UV Protection Tips from the International Window Film Association

The International Window Film Association (IWFA), a nonprofit trade association representing leading manufacturers, distributors, and dealers, is proud to support International UV Safety Month this July by providing education and awareness on the UV ray protection provided by professionally installed window film.

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Did you know that Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun are not only harmful to the skin but can also damage your eyes and accelerate the aging process? According to research, deep-penetrating Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays from the sun pass through ordinary glass and account for 90 percent of the sun’s most damaging rays. These rays are not just an outdoor concern. They can penetrate windows at home, workplaces, and vehicles. It’s imperative to recognize the importance of protecting yourself from these harmful rays.

Darrell Smith, Executive Director of the IWFA, emphasizes, “Many people don’t think about the sun damage that can be coming through their windows when sitting by a window at home, at work, or while driving.” He adds, “Professionally installed window film offers a high-tech and cost-effective way to help protect both skin and eyes.”

The Benefits of UV Protection:

  1. Reduces Risk of Skin Cancer: While the original article mentioned that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime, it’s important to highlight that limiting sun exposure by blocking up to 99 percent of UV rays can drastically reduce this risk.
  2. Protects Eyes: UV rays can lead to cataracts and other eye conditions. Professionally installed window film can help keep your eyes healthier by protecting them from harmful UV rays.
  3. Preserves Skin Youthfulness: Both direct and indirect UV rays damage the skin and can lead to signs of aging. Window film provides protection by limiting harmful UV rays.
  4. Prevents Interior Fading: UV rays can cause furniture, flooring, and window treatments to fade. Window film protects the interiors of your home, office, or car by blocking UV rays.

To learn more about how to better protect yourself from the sun in your home, at work, or while driving, be sure to read the IWFA’s ‘Show Love for your Home‘ and ‘The Many Benefits of Window Film‘. To find professionally accredited window film installers near you, check out Madico’s Dealer Locator.

   

Have It Made in the Shade: Shopping Tips for Auto Tint

If you’re considering tinting your car windows, you probably know about some of the many benefits, such as reduction of heat and glare. But where do you begin when it comes to choosing the right auto window film and installer?

Choosing Window Film

Choosing Window FilmYou may want to start with the window film and then choose your installer, because different installers carry different types of window film. Window film that blocks damaging UV rays is a popular choice and it can actually help you lower your carbon footprint. Another thing to look for in window film is if it’s covered under a warranty. This speaks to the quality of the film and if something does go wrong, you won’t lose any money. All of Madico’s window films are covered by a warranty and many are covered by a lifetime warranty. You’ll also want to choose a shade. Today’s technology has delivered a range of shade choices from dark to extremely light, while still delivering all of the benefits. Take a look at this tint simulator to visualize how dark or light you can go. You’ll also want to know the window tinting laws in your state, but a good installer should also be familiar with these rules.

Choosing an Installer

Choosing an InstallerLike choosing any business, one of the best ways to make your decision is by asking others who they recommend. You can also view online referrals and rankings on various sites. Once you’ve identified some credible options, ask the installer how long he or she has been in business at their current location. The longer the better as longevity is a sign that they offer good quality and service at fair prices. You’ll also want to see samples of their work. This article has detailed illustrations that show you what to look for.

Don’t DIY

Don’t DIYYou may be tempted to save some money and try a do-it-yourself kit, but there are several reasons why it’s smart to go with a professional window tinting company. Check out this article on Angie’s List that explains why.

To find a Madico Window Films dealer in your area, call 888-887-2022 or email windowfilm@madicomain.wpengine.com.

   

The Benefits of Decorative Window Film

Glass has become a major design trend for renovating office space, and with good reason. Replacing interior walls with glass for offices, conference rooms, and lobbies can redirect natural light from windows up to 40 feet deeper into a building, reducing dependency on artificial lighting and cutting energy costs. But does glass create a lack of privacy that outweighs your energy savings? Decorative window film addresses this concern and boasts other benefits to augment the return on your energy savings investment.

Privacy Benefits of Decorative Window Film

Privacy Benefits of Decorative Window Film

Installing decorative window film to glass provides discretion when confidentiality of information or privacy for employees is an issue. You can install frosted, tinted, or colored window film at various opacity levels to get the privacy you need without sacrificing natural light.

