Discussing the effects of UV rays such as UVA, UVB, & UVC along with IR rays can be extremely confusing, so in this short write up I will try to keep it as simple as possible.
Essentially the suns energy reaches us in many ways. The ways that we will discuss today are the 3 types of Ultra-Violet Rays and also Infrared Rays. In an effort to not get too involved in the science of it, we will focus on the effects that it has on our day to day lives.
- UVC (Ultra-Violet C) – Although extremely dangerous to us, these rays are blocked by the earth’s ozone layer and do not reach us. That is why we only commonly hear of the effects of UVA & UVB.
- UVB (Ultra-Violet B) – The effects of UVB energy from the sun can be noticed very quickly in the form of sunburn. This energy is also responsible the increasing amount of skin cancers found every year.
- UVA (Ultra-Violet A) – Whilst UVB will show its effects very quickly, UVA can often damage our skin in a more long term way such as sun spots, wrinkles, and of course skin cancers.
- IR (Infrared) – IR is something that is being talked about more and more these days in the window film industry. The simplest way to explain the effects of IR rays is in heat. The heat that we feel from the sun is a direct result of IR rays.
So by choosing the correct film for your requirements, you can almost remove any effects of UV rays and greatly reduce the heat generated from IR rays.