UVA Protection

[Tracy]

Hi, I'm trying to find a window covering that will block out UVA. I'm posting this on a few boards, so I'm sorry if you're seeing this question in various places. I need this for a temporary residence (about a year) with many large windows and an insane amount of sunlight coming through them. I don't do too well with sunscreen and would prefer not to apply and reapply many times a day while I'm home. I take a number a couple photo-sensitizing allergy meds, plus I like to care for my skin in general. I'd love to find something cost effective that does not require drilling into walls. I've read UV window film does not block out all UVA wavelengths, so I'd rather skip that. I found paper blackout shades from a company called RediShade. These do a great job at blocking out the sun, however I am not certain if visible light blocking indicates the UVA blocking performance is good as well. They are essentially black paper. I'm not certain there is a coating. The company states the blinds block out 99% of light, for complete privacy, light control and UV protection. I'm not certain that means 99% UVA protection. So, in short, if black paper blocks out most visible light, is it also blocking out most of the UVA? Thanks for any help you can

[swansont]

If it’s blocking all the light, it’s blocking UV.

Filters that transmit the red end of the spectrum might block into the UV. 

[studiot]

37 minutes ago, Tracy said:

Hi, I'm trying to find a window covering that will block out UVA.

You ned to use somehing like Pilkington Optiview glass

 

https://www.pilkington.com/en/global/products/product-categories/special-applications/pilkington-optiview-range/pilkington-optiview-protect

[John Cuthber]

The windows of charity shops used to be covered with a yellow film that blocked all the UV and some of the visible blue/ violet light. It stopped sunlight fading the goods on display.

 

Black paper will almost certainly block all the UV. (In principle it would be possible to make a "black" paper that didn't absorb UVA, but it would be more difficult and more expensive than using carbon black as the pigment so nobody will bother)

Practically all commercial white paint uses titanium dioxide as a pigment. That will absorb all the UV but reflect the visible light. (By a helpful coincidence, the reflection cut off for TiO₂ is practically the same as the cut off for visible vs UV light.) If you have blinds with white slats so that the light coming in has to bounce off two slats to get through, practically none of the UVA will get through, but you won't be in the dark.

Edited January 1, 2021 by John Cuthber

[Tracy]

Thank you to everyone who replied! I appreciate your help very much.