Stop Melted Artificial Turf Grass Damage

Here Is How to Prevent Windows from Melting Artificial Turf

When sunlight bounces off of glass windows, the reflection can be so bright it is annoying and even at time outright dangerous. Window glare causes real problems ranging from drivers temporarily blinded by the flash of sunlight reflected off downtown office buildings to super heated window reflections causing damage to surfaces or landscaping and even causing injuries to people.

And dangerous, damaging window reflections are not at all a problem only with massive high-rises sporting walls made largely of glass; residential window reflections can be a serious problem, too. Residential window glare melts artificial turf and vinyl siding, damages living plants and lawns, and can pose a health risk to people and animals alike.

Energy Efficient Windows Can Melt Your Artificial Grass

As more people strive to be more conscious of their energy usage, both in a bid to reduce consumption to protect the environment and to lower their electricity bills, the use of energy efficient low-e windows (low-e is short for low emissivity) is more and more common in homes. In fact, in many places recent building codes require the use of these energy efficient windows.

Most low-e windows achieve their energy efficiency in tow ways. First, the have a highly reflective surface that bounces away maximal solar thermal energy, which is to say the sunshine's heat. Second, they are double paned, with a small vacuum sealed gap between the exterior and interior sheets of glass. Often when the temperature outside and inside a home differs, this vacuum between the panes draws the glass inward, creating a slight concavity in the glass. This allows the exterior pane to function almost like a lens, focusing sunlight that falls on it into a concentrated beam of light. Paired with the already extra reflective surface of a low-e window, this lens effect and reflectivity work together to create a dangerously potent concentration of reflected sunlight.

While energy efficient windows are designed to save a household money, reduce its carbon footprint, and keep the interior cooler, in fact they might inadvertently do enough damage to exterior aspects of the property to erase their benefits.

Common Damage Caused by Window Reflections

• Artificial Turf Melting
• Vinyl Siding Melting
• Natural Lawn Brown Spots
• Car Trim Melting
• Lawn Furniture Melting
• Pool Equipment Melting
• + More

This Is Why Your Turf is Melting

When sunlight bounces off of windows, the resulting focused light can reach well over 200 degrees Fahrenheit in certain conditions, and when the beam falls upon an object close enough at hand, there is often extensive damage. And even at lower temperatures, solar glare can cause issues.

The melting point of vinyl siding is usually between 160 and 165 degrees, so this incredibly common building material is highly susceptible to damage from window glare. Most synthetic grass will distort or melt at temperatures near or just above 200 degrees, so artificial lawns can also frequently be damaged by sunlight reflections. Natural grass can easily be dried out and even killed by focused sunlight glare, as can flowers, shrubs, and other plants.

Sunlight reflected off windows melts patio furniture, damages paint and wood stain, and can even discolor the exterior of cars and trucks. In short, left unchecked, sunlight reflecting off low-e windows can cause all sorts of damage in and around your property.

And remember to be vigilant when watching out for lawns, plants, or siding damage caused by window reflections, as the sun's shifting position throughout the course of the day and of the year means that an area that might seem safe from this damage one day will begin to experience melting or scorching at a later time.

The Best Way to Stop Window Reflections from Causing Damage

As the damage caused by window glare is a result of the light being concentrated by the unique factors of the exterior of a pane of low-e window glass, the best way to stop glare damaging turf, vinyl siding, and more is to alter the actual external panes of energy efficient windows. This is best achieved through the simple, minimally invasive application of anti glare window film.

Anti reflective window film consists of ultra thin sheets of material that are applied directly to the outside of the windows. The window film features countless little perforations that are too minute to be detected as you look through the coated window from inside or look at it from the outside, but these little punctures, which are strategically spread all over the film, change the way in which sunlight interacts with eh surface of the windows. Rather than seeing a pane of highly reflective low-e glass as one large lens that concentrates photons into a focused beam, light particles bounced off of anti reflective window film are sent scattering about in countless directions.

Windows coated with anti reflective window film still reject enough light to be energy efficient and eco-friendly, and they can be seen through easily. They also still allow in plenty of the welcome visible light you like about the interior of your home or place of business. The only noticeable change you will see after applying anti glare window film is that there will be no damage to the landscaping, structures, or accessories on your property or on neighboring properties. (Also, you eliminate the risk of being momentarily blinded or even scorched by super heated reflected light.)

Installing Anti Reflective Window Film - Turf Guard Installation

Anti glare window film to protect vinyl siding, grass, and more is so easy to install that there is usually no need to enlist professional help. The film comes with an adhesive side that is exposed with the removal of a backing. It is first trimmed into a loose fit, and then can then be adhered to the windows and pressed down smoothly using a squeegee. Finally, you trim along the edges of the windows using a razor blade and discard the bit of extra window film.

Anti glare window coating should last for many years in most properties, and it can be removed without leaving any permanent effect on the windows of your home or business.