Our team was recently called into a beautiful home in East Amherst, New York to help protect artwork fading. Reducing fading is more difficult than just removing the UV. You must also reduce the heat and light to have a significant impact on fade reduction.
A common misconception is that UV rays are what cause fading. 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 artwork, floors, furniture, etc.
How can Window Film Help With Fading?
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. We utilized a window film from 3M called Prestige 60 that does just that. 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 you found this article informative. If you would like more information on how a home window film can protect artwork fading, click HERE. If you have any questions or would like to arrange for a free, no obligation consultation of your project, contact us today at (716) 875-5408. We service Buffalo, Rochester, East Amherst and the greater Western New York area.