Here’s the answer up front. Yes, for UV it works. Ordinary window glass stops the UVB, but most of the UVA goes straight through it, and that’s part of what fades your floors, furniture and books. The clear UV window film I fit is rated to stop 99.5% of UV, and you keep your daylight.
But it won’t stop fading completely, it isn’t made for heat, and if I’m honest it’s not the clear film I’d usually put in. I’ll tell you why.
I’m George, I run AWTUK, and I fit window film across Essex and the South East, every install personally.
Doesn’t ordinary window glass already block UV?
Some of it. Glass is good at stopping UVB, the rays that do most of the burning. It’s a lot worse at stopping UVA, which ages your skin. Both raise your risk of skin cancer.
| Glass | How much UV gets through |
|---|---|
| Ordinary single glass | Stops the UVB, but let 74% of the UVA through in one test |
| Toughened | No better. Car side windows are toughened and don’t block UVA well |
| Double glazing | Depends on the glass and any coatings in the unit |
| Laminated | Very little. Pilkington rate their laminated glass at 0 to 3% |
| With clear UV film on | Rated to stop 99.5% of UV |
Does double glazing block UV?
It depends on the glass in the unit, not the fact that it’s double. Some units have a UV filter built in and some don’t. The window maker can tell you, if you know who that is.
Either way, clear UV film goes on double glazing fine. It goes on the inside and doesn’t soak up much of the sun’s heat, so the thermal stress risk is low. I still test every pane at the survey.
Will UV film stop my floors and furniture fading?
It slows it down, but it won’t stop it. Unfortunately I’m not a magician.
UV is only part of it. Museum conservators reckon it’s usually less than half of the fading on the colours that fade easiest. Normal daylight does most of the rest, and that’s the light you want in the room.
Does a darker film cut fading more? Yes, because it cuts the daylight too. But go dark enough and you’re sat in a cave.
If you’ve got wooden floors, a good sofa, artwork or a wall of books in a sunny room, that’s where UV film earns its keep.
A good example is a period flat in Hackney. Mint green wooden frames, a room full of art and old books, and the books were fading. He’d been keeping the blind shut permanently to protect them, so he’d lost all his natural light.
I fitted Dual Reflective 25 first. That evening he got in touch: really happy with the job, but the tinted look just wasn’t for him. No problem.
I went back, took it all off and fitted clear heat control instead. The glass looks exactly like it did before, it still blocks 99% of the UV, and he’s got his light and his view back. Here’s the full Hackney case study.
Will UV window film make my room darker?
No. On a plain single pane, 86% of the light still comes through, and once it’s on you’d struggle to tell it’s there. No tint, no mirror finish.
Back in April I took samples to a job, Silver 35 among them. Once he’d seen them on site, the silver was too dark for him. He didn’t even want clear heat control. Straight clear UV. He was happy with it and left me a review on the spot.
That’s why I bring samples to the survey.
Now, clear UV isn’t my favourite film to fit. It’s thin, it picks up loads of static, you can see every speck of dust on it, and it creases super easily. The edges are almost invisible too, so I check them as I go, not just at the end.
Probably the hardest job I’ve done was clear UV on old single glazing with wooden frames. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
Does clear UV film keep the heat out?
Not really. It’s made for UV, not heat. On the data sheet it turns away 19% of the sun’s heat.
That’s the main reason I’d usually steer you towards clear heat control instead. It costs a bit more, but it looks better on the glass, it doesn’t pick up static the same way, it still blocks 99% of the UV, and it takes some of the heat out too. That’s what went on in Hackney.
If you don’t mind a tint, a solar film does more again. Conservatories usually need one. Better I tell you that now than you ring me in July because the room’s still a greenhouse.
Can UV window film help with XP, lupus or light sensitivity?
It can help. The NHS suggests UV film on windows for some light-sensitive conditions, including XP, and LUPUS UK lists a clear one for people with lupus who react to light.
You might have seen the BBC story in August about a toddler in Scotland with XP, a rare condition where the body can’t repair UV damage to the skin. UV film on the windows means she can now play in daylight at home. I wasn’t involved in that job.
If you or your child has XP, two things worth knowing from the NHS XP team at Guy’s and St Thomas’:
- Free UV meter: your XP nurse can get you one, so you can test your own glass
- Grants: a Disabled Facilities Grant from your council sometimes covers the cost of the film
The clear UV film I fit is tested up to 380 nanometres, and UVA runs up to 400. If your consultant wants cover up to 400, tell me and I’ll check which films are rated to it before I quote. Some conditions react to visible light as well, and clear film can only do so much there.
Whatever the condition, speak to your consultant first. Then I’ll tell you straight whether the film I fit meets what they want.
Things people ask about UV film
“Can you get sunburnt through a window?”
For most people, it’s unlikely. Glass stops almost all the UVB, which does most of the burning. UVA gets through and can burn too, especially skin that’s sensitive to light. Clear UV film deals with that part.
“Will UV window film harm my house plants?”
It shouldn’t. Plants grow on daylight, not UV, and most of the daylight still comes through the film.
“How long does UV window film last?”
The clear UV film I fit has a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty. Museum conservators expect 10 to 15 years from UV film fitted on the inside.
How much does UV window film cost?
My minimum charge is £175. A typical house job, say the whole back of a two or three-bed, usually lands between £500 and £1,000+, depending on the film. Here’s how I price window film.
Clear film on old single glazing with wooden frames takes a lot longer than people expect, so it’s priced higher. I’ll show you why at the survey.
Two-minute ballpark: the calculator on the website. Rough measurements in, price out, no phone number needed.
Or fill in the quick form, or ring me on 01621 927175. You’ll get a rough estimate within 24 hours. If it’s in budget, I’ll come round, check the glass and bring samples, then give you a fixed price. The survey doesn’t cost you anything.
George
George Bennett is the owner of AWTUK, a specialist window film installer covering Essex and the South East, and a 3M Accredited installer.