The Flexibility Factor

The Flexibility Factor

Window film enhances the sophistication factor of glass as well. You can select decorative film to customize your space with unique designs, prints, or patterns, including styles that resemble cut or texturized glass. Window film is easy to clean and durable over time, but because the film can be applied and removed easily and inexpensively without damaging glass, you have the flexibility to change the look of your space at little cost.

Let the Sun Shine In

Let the Sun Shine In

Boosting natural light in the workplace has been linked to increased employee productivity and morale. Direct sunlight can cause glare on computer screens though, forcing employees to rely on blinds and overhead lighting to tackle the problem. Decorative window film reduces the transmission of light through glass to diminish glares, making employees more comfortable while reaping the benefits of sunlight.

Window film provides the additional benefit of filtering up to 99% of harmful UV rays, which protects employees from skin damage that can cause skin cancer, and office furnishings and flooring from fading.

If you plan to renovate your office space with glass partitions and walls, you get to enjoy more natural light while reducing your energy consumption. Enhancing glass with decorative window film can further customize your space and provide the added benefits of privacy and protection for employees.

   

Stay Warmer This Winter With Window Film

Heating your house can get expensive, especially when the winters are long and harsh. However, living in a cold home can be uncomfortable. Learn a few tips from Madico®, Inc. to stay warm this winter without spending lots on a heating bill.

6 Tips to Stay Warm This Winter

There are many ways to be cozy during winter without turning the heat on high. If you want to lower your heating bill or be more comfortable in the cold, consider our tips for staying warm.

1. Wear Layers

One of the easiest ways to keep warm this winter is by layering clothes. Sweaters, sweatshirts and long johns are great for wearing over or under other clothes. Fuzzy socks and slippers are must-haves in homes with cold floors. Wrapping yourself in a blanket can give you another layer, too.

2. Consume Hot Food and Beverages

Remember you can warm yourself up from the inside out! A hot bowl of soup is a common meal on cold days for a reason. Keep hot chocolate, coffee and tea on hand during the winter months so you can enjoy a steaming mug of your favorite beverage. A hot mug is also helpful for warming your hands.

3. Use the Heat From the Stove or Oven

Your stove and oven can generate a lot of heat in your kitchen. Make hot meals often during the winter to take advantage of the warmth the stove can provide. After you finish baking something, consider leaving the oven door open so the heat can escape and warm the kitchen.

However, use this tip with caution. Keep an eye on little ones and pets if you leave the oven door open so no one gets hurt. It’s also important to use this method sparingly, as it can increase carbon monoxide levels in your home.

4. Reverse Your Ceiling Fan

While you may normally avoid fans when you’re cold, setting your fan to spin clockwise on a low setting can help heat your house. Warm air rises, so it sits around ceiling level. Turning the fan clockwise helps to push the warmer air back down to floor level.

5. Move Your Body

As much as you may want to stay curled up under blankets, staying still for long periods can make your body stiff and cold. A great way to generate body heat is through movement. Be active inside your house as much as possible. Whether you clean, play a game or exercise, activity can help raise your body temperature. 

6. Invest in Window Film

One of the most effective ways to keep your house warm without adjusting your thermostat is to install Madico window films.

When you think about how window film works, the fact that it keeps harmful UV rays and heat out of your home makes logical sense, but did you know that window film also retains heat inside of your home? Considering that the average home loses about one-third of its heat through windows and doors, window film can go a long way toward conserving energy and keeping your winter heating costs down.

The sun is closer to the earth during the winter, which means even more exposure to its damaging UV rays. More than half of all UVA rays — the ones responsible for premature skin aging and skin cancer — can come through your windows. But window film lets you enjoy the natural light and views while protecting your skin and furnishings. Window film also reduces glare, which may be more of a problem in the winter when UV rays reflect upward off of the bright snow.

Heat is attracted to cold, so hot air will flow to cold windows. But with solar control window film that absorbs the sunshine, windows are kept warm. This keeps the warm air within the room and requires less heat from the heater to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Find a Madico Film Dealer

Madico window films can do more than control your home’s temperature. These films reduce glare, increase the life of your windows and help hold together shattered glass. Installing window film can cost significantly less than having to replace damaged windows.

Consider the numerous places for and uses of Madico window film, and find a dealer to start improving the heat retention in your house this winter.

   

Benefits of Window Film in Hospitals

Aesthetics, energy efficiency, safety, and heat reduction are some of the many benefits that both homeowners and business owners receive from window film. But it is not just limited to houses and cars. Hospitals and health care facilities, like Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston, Texas, have installed window film as a means for both protection and energy efficiency.

