As an owner of a television, I know all too well how frustrating it can be to suddenly find that your beloved TV isn’t working. Recently, I faced this issue when I started to notice some of the colors on my TV were fading. After doing some research and testing, I discovered that the cause of my problem was that my TV was being exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period of time. This got me wondering, does sunlight actually damage TVs? In this blog post, I’ll be discussing my findings on this topic and other potential solutions I discovered.
The short answer is yes, prolonged exposure to sunlight can, indeed, damage TVs. It can cause dark spotting, screen discoloration, overheating, and even warp the plastic frame of the TV. Unlike outdoor TVs, indoor TVs aren’t made with weatherproofing in mind.
| Tips for Protecting Your TV from Sun Damage: |
|---|
| – Sunlight can damage TVs by causing dark spotting, screen discoloration, overheating, and warping the plastic frame. |
| – Outdoor TVs are designed with weatherproofing that allows them to withstand exposure to sunlight better than indoor TVs. |
| – Position your TV away from direct sunlight and high heat sources, such as fireplaces and radiators. |
| – Use drapes or blinds to protect your TV from the sun’s harmful glare if your room receives a lot of sunlight. |
| – Keep your TV away from windows and glass doors as these areas get the most sunlight. |
Table of Contents
Does Sunlight Damage TV?
The answer to this question depends on how much sunlight the TV is getting.
If you place your TV in an area where daylight would only occasionally hit the screen, sunlight won’t cause any long-lasting damage to the TV. You’ll have issues with sun glare, but nothing more than that.
It’s a different matter if the TV is placed under constant, direct sunlight, like if it’s outdoors or close to the window.
Heat and UV rays can physically damage not only the LCD screen but also the TV’s plastic frame. Direct sunlight can cause unsightly dark spots and pixel discoloration on the LCD. The screen’s plastic enclosure may appear deformed and wrapped due to excessive heat.
Outdoor TVs are made with a considerable amount of weatherproofing, allowing them to live outside for years under extreme temperatures and UV rays. Indoor TVs don’t have this advantage. This is why they’re best kept away from direct sunlight.
What Does Excessive Sunlight Do to a TV?
TVs get damaged when placed near a fireplace, radiator, or a similarly strong heat source. The same logic applies when the TV is placed under excessive sunlight. Here’s what prolonged sunlight exposure does to a TV:
Dark Spotting
Excessive sunlight can greatly damage the performance and appearance of your LCD screen.
The damage is gradual. First, the heat would slowly deteriorate the liquid crystals inside the LCD screen. Then, it would gradually change the color of your TV. Before you know it, unsightly dark spots would appear on the TV.
These spots are caused by burnt LCD backlights as a result of having been subjected to the sun’s heat for too long.
Warped Plastic Frame
TVs are made from a variety of raw materials, from plastics and circuit boards to metals and glass. Plastics made up the exterior of the television, and we all know what happens to plastic when exposed to extreme heat: they melt.
TV frames are made of thermoplastics such as polyethylene, which has high heat resistance.
But although this is the case, the thermal strength of such thermoplastics is rather low compared to other plastics.
As such, they’re not immune to heat-related damage like deformation. The outer plastic enclosure can become warped with constant exposure to sunlight, which can result in internal component damage.
Screen Discoloration
Similar to how the sun’s UV rays can burn skin, they can also burn the TV’s liquid crystals.
When burned, the screen would cease to respond to electrical currents and would become transparent or completely opaque. This means that the screen won’t be able to filter external light passing through the TV.
Over time, the TV would lose its brightness, definition, and contrast. The screen would appear dull and discolored.
Overheating
Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause the TV to overheat, which can bring about a load of problems.
Extreme heat can cause the electronic parts of the TV to degrade and eventually stop working entirely. As time goes by, you’ll notice your TV shutting down randomly or working poorly.
How to Position Your TV
When positioning your TV, place it away from direct sunlight. Ideally, position it in an east or west-facing direction.
Avoid locations such as glass doors or