Most homeowners are aware that the sun’s UV rays can fade furnishings – we see it all the time on the cushions of our patio furniture. Unfortunately, those same UV rays can fade the inside of a home, too – from draperies to furniture to carpeting – because they can easily penetrate windows and doors.

There’s not much homeowners can do to protect items that are left outside, but there is an easy way to protect the inside of homes—replacement window and doors! Windows with high-performance Low-E glass actually filter out much of the spectrum of UV light that causes fading.

The glass in windows and doors carries a Fade Protection Factor (FPF) rating. Like Sun Protection Factor (SPF) for sunscreens, FPF is a rating achieved through independent laboratory testing. A higher FPF number means greater fade protection for household furnishings because virtually all of the UVa and UVb rays are being blocked by the glass and coatings.

Clear glass for instance, has an FPF of only 2. Laminated glass systems offer particularly good fade protection—like Gorell’s Armor Glass Plus option that carries an FPF rating of 50 (the highest rating possible)!

The bottom line is this: Nothing can completely prevent fading, but if homeowners want to keep their interior home furnishing looking newer and brighter for longer, they should consider high-performance replacement windows that help block the sun’s harmful rays from homes.

For more information on the FPF ratings for Gorell’s various high-performance glass systems, visit http://www.gorell.com/pages/glass_chart.htm.