Protecting the occupants and contents of your home is vital but how do you do this safely and easily? One easy way is just by changing the glass that you use from regular glass to UV protective glass. Here’s everything that you need to know.
What is UV Protective Glass?
UV protective glass can be most simply defined as any glass that provides more UV protection than standard glass does. To be defined as UV protective, the glass needs to block at least 97 percent of all UV rays from passing through. Regular glass stops UVB rays from penetrating through it into the home or onto something but it is not able to stop UVA rays. UV protective glass stops both UVA and UVB rays.
Why is UV Protective Glass Important?
UV protection is important as UV rays can be harmful to the people that live inside the home (potentially causing skin cancer). UV rays can also cause carpets, curtains, and other soft furnishings to fade prematurely, making them look less than their best. UV rays can also cause soft furnishings and artworks to deteriorate and become brittle.
Where Can UV Protective Glass be used?
UV protective glass can be used in a range of different circ*mstances. It is most commonly used in windows to stop UV rays from entering the home but it can also be used in picture frames, automobiles, in glass inserts in doors, and anywhere else where you want to stop the transmission of UV rays.
How is Glass made to be UV Protective?
While standard glass can block some of the harmful UV rays from coming through, it is not enough on its own. Thus it needs to be made UV protective somehow. The most common method for doing this is by applying a permanent UV coating to the glass. The coating bonds permanently to the glass and thus provides a shield that does not allow UV and infrared rays to penetrate. Both UVA and UVB rays are blocked. These permanent liquid coatings are completely clear and thus you are not blocking your views or the amount of natural light that enters your home at all. Low-e glass is just one type of glass that has a UV protective coating applied during manufacture.
Another method of ensuring that your glass is UV protective is by applying a window tint or film to the glass. These tints and films are available in a range of colours from completely clear through to varying shades of gray and they block up to 99 percent of UV rays.
FAQs
How to reduce the risk of interior color fade. The glass composition is the key factor to reduce the possibility of color fade on curtains, furniture and other material. Laminated glass can block more than 99% of UV rays because plastic interlayers between single panes of glass absorb UV radiation.
What is the best UV protection for glasses? ›
What UV level should sunglasses be? The higher the rating, the better, so look for sunglasses labeled UV 400, which provides nearly 100% protection from harmful ultraviolet light rays. UV 400 protection lenses block wavelengths up to 400 nanometers.
What is the best UV resistant glass? ›
UV Museum is the highest performance anti-reflective glass with 99% UV protection. The “invisible” glass ensures neutral reflection colour and helps prevent the treasured keepsake from fading.
Is UV protection glass worth it? ›
Yes, UV coating on sunglasses and eyewear shields your eyes from damaging UV rays. Without wearing UV-protective sunglasses or eyeglasses, even brief exposure to ultraviolet radiation can harm your eyes in ways comparable to a sunburn. Your eyes may turn red and puffy or feel gritty as if you have sand in them.
Do cheap glasses block UV? ›
Yes, it is possible for cheap sunglasses to provide protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays, but it is important to choose a reputable brand that has tested their products for UV protection. Look for sunglasses that are labeled as providing 100% UV protection, which means that they block both UVA and UVB rays.
Is 100% UV protection the same as UV 400? ›
And not just any old shades will do - you want to look for ones that offer 100% protection against both UV-A and UV-B rays. These are labeled as "UV400", which means they block out rays with a wavelength up to 400 nanometers. That covers the entire range of UV-A and UV-B, which is exactly what you want.
What is the difference between polarized and UV protection glasses? ›
While the goal of UV-blocking lenses is to protect your eyes, the point of polarized lenses is to remove glare so you can see more clearly and easily. These lenses are a favorite among water sports enthusiasts, video gamers, and anyone who dislikes day-to-day glare.
Are there clear UV protection glasses? ›
ZEISS clear plastic lenses provide UV protection up to 400 nm. That's the same amount of protection provided by premium sunglasses and the standard recommended by the World Health Organization. Can UV hurt your eyes? UV rays can pose a major risk to long-term eye health.
What is the best material for UV protection? ›
The best defense comes from tightly woven fabrics with high thread counts, in dark or bright colors (which absorb light). Examples include polyester, nylon, lightweight wool, or canvas. To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Does Michaels have UV protective glass? ›
In-store we offer several UV-Protective and Anti-Reflective glass and acrylic options to choose from.
Wearing blue light glasses isn't harmful to your eyes, so you could wear them all day if you wanted, but it may not eliminate digital eye strain entirely.
What are the problems of UV glass? ›
Touch screen and fingerprint recognition failure: The UV glue tempered film is typically thicker than the pre-applied protective film, causing deviations in capacitance sensing when touching the screen and reduced sensitivity in touch screen operation.
Is it OK to wear UV glasses all the time? ›
Like sunglasses, blue light glasses can have long-term eye health benefits. But should you wear them all the time? You can wear your blue light glasses all the time, just like you can wear sunglasses all the time. But when and where you wear your eyewear can make a difference in the quality of your vision.
What color glass blocks UV rays? ›
Tinted glass such as amber and cobalt blue can block UV light, which can help protect your product from unwanted damage. Green glass bottles, for example, are popular for protecting beverages but offer less protection from UV light than amber or cobalt blue.
What material blocks UV rays the best? ›
Unbleached cotton contains natural lignins that act as UV absorbers. Shiny polyesters and even lightweight satiny silks can be highly protective because they reflect radiation. High-tech fabrics treated with chemical UV absorbers or dyes prevent some penetration from UV rays.
Does UV blocking glass work? ›
Many UV Blocking Glass solutions are said to provide a certain percentage of protection from UV light, often ranging between 96% and 99.9%.
What material blocks UV light most efficiently? ›
Table 2
| Photoprotective Modality | SPF | UVB-Blocking |
|---|
| Nylon Woven | 60 ± 5 | 99.93 ± 0.02% |
| Polyester Interlock Knit | 80 | 99.95% |
| Polyester Interlock Knit w/TiO2 dot print at 30% surface coverage | 73 ± 6 | 99.95% |
| Sunscreen A (2 mg/cm2) | 30 # | 89.35 ± 8.28% |
4 more rowsJan 21, 2022
