Enjoy the Sunlight

Wayfarers are back — those sunglasses that in the 80’s defined cool. Three decades later they still look great, but the new versions offer better protection from the sun’s harmful ultra violet rays.

You could say something similar about today’s home window tints. New technologies have brought superior interior protection, clear finishes, and even shatter resistance. While window tints might not be as high on your summer shopping list as a pair of Ray-Bans, maybe they should be.

A close look at the couch or your wood floors could be enough to convince you your palace needs as much protection as your eyes, according to Rocky Burcham, owner of Solar Control Glass Tinting Co., San Ramon. Damage to furnishings is one of the most common complaints he hears.

“Wood starts to crack and get brittle; floors start to discolor; furniture starts to fade,” says Rocky, who has been helping homeowners cool down their interior spaces for 35 years. 

Nearly half the damaging light that enters through windows is ultra violet, or UV light. It’s the main culprit in fading furniture. Another 25 percent of light is made up of visible light. The final 25 percent is infrared heat, a major factor in increased temperature in your home.

Think of window tinting as “a nice pair of sunglasses” for your home, Rocky says. With them, you can reduce sun damage, lower the temperature, and even protect your skin. (The American Cancer Society supports the use of UV blocking tints like Vista.)

Vista ceramic tints cut nearly 100 percent of UV light, 98 percent of infrared light and 75 percent of radiant heat. The films carry a lifetime warranty against bubbling, tearing or fading. But there’s another advantage to the new technology — clarity. Back in the 80’s, tinted windows kept out harmful rays by reflecting them, creating a mirror-like exterior finish. New technologies give a more transparent look to tinted windows.

Stylish outside? Check. Protective? Check. And there is one last benefit. Just like sunglasses, window tints significantly reduce glare inside and out. Tinting turns a too-bright living space into a comfortable, glare-free room. And UV reduction actually allows pupils to open and gather more light, so the view out the window is enhanced.

“You actually see better through the film than through a normal window,” Rocky says.

Solar Control Glass Tinting is Diamond and Value Star Certified. For more information call (800) 999-3828, or visit www.solarcontrolcompany.com and protect your home this summer season.