Despite your best efforts, the interior of your car may be showing its age. How is that possible, you may be wondering, when you’ve been so diligent about cleaning up after yourself and having it professionally detailed on a regular basis? Odds are the sun has a lot to do with it. Indeed, powerful UVA and UVB rays from the sun slowly but steadily cause fading and other damage to the interior of even the finest vehicles. That’s true whether your interior is upholstered in fabric or the best leather around. Fortunately, there’s a fairly simple solution: window tinting.
Window Tinting: It’s Not Just for Privacy
Like many people, you may assume that window tinting is mostly used to enhance privacy. That’s certainly true in many cases, but it comes with many additional benefits as well. While the windshield of your vehicle is almost certainly laminated in a way that deflects harmful UVA and UVB rays, odds are that the back and side windows aren’t. Therefore, the driver and front passenger are somewhat shielded against those rays, and the same applies to the interior of the car. However, because the side and rear windows aren’t, backseat passengers typically endure long periods of exposure to those harmful rays. The car’s upholstery and components are too, and that’s why they start fading and losing their luster over time.
The Problem with UVA and UVB Rays
If you wear sunscreen, you already know how harmful UVA and UVB rays can be. They can burn your skin and increase your risk of skin cancer, but they don’t just hurt people. We talked with Doctor Tint and Details who explained, “After being exposed to these harmful rays over long periods of time, the interior of a car may start to degrade. The upholstery, which was once vibrantly colored and beautiful to behold, may start fading and looking a lot less attractive.” Plastic, vinyl and other materials begin to fade too, and they often lose a lot of their elasticity. As a result, they may even start to crack, peel or chip in places due to dryness. All of these things can happen even if you take excellent care of your vehicle. The only effective way to fight back against the problem is by tinting your car windows.
Does it Have to Be Dark?
As you probably know, many states have strict laws regarding how darkly a car’s back windows can be tinted. This is largely due to the fact that some people try to engage in illegal activities in the backseats of cars, and law enforcement officers need to be able to see into the windows. Fortunately, automotive window tinting doesn’t need to be dark for it to effectively protect the interior of a vehicle. Regardless of where you live or of the laws in your state, you should be able to find a shade that will protect the interior without being too dark.
Are There Alternatives?
Certain sprays and conditioners supposedly help to protect fabric and leather from sun damage. However, they are very hit or miss, and they need to be applied regularly. You’ll end up spending a small fortune on such products, and you’ll spend huge amounts of time applying them again and again. While your initial upfront investment for window tinting will be higher, it’s just a once-off expense. The protection it provides will save you untold amounts of money in the future, so it’s a truly worthwhile investment.
Additional Benefits
In addition to keeping the interior of your car in tip-top shape, window tinting helps to keep it cooler during hot, sunny weather. You’ll rely less on your air conditioning, which will help you vehicle operate more efficiently. Window tinting also shields humans from harmful UV rays, of course, and it helps to enhance the privacy of a vehicle as well. When you add up all the benefits, you’re sure to agree that automotive window tinting is a terrific investment.
