There are aspects to homeowners insurance that you may have never considered before. Have you ever notice that your carpet’s color has faded or one of your favorite photos has lost its sheen? If either one of them experiences direct sunlight, it was probably due to the ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Sunlight's harmful effects on the skin are well known, but it can also damage items in our home and unfortunately, it's not covered by your homeowner's insurance. However, there are a few things you can do to manage the effect of UV exposure on your household items.
Materials
Any household item made out of material, i.e., curtains or fabric-covered furnishings, can be affected by exposure to direct sunlight. To avoid excessive damage, either by furniture with lighter-toned fabric to hide the fade better, purchase synthetic blends or consider using a UV-repelling spray.
Art
All household artwork can be prone to fading, especially one in direct sunlight. Treat canvas artwork with a UV protection spray to prevent any sun damage and to preserve framed art, replace the glass with museum-grade conservation glass or UV-blocking acrylic.
Window Films
The sun's UV rays are responsible for almost 40 percent of all of your home's interior fading issues. Your regular window glass will only block about a quarter of those destructive rays, so to help prevent interior damage to the items in your home, consider adding a UV-blocking film to all of your windows. These additional films can provide up to 99.9 percent UV protection.
Flooring Protection
Hardwood floors are a gorgeous addition to any home. However, they can be susceptible to sunlight. For new flooring, consider shopping for lighter colors or treating the floors with pigment-based stains and finishes with UV inhibitors in their formula.
While taking precautions to help protect your furniture and floors from the sun’s UV rays, make sure that your home is also protected from things like weather, fire, or theft with affordable homeowners insurance. If you don't own a home and don't need homeowners insurance, no problem, we offer condo and renter's insurance too. Call one of our experienced agents today!