’t think it is only your home you are protecting – it is also your health. For more information, check out this New York Times article about the importance of reducing the amount of UV rays coming in through your windows.
