Articles
How to Reduce Fading From Sunlight Through Windows
For many stores and homes sunlight coming through windows provides warmth, energy and lifts people's spirits. However, behind the scenes it causes fading and sun-rot to flooring, clothes, furniture, store displays and much more. This can be costly for business owners and very disappointing for homeowners to see their new purchase degrade right before their eyes. So why is this happening, what's causing all this fading to happen? Is it possible for UV rays to be causing this? Are cleaning agents too strong? Are the materials used today just not as good as they used to be? How do we stop this fading!
If your cleaning agents are mixed too strong they can cause an issue and if excessive scrubbing is performed that will also cause wear. Most of the time this is not the case because the instructions are clearly labeled on the bottle and care is taken when washing. In fact cleaning accounts for only about 10% of fading. Are the materials used today just not good quality? In most cases the materials used today are better than ever and also better for the environment. Of course you will find the odd product that is poorly made and will fade quicker than other products but this is not the norm. Now let's look at sunlight coming through the windows and what effects it has on fading. Below are two pictures we made to help get a better understanding of the sun's rays and how much of them account for fading. First let's look at the suns rays.
We can see that the sun has 3 significant types of rays. UV Rays, infrared rays and light rays. Why is this important you may ask? I already know UV Rays cause the fading. This is something we have been taught from a young age. What we have not been taught is that UV rays only account for about 40% of the fading and that heat accounts for 25% and light 25%. This means for years we did not get informed that 50% of the fading was coming from a source other than UV rays. Below is a pie chart that might better explain this
Fading
How do we stop fading without blocking sunlight? Clearly window blinds won't work because they block too much light, don't let you see in and don't let you see out. Window decals and window screens will also do the same. If only there was a product that would block 99% of UV rays and some of the heat and light from the sun that causes fading but let people see in and out of the window. AHHH but there is!.
Bee Cool glass coatings has made a few different products that can stop these harmful UV rays from causing all this destruction. One product is a crystal clear coating that is applied to the interior surface of the glass. Its called Bee Safe 8 and is designed to increase window safety & security while it also reduces fading.
This wonderful product not only blocks 99% of UV rays but is also incredibly strong. So strong in fact that retail stores like Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Lowes, Winners and police services such as the Edmonton Police services, RCMP & correctional facilities use it for security and safety. Many homeowners also use it but you would never know it because its so crystal clear. Even jewelry stores use it on their showcases to prevent smash and grabs. If you're looking for a little more than 99% UV protection then you can step into the following products Bee Cool 50, 35, 25, 15 or elite 50. They all offer the additional benefits of blocking more heat and a bit of light and glare so that you can reduce fading caused by sunlight coming through your windows.
