Summer is finally here! It’s the season for beach time, vacations with family and friends, road trips and just enjoying the great outdoors in whatever ways you like best – from backyard barbeques to catching a wave at the ocean.

But be careful this summer regarding sun exposure. A new report from the CDC issued this month reported the incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has doubled in the U.S. in the last 30 years. The incidence rate is on track to remain high unless Americans take more precautions to protect themselves from ultraviolet radiation.

CDC researchers tallied a total of 65,647 new cases of melanoma in 2011, according to a Vital Signs study published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. After adjusting for age, that worked out to 19.7 new cases per 100,000 Americans, the study said.

Americans are generally aware that sun exposure cause skin damage unless they use sunscreens for protection. So, most of us are in the habit of using sunscreen to protect our skin along with sunglasses and wide brimmed hats to protect our eyes for a day outside with lots of potentially dangerous exposure. Besides the health risks – some are also aware that the sun’s UV rays accelerate aging by contributing to wrinkles. And who wants to give up their youthful look faster than nature intended!

But What About Time Spent Inside? 
Your home or your vehicle should be both a comfortable and safe haven from damaging UV rays in hot summer weather – or any time of year for that matter. But if you have clear glass in your windows they offer little protection from some of the sun’s UV rays. Even newer windows may not provide the full protection that one might think.  Professionally installed window film blocks 99 percent of the sun’s harmful UV rays. If you spend a few hours in your car, or even your home, near a window it is like spending a day on the beach without any sunscreen at all. You won’t burn, as the sun’s ‘burning rays’ are prevented by glass, but it’s other spectrum, the one that goes deep into the skin and causes wrinkles and even cancer, does pass through unprotected glass – this is the UVa spectrum from the sun.

In the immediate sense – without window film, homes often have hot spots where the sun shines in and solar heat gain makes a room uncomfortable to be in, fast. This isn’t just a comfort issue – but an economic one too, as cooling costs can increase in situations like this.

Over time, UV rays through unprotected glass can accelerate aging not only for your skin and eyes – but for the lovely décor you’ve selected for your home. We’ve all noticed with frustration and disappointment, the nearly new rug, couch, drapes, or even hardwood floors that we thought would be a long-term investment start to fade. Left unprotected from UV exposure through glass, they can suffer irreversible damage due to sun exposure through windows.

Without window film on both your home and car, you’re just asking for problems, unfortunately – both immediate and long term.

Check out this entertaining video “What You Need To Know About Indoor Sun Protection”. It brings home some great points about sun protection and window film that every consumer should be familiar with. And stay tuned for more on the IWFA YouTube Channel.  And get in touch with an accredited window
film dealer if you want to make your home as safe, comfortable and energy efficient as you can this summer!

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