Safety & Security Window Films

Safety & Security Window FilmsSafety, care, and protection are all major objectives that hospitals try to achieve with every patient. To further this commitment, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center installed Madico’s safety & security window films earlier this year. With its location relative to the Gulf Coast, it was prone to harsh weather conditions resulting in severe damages. The 850-bed health and surgical facility, made up of an extensive number of windows, needed an additional layer of security to account for serious weather damages. Window film was the plausible solution for this issue, and now there is a sense of “greater safety and peace of mind” among the patients and the St. Luke’s team.

Protection from Natural Disasters and Crime

Protection from Natural Disasters and CrimeIn the case of a natural disaster, medical facilities need to have a plan for their patients’ safety. Specially designed window films reduce the risk of damages by helping shattered glass hold together, preventing flying shards of glass and protecting the patients and the valuable medical equipment. Glass windows and doors are highly susceptible to weather damages and burglary. Shattered glass can expose a hospital building or hospital rooms, along with expensive medical equipment to intruders and theft. While window film doesn’t prevent intrusions, it does make it much more difficult for thieves to get inside.

Sun Protection & Energy Efficiency

Sun Protection & Energy EfficiencyAdditionally, window film rejects 99% of harmful UV rays that cause skin cancer, providing another form of protection for hospital patients. It can also block up to 86% of the sun’s heat, making a medical facility more comfortable for those being treated. The significant reduction of the sun’s heat aids in the building’s energy efficiency as less energy is needed from the HVAC cooling systems and can save up to 30% of a building’s cooling costs.

With window film installed, Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center’s team and patients share relief to know they are in a place that is both comfortable, and more importantly, safe. Click here to read the full story.

   

Window Film for Your Vehicle (Infographic)

Madico Adds New Infographic

 

As seen in the “Window Film in Your Community” animated video and infographic, there are multiple uses for window film.

 

Tinting your vehicle’s windows can block up to 99% of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays and reject up to 92% of the solar heat that builds up in your car. It also adds an extra level of protection in case of an accident, holding shattered glass together.

 

Whether you’re considering window film for safety, heat reduction, or aesthetic purposes, this new “Window Film for Your Vehicle” infographic explains how window film can benefit your vehicle.

 

Window-Film-For-Your-Vehicle-Infographic

 

Window film is an unsung protector of your car, and while it might not always be noticeable, know that it is working. Staying cool, protecting yourself and the passengers in your car, as well as giving your vehicle a unique customized style are just some of the many benefits associated with window film for your vehicle.

 

Download the “Window Film for Your Vehicle” infographic PDF here.

   

Window Film Fights Skin Cancer

Since 1979, The Skin Cancer Foundation has continually been working toward educating the public and the medical profession about the risks associated with skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the world, diagnosing more than 13 million cases each year. To increase awareness of this issue further, May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month. During this month we are frequently reminded of what skin cancer is and how it can be prevented.

 

 

General Precautions

 

General PrecautionsThere are several precautions you can take to decrease your chances of getting skin cancer. The number of cases can drop dramatically with some behavior modifications, which is why this cancer is considered a lifestyle disease. You can reduce the risk of skin cancer by avoiding long exposure to intense sunlight. By covering up your body with protective clothing, wearing a hat and sunglasses, as well as using sunscreen, you can minimize the threat of skin damage from high UV exposure.

 

 

Window Exposure

 

Window ExposureWhile most associate skin cancer with being outside and exposed to the sun’s rays, it is important to note that you can be in your car, at work or at home, and still be a victim of the sun’s damaging UV rays. Approximately 53% of skin cancers in the U.S. occur on the left side of your body – that is the drivers’ side of the body. Your car’s side and back windows expose you to more than 60 percent of UVA rays, however this can be prevented.

 

 

Window Film as a Protector

 

Window Film as a ProtectorWindow film, sometimes referred to as window tint, is not only a better, more cost effective way to save on your energy bills, but it also helps reduce the amount of UV exposure passing through your windows. Professionally installed window film will help block damaging UVA and UVB rays that cause skin cancer. When window film is properly installed, up to 99% of the sun’s harmful UV rays are blocked from passing through the window. Window film is a great form of protection because it lessens the risk of premature aging and skin cancer while still letting in visible light.

 

 

Take Action

 

Take ActionSkin Cancer Awareness Month is a good reminder to all of us to take the necessary actions to protect ourselves from the sun’s UV rays year round. Even when the sun is covered by clouds, you are still exposed to the UVA and UVB rays. Don’t overlook the effectiveness of sun protection! Consider having window film professionally installed to your windows to protect yourself and your loved ones.

