Stained glass provides a solution to privacy and heat issues caused by traditional glass. It can be colored with coatings that block or reflect light, and is commonly used in car windows and homes. State laws regulate the degree to which car windows can be tinted.
Glass used for windows in buildings, homes and cars, while offering the benefit of letting in light, often compromises the privacy that occupants desire, and can also let in more heat than desired. Stained glass, however, provides an easy solution to these problems. This term refers to any glass that has been treated with a material such as a film or coating that reduces the transmission of light through it. Glass can be colored with various types of coatings, which block and/or reflect different amounts and types of light, depending on the needs and preferences of the consumer.
One of the most common ways stained glass is used is in automobile windows. Nearly all cars feature tinting at the top of the windshield to reduce solar glare when the sun is low in the sky. In addition to this, the windows of many cars are tinted at the factory or as an aftermarket accessory by the consumer, to ensure the privacy of the car’s occupants, as well as to reduce heat build-up in a car while it is parked outside.
The laws of every state in the United States regulate the degree to which car windows can be tinted, especially the front windows. These limits are in place to allow police to identify the driver and passengers of a vehicle, as well as to allow motorists to see through the windows of other vehicles to spot hazards that might not otherwise be seen. Each state’s laws restricting window tint are different, but they all specify the minimum allowable percentage of visible light transmission (VLT) for private vehicle windows. The windscreen and the windows immediately to the left and right of the driver should generally have a higher VLT percentage than the rear windows of private vehicles.
Another popular use of stained glass is in the windows of homes and commercial buildings. Residential glass tinting is much easier to do than automotive tinting. It can even be done by the homeowner himself, with a little practice. Stained glass in homes serves many practical purposes, such as limiting the transmission of ultraviolet light through windows to reduce fading of furniture and carpets, and reducing heat gain within the home by reflecting solar thermal energy, thus saving the homeowner’s money in cooling costs.
Stained glass is also used in commercial buildings to keep the interior cooler and has the added benefit of giving the exterior of a building a more uniform and aesthetically pleasing appearance. Depending on the creative use of different coloring colors, the building can also take on a unique and interesting look while at the same time being insulated from the sun.
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