Think you’re safe from the sun’s harmful rays while inside a building? Au contraire! Sunlight through unfiltered glass can be just as damaging as a day at the beach. What sun Protection Factor (SPF) does window film provide? Find out here how window film can provide solar protection.
Anyone who’s ever been poolside and slathered on the sunscreen can relate to the term SPF, or sun protection factor. An SPF number lets you know how effective the sunscreen will be. The higher the number, the more effective it is.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, dermatologists recommend using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 to block 97 percent of the sun’s UVB rays.
Knowing that many are interested in the ability of window film to block UVA & UVB, the logical question is, “What Sun Protection Factor (SPF) does Window Film Provide?” Well, let’s translate SPF to window film. This gets a little scientific, but I’ll point out the significant parts.
What is SPF?
SPF is a measure from 280 nm (or nanometers) to 400 nm of how much ultraviolet light is transmitted.
A basic way to calculate the SPF of a product is to divide 100 by the UV transmission. For example, 100/0.5 transmission = 200 SPF.
This isn’t exactly accurate as SPF goes up to 400 nm, but it provides an estimate. Different films can have different SPF readings since each film is slightly different up to 400 nm.
For example, a clear film such as a security film would have an SPF of 236, while a film with a lower VLT would be 2,723. A UV guard film designed for UV protection has an SPF of 1,937 since it blocks further into the visible spectrum than a security type of film.
Did you know: A film that blocks 99.9% of UV more or less has an SPF of 1,000?
Those are some pretty huge numbers compared to that 30 SPF you put on yourself. Check out this informative video on iwfa.com to learn more about indoor sun protection.
Just one disclaimer; SPF numbers are officially determined according to established testing protocols. No claims can be made about actual SPF numbers without having these tests performed by a qualified laboratory.
To wrap it up…
Suffice it to say, if you’re indoors in a building protected with our window film, you’ll have it made in the shade! Give us a call or send us a message today to find out more.