There are a few major risks that vehicle owners will be regularly looking to protect their cars from, and one that often doesn’t get enough consideration here is the sun. The powerful UV rays from the sun can be a threat to both the exterior and interior of a vehicle if it’s not properly protected, but there are also simple steps you can take to ensure this isn’t a concern for your car.
At Spandex, we’re here to help. We offer a huge range of vehicle protection materials and services to our clients, from paint protection through car window tint film and many related products. For today’s blog, we’ll focus in on the latter area: How does window tint protect both the exterior and interior of your vehicle from the risks posed by the sun and its UV rays, and why should you consider it for your vehicle? Here’s a basic primer.
The Sun’s Impact on Your Vehicle
The first and more well-known risk that the sun’s UV rays may pose to your vehicle is leather damage. UV rays can fade and crack leather, particularly on the seats of a vehicle that are often exposed to the sun.
However, there is another area of a car which might not immediately come to mind as being at risk from sunlight: The glass of your windows. UV window damage has been linked with several unwanted outcomes for car owners, including interior fading or discoloring and incorrect window functionality.
Window tint film is a perfect remedy for both these issues and can ensure that your glass and interior leather material is protected. UV window film will block the majority of harmful UV rays from passing through into your vehicle, preventing both fading and other damage to your windows and interior materials as well as ensuring proper functionality for those windows. In addition, the film applied to your windows serves as impact protection — in cases where your windows might otherwise shatter, the tint film will prevent shards of glass from flying and potentially injuring you or your passengers.
Finally, there’s one additional sun/vehicle risk that many drivers don’t consider at all: Sun and skin damage. While it’s true that your car’s windows offer you some protection against UV rays and sunburns, some people assume you’re 100% protected — and this isn’t true at all. Rather, you’re still being exposed to both UVA and UVB rays, both of which can penetrate glass. UVA rays, in particular, have been linked with skin damage and certain cancers. In many ways, your car’s interior can be just as much a place for protecting yourself from sun exposure as the beach or park, so it’s important to think about this area of your vehicle from that perspective, too.
Once again, this is where window tint shows its value. By applying it to your windows, you cut off much of the sun’s UV rays, preventing yourself from being exposed to them. Installing window tint saves you time, hassle, and money by cutting down on your need for sunscreen at the park, beach, or even in your own vehicle.
Reasons to Install Window Tint Film
With protection and general vehicle security in mind, here are some of the top reasons vehicle owners go with window tint film:
- Increased privacy: Window tint film won’t just protect your vehicle’s interior, it can also prevent people from gawking at them inside. The darkest window tints block 99% of visibility into the vehicle, making for a much more private driving experience than drivers might otherwise have with their windows open or uncovered. This will be especially appreciated by those who regularly have to park their vehicles in public or who have children or other passengers in their cars throughout the day.
- Leather protection: As mentioned, window tint film will prevent the sun’s ultraviolet rays from reaching your car windows and interior leather material. This alone can save you (and your car) time, hassle, and money spent on paint protection products like waxes and polishes.
- Extended lifespan of windows: By protecting your car windows from discoloration and cracking, window tint film can essentially double their lifespan before you’ll need to replace your vehicle’s glass. This will save money over the long term by reducing the number of times you’ll need to get new windows installed in your car, truck, or other vehicle.
- Glass safety: While this benefit might not be essential, it’s worth noting that window tint film serves an additional purpose of protecting your car windows in the event of a collision or accident. It will stop glass shards from flying all over your vehicle — and potentially injuring yourself or passengers — whether you’re involved in a traffic accident, rollover, or any other sudden impact or collision with your car.
- Prevention of skin damage: This one ties back into the earlier mentioned benefits of window tint film for sun exposure, but it’s worth noting again that window tints can guard against sunburns and other potential skin damage resulting from over-exposure to sunlight.
- Lowering temperature: By cutting down the heat coming through your vehicle’s windows, window tint film can help keep your car at a more comfortable temperature overall. This will be especially appreciated in warmer months, especially in hotter parts of the country.
For more on the various protective and related benefits of installing window tint in your vehicle, or to learn about any of our window tint, paint protection or numerous other general graphic and wrap services, speak to the team at Spandex today.