Auto Glass and UV Light

Many people believe that regular glass (the one used for house windows) blocks Ultraviolet radiation. They believe that being indoors is relatively safe. But this is not the full truth. Today, the DAG team explores the relation between Ultraviolet radiation, regular glass, and auto glass.

Ultraviolet Radiation

Ultraviolet radiation can be divided into three types, UVA, UVB,  and UVC. 

UVA (320-400 nm wavelength) is at the long end of the UV spectrum and can penetrate into the skin. This type of UV radiation can have a significant effect on creating wrinkles and it can also contribute to cancer development.

UVB (280-320 nm wavelength) is at the middle range of the UV spectrum but doesn't penetrate the epidermis, although, along with UVA, it can contribute to cancer development.

UVC (100-280 nm wavelength) is at the short end of the UV spectrum but is mostly absorbed by the ozone layer.

Ordinary Glass

Ordinary glass, like the one used for house windows, blocks much of UVB but lets much of UVA  through. Clear glass allows a large percent of UVA through. Tinted glass does a little better, but almost 50% still passes through it. 

Auto Glass

Now, how does auto glass fare in all of this? With a large percent of the population in urban areas spending more time inside their cars, this becomes an interesting question. The answer? 

As we have learned in previous articles, the windshield in the majority of modern cars is built of laminated glass that blocks most of all UVB and UVA radiation. Now this applies to the windshield. However, the side and rear windows are usually not laminated glass. As we have learned, this type of safety glass is usually tempered glass. This means that a large percent of UVA can still go through side windows and rear windows. 

A solution to reduce the amount of UVA light that goes through side windows and rear windows is window tinting. 

We hope that you have found this post informative! Again, the DAG glass team is ready to answer all your questions. And remember, if you need auto glass repair in Martinez CA or in any location in the Bay Area.