Technology
Sunshine: The Invisible Homewrecker
By
Jan 1, 2006, 13:27

(NewsUSA) - A trend in home building today is larger windows and more of them. Windows not only reduce the need for artificial lighting, they increase a home's "curb appeal" and value. Yet there is a hidden cost to all that sunlight: irreversible damage to indoor furnishings.

Upholstered furniture, hardwood floors and carpets are at risk whenever they are exposed to sunlight shining through a home's windows.

"Our customers have been in their homes on average 11 years, so they are very aware of the fading damage caused over time by sunlight," said Mike Gilkey, president of Gilkey Window Company in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Ultraviolet radiation in sunlight is largely responsible for this damage. Even the latest low-E (low-emissivity) glass technology for residential windows fails to provide adequate UV protection. That's because the portion of ultraviolet radiation called UVA passes right through low-E glass, causing fading and deterioration to furniture, floors and more.

The damage is irreversible, but it is possible to stop damaging UV radiation from penetrating your home's windows with a new glass technology from Guardian Industries called ClimaGuard SPF. This technology blocks more than 99 percent of all UV radiation without any visible change in day lighting.

"The best way for homeowners to deal with damaging UV radiation is to stop it before it enters the home through their windows," said Tim Singel, director of residential glass products for Guardian Industries.

In the past, window glass that was coated to protect against UV radiation also usually blocked some visible sunlight, or the coating made the glass shiny like a mirror. This left the homeowner with a choice between performance and appearance. ClimaGuard SPF, however, will virtually eliminate harmful ultraviolet rays without interfering with natural daylight or compromising that familiar clear glass look.

"ClimaGuard SPF is the first residential glass technology to offer this level of UV protection without the undesirable tradeoffs," Singel said.

ClimaGuard SPF is a coating that is applied to the interior glass surface of a double-paned window unit. Since the coating is not exposed, there's no reason to be concerned about scratching the coating or which cleaning solutions to use; just wash the window as you normally would. And since the coating is applied by the glass manufacturer, there's no concern that the coating will wrinkle or peel after the window is installed.

For more information, call (800) 436-2157 or visit www.climaguardspf.com.

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