Connecting to Collections Care

We're completing a major restoration of a large historic home and the issue of UV glass in replacement skylights has come up.  Throughout the house we have kept original clear-glazing in the windows although UV-blocking storm windows are being added. Most windows have shades (possibly curtains too) which will be drawn when the building isn't open to the public.

However we also have roof-mounted skylights with sloped glass panels.  These are in light shafts, so the skylight itself might be anywhere from 5' to 15' feet above the room.

Is the UV light that comes in still capable of causing UV damage?

The orientation of these is such that no direct sunlight would be hitting objects or furniture but would hit white painted plaster surfaces, radiating into the space 5-15' below where there is (new) wallpaper and carpet.  Is the indirect, seasonal UV load reflecting off these surfaces (the shaft) enough of a challenge to have a deleterious effect?  We've been talking through whether the light is so diffused or absorbed (or has bounced around enough!) that the UV issue isn't one.

Thanks for advice, thoughts.


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Deb Wold
Senior Collections Manager
Longyear Museum
Chestnut Hill MA
(617) 278-9000 (320)
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Deb - Before you make any decisions about replacement, need for UV, etc. it would be very helpful to do a light survey (visible and UV) of the existing situation. Visible light can do almost as much damage as UV.  I assume that the new wallpaper and carpets are costing a considerable amount, and that you do not want to have them fade! Visible light reduction, along with UV filtration, could be very important in preventing new (or further) deterioration. Will the new skylights have any methods included for cutting off all light when the house is closed to the public?  You might even consider SMART glass - an expensive, but effective control method.   Bronze-tinted Plexi is also a useful way to reduce visible light infiltration (and the two darkest of the five available tints also are very effective UV filters).


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Paul Himmelstein
Partner
Appelbaum & Himmelstein
New York NY
(212) 666-4630
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-23-2021 09:33
From: Deb Wold
Subject: Replacement skylight windows in historic home - UV glass needed?

We're completing a major restoration of a large historic home and the issue of UV glass in replacement skylights has come up.  Throughout the house we have kept original clear-glazing in the windows although UV-blocking storm windows are being added. Most windows have shades (possibly curtains too) which will be drawn when the building isn't open to the public.

However we also have roof-mounted skylights with sloped glass panels.  These are in light shafts, so the skylight itself might be anywhere from 5' to 15' feet above the room.

Is the UV light that comes in still capable of causing UV damage?

The orientation of these is such that no direct sunlight would be hitting objects or furniture but would hit white painted plaster surfaces, radiating into the space 5-15' below where there is (new) wallpaper and carpet.  Is the indirect, seasonal UV load reflecting off these surfaces (the shaft) enough of a challenge to have a deleterious effect?  We've been talking through whether the light is so diffused or absorbed (or has bounced around enough!) that the UV issue isn't one.

Thanks for advice, thoughts.


------------------------------
Deb Wold
Senior Collections Manager
Longyear Museum
Chestnut Hill MA
(617) 278-9000 (320)
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