Protecting The Secret Life Of Plants With Window Tinting

The undoubted health and safety benefits gained from installing window tinting film in a commercial office or residential application are significant when examined in detail. Solar control tinted film is capable of rejecting up to 90 per cent of visual glare, 80 per cent of solar heat and 99.9 per cent of solar UV radiation.

Protecting against the long term damage that UV light alone can inflict upon the fading of interior fabrics, curtains, upholstery and other reactive furnishing materials has also been a major factor.

However, one question seems to be constantly asked simply because an abiding concern seems to outweigh conviction in the often repeated answer, i.e. the effect that window tinting film may or may have upon the survival and continued healthy growth of household (or office) plants.

The specifications and properties of today’s advanced tinted window films vary considerably in determining their ability to reject, absorb or transmit different percentages of light, heat and solar radiation.

Previous research has found that the blocking of solar ultra violet radiation does not have any negative effect upon the natural growth of either desert or tropical plants. To activate the food manufacturing process of photosynthesis, plant life requires chlorophyll absorption of the visible light wavelength not the ultraviolet.

Window film will not harm a house plant if it is already receiving sufficient light. Many tropical plants actually require less light and heat to naturally grow than they presently receive in South Africa’s climate.

It has been commonly found that house-plants can achieve an improved healthier growth with fewer dried out and wilting leaves at the end of a long hot day.  It’s also likely that dark green coloured plants will need less sunlight than a lighter coloured variety, and require less water after window tinting film has significantly reduced interior heat.

Most plants are very resilient, and while some may react negatively during the first few days of adjustment and acclimatisation, no damage is likely to occur in the long term as the window film will actively benefit house plants by the elimination of almost all harmful UV radiation.

While most gardening or horticultural centers / nurseries can offer advice as to whether a particular plant needs more or less  light, concerned home owners can carry out one simple test of removing the plant to an area with less sunlight for a few days before window tinting is installed.

About the author –

Solar Tint and design is a window tinting company based in Johannesburg. The owner and the author of this blog is Rico Lowe, he has over 25 years’ experience in this field.