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Ultraviolet Protection

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Best practices from Historic New England experts

Controlling light is an old issue with houses. Historically builders have gone to great lengths to bring natural light and ventilation into a house, particularly prior to the advent of electric lighting. On the other hand, it is important to protect the house and its contents from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays, which cause degradation to fabrics, papers, paints, and plant materials.

Shutters, awnings, and deep porches are a few of the architectural features used in the past to control light. Today these low-tech methods are still appropriate for some historic houses, but where these features were never present, we can take advantage of newer materials in various installations.

Ultraviolet Protection Topics

Basic guidelines for ultraviolet protection include:

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