How do sunshades keep the inside of cars cool?

2014-04-22

In some countries, bright sunlight with soaring heat of 40+ degree makes your lovely cars

interiors  fading & cracking. the car owners try to park under trees etc but that is not always 

possible. Tree sap is very annoying as well.Cracking the window open is not an option due 

to safety and security reasons.

If you look around a parking lot during the summer, you might see sunshades set up in windshields of cars. How do sunshades keep the inside of cars cool?

Keeping your car cool in the middle of August is never easy, but ColorSmart got some tips to help.

Research shows that a car’s interior temperature rises about 19º Fahrenheit in just 10 minutes. After an hour or 2, the interior can be 40º to 50º hotter(!) than the outside temperature. So if you’re parked in 100-degree heat, your car’s interior could reach 150º in just an hour, and the dashboard and seats could be as hot as an oven on low (about 200º, enough to bake cookies).

Why do car interiors get so hot?

Sunlight enters your car through its windows in the form of short-wave energy and is absorbed by the interior. The interior then radiates this energy back in the form of long-wave infrared radiation. And while sunlight can easily pass through glass, infrared light cannot escape through the windows. The trapped energy (heat) then causes your car’s interior temperature to rise. Thus, a parked car offers a great example of the greenhouse effect at work.

The science behind this proves the common-sense theory that shade — any kind of car sun shade — is your best bet for keeping your car cool in the summer.

• Park in the shade. Obvious, yes, but it works. By limiting the amount of direct sunlight your car gets, you’ll minimize the heat buildup inside. Plus, you’ll save your car’s interior from sun and heat damage.
• Get shades for your car. Car shades will work in a pinch to keep your car cooler when you can’t find an inch of shade. According to a study by the Florida Energy Center, conventional car shades can reduce the interior temperature of a vehicle by 15º and the dashboard temp by 40º. And radiant barrier system car shades — the foil-faced, reflective kind — can cool your car even more because they actually reflect the sun’s heat instead of absorbing it.
• Tint your windows. Because window tints either absorb or reflect UV light, they help keep your car cool (and your interior from fading). Just keep in mind that the laws regarding window tinting vary by state. Check with your local DMV before tinting your windows to make sure you’re complying with local safety laws.

Aside from these basic tricks, there aren’t any surefire high-tech ways to keep your car’s interior from baking. Aftermarket solar-powered fans and vents are available, but their effectiveness is hotly debated.

And, contrary to popular belief, research shows that “cracking” the windows does little to cool your car’s interior. Your car’s interior and exterior colors do the most to determine its interior temp.

ColorSmart provides your high quality auto sunshades, which can be branded with your logo

in any sizes or can be customized to any sizes. Our versatile car window sun shade work wonderfully in cars, trucks, boats and RV's. Printed with gloss/fade resistant ink that will not fade in bright sunlight. 

For inquiries and orders contact: sales@car-sunshade.com.

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