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UV and Your Auto Glass: What You Should Know

Admin • Apr 16, 2020
Woman Driving Her Car — Waco, TX — Affiliated Auto Glass
Many individuals feel understandably concerned about the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This element of sunlight can cause physical harm even through the barriers of automotive glass. Not all types of auto glass offer equal degrees of protection against this threat to your skin, eyes, and car interior. 

The more you know about the interaction between UV and auto glass, the more effectively you can choose strategies to protect your vehicle's cabin and occupants against this form of low-frequency radiation. Here are some key points to absorb and use in your fight against UV rays and their associated dangers. 

UV Radiation Types and Effects 

UV rays generally extend from 10 to 400 nanometers in length, just below the wavelength band of visible light. The three primary types of UV radiation that visit our planet include UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC radiation gets blocked by the atmosphere, but the other two types of UV can easily reach the Earth's surface. 

Both UVA and UVB can cause serious health problems, including skin cancer. Melanoma development, in particular, seems to correspond to UVA exposure, UVB can cause other kinds of skin cancer. Additionally, UV exposure can promote premature aging and wrinkling of the skin as well as cataracts, a cause of blindness.  

UV rays can damage your car as well as your body. This form of radiation can cause interior seat upholstery and carpeting to fade rapidly. Some of the plastic pieces in your cabin may lose their lamination, while leather seats may grow brittle and develop cracks or splits. 

UV Radiation Filtering by Auto Glass 

Fortunately, the vast majority of the UV radiation that hits your windshield does not penetrate it. Modern windshield designs feature two or more sheets of glass sandwiching a tough layer of transparent plastic. This laminated glass minimizes flying glass in an impact, but it also blocks an estimated 98 percent of UV rays. 

Don't count on this degree of protection to safeguard you against UV altogether when you occupy a vehicle. Side and rear windows, which usually have only a single layer of tempered glass, may only block about 65 percent of incoming UV rays. This exposure may prove especially damaging to long-distance drivers. 

UV Radiation Coatings and Coverings 

You can defend yourself, your passengers, and your car's interior against UV rays in a number of ways. The most basic response involves wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, and UV-resistant clothing. If you want to protect upholstery, you may invest in seat covers, a windshield visor, and side window screens. 

Automotive tint can block both UV rays and heat energy, making your vehicle not only safer from UV but also more comfortable in the summertime. Many vehicles come with some kind of window tint applied by the manufacturer, but these tints may vary widely in their darkness and/or UV-filtering power. 

You can exert more control over how much benefit you receive from auto tint by purchasing high-quality aftermarket tint rated to offer specific results. No matter what (legal) tint darkness you choose, you can get films that offer at least 99 percent protection against UV rays. 

Some drivers might prefer not to have any dark tint on their car windows at all. If you answer to that description, you have the option of choosing a window film that offers full UV protection while imposing little to no visible tint. 

The right combination of professional guidance, high-quality products, and installation expertise can help you keep most of those harmful UV rays on the outside of your car where they belong. Contact Affiliated Auto Glass to learn more about your options and request a quote. 
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