   

Window Film Delivers Energy Savings for Apartment Complexes

If you’re the owner or property manager of an apartment complex, just juggling day-to-day repairs can keep you busy. But investing in a plan to upgrade your building’s energy efficiency will save you time and money in the long run.

The first building improvements that come to mind may be replacing old air conditioning units, installing extra insulation, or installing a new roof. But if window film isn’t at the top of that list, it needs to be.

Reduces Solar Heat Gain

Reduces Solar Heat GainMany apartment complexes have large windows and sliding glass doors which allow in direct sunlight. When the sun shines in, it heats up living spaces and runs up utility bills—both for the owner and the tenants. Having quality window film professionally installed can reduce unwanted solar heat gain by more than 80%, and cut cooling costs by as much as 30%, according to the International Window Film Association (IWFA).

Cost Effective Solution

Cost Effective SolutionWindow film installation can be three times more cost effective than replacing an air conditioner. In fact, window film can extend the life of HVAC systems by reducing maintenance and strains on the system.

Window film also costs less than replacing windows and sliding glass doors— allowing you to make other upgrades to the units. Plus, it offers other energy-saving benefits including:

· Reduces glare
· Offers UV protection
· Minimizes fading of furnishings, flooring, and décor
· Increases daytime privacy
· Improves building aesthetics

Energy Saving Rebates Available

Energy Saving Rebates AvailableThere are also a wide range of window film rebate programs available to commercial property owners. The rebates vary greatly from state to state, so it’s important to research your local utility company’s rules and regulations.

   

Commercial Window Film In Restaurants Can Improve Customer Experience

To be a successful restaurant owner, having good food usually isn’t enough— providing an environment that complements the cuisine and the customers it attracts also plays a big role. In many cases, commercial window film can be installed to help enhance the overall customer experience in several ways.

Make Your Customers Comfortable

Make Your Customers ComfortableFor many restaurants, having walls of windows provide sunshine and a beautiful view that’s alluring to customers. However, the heat and the glare that come with untreated windows can turn into a turn off. If you’ve ever had a customer ask to be re-seated because of the annoying glare at lunchtime, you know what a hassle it can be— especially if your restaurant is full.

Professionally-installed window film can block up to 99% of the sun’s UV rays, offering significant glare reduction without reducing visibility. Additionally window film provides heat reduction, reflecting approximately 80% of the sun’s heat, making your customers more comfortable and keeping your restaurant cooler without having to turn up the air conditioner.

Window Film Offers UV Protection

Window Film Offers UV ProtectionYour customers probably wouldn’t think to wear sunscreen indoors, so it’s fairly safe to assume they wouldn’t apply SPF 30 before dining inside your restaurant. But the sunlight streaming in that increases the ambiance also allows ultraviolet radiation in through the windows, which contributes to a person’s daily accumulation of sun exposure. Window film helps block damaging UVA and UVB rays that cause skin cancer including melanoma, other skin conditions and visible signs of aging, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Reduce Fading, Protect Furnishings and Products

Reduce Fading, Protect Furnishings and ProductsWindow film also offers protection against the damaging effects of the sun to internal furnishings, fabrics, flooring, and artwork. The cost of having to replace furniture, carpet, or paintings can add up quickly. Restaurants may also have retail displays in front of windows, offering higher end or very specialized products that could be damaged and even destroyed by the sun’s heat. In the case of one wine shop owner in England, several bottles of wine heated up so much that the corks actually popped off!

Safety films can offer another form of protection for your customers and your business: holding commercial glass in place if shattered during accidents, burglaries, storms, or other type of natural disaster.

And don’t forget the energy savings! Window films can help reduce your energy bills, and you might be able to receive a rebate from your local utility company for making energy-efficient improvements to your restaurant.

To determine which type of commercial window film is right for your business, be sure to consult with a professional window film installer or manufacturer.

   

5 Ways Window Film Can Protect Your Facilities

once again invited a representative from Madico to contribute to their publication on the topic of window film. Jeffrey Plummer, Madico’s Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, chose to explore the “5 Ways Window Film Can Protect Your Facilities.”

 

You can read his full article on the Facility Executive website.

 

Facility Executive is a one-stop source for information on quality operation, design and maintenance of facilities. It offers a shared community of facility management experts who explore and analyze issues that affect your facility and its environment.