Furnishing a home can be expensive. From flooring to furnishings, the costs can add up quick. With so much invested, doesn’t it make sense to take steps to protect that investment? While we all love open and airy homes with lots of windows, the biggest threat to your floors and furnishings can be right outside those same windows, the Sun. The sun is one of the primary causes of fading floors and furnishings. Most people do not want to sacrifice their views and the open feeling of their home to protect their floors and furniture from the sun, so what can be done? One of the best ways to attack the primary causes of sun damage and fading is with window film. This article will examine exactly what causes the fading and damage to occur and how window film is a great solution to consider.
A common misconception is that UV rays are what cause fading floors and sun damage to furnishings. While they are certainly the largest component, as this chart illustrates, they only account for 40%. Solar heat and visible lights are also major contributors, accounting for 25% of the problem. The last factor is comprised of a variety of this we simply put under the heading “Other”. These are things like interior lighting, humidity, etc.
The first thing this chart demonstrates is that you cannot “stop” fading completely unless the item you want to protect in a dark, climate controlled room. In real life, the most you can do is attack the major contributors of fading in a significant enough way to slow down the process. By slowing the process, you extend the life of your floors or furnishings.
Why Is Window Film a Good Solution?
As mentioned above, most people do not want to “close-up” their home in an effort to stop the damage from occurring. So, assuming the windows will not be covered, you need to attack the factors before they enter the home. Window film is a great option because it attacks all three major contributors of fading. Most professionally installed window films will block 99%+ of the UV rays. In addition, many window films can significantly reduce the heat coming through the window. Finally, it is possible to block up to 60% of the visible light coming through a window without noticeably darkening the window. When you combine these three factors, you can take a large slice out of the pie shown above. This protection can be accomplished while retaining the open feel of your home by using window film.
We hope this brief article shed some light on what the factors of fading floors, rugs and furniture are and how utilizing window film is one of your best options to address this issue. If you are interested in learning more, contact Energy Control Consultants by calling 865-947-3013 or emailing us at info@coolsunlight.com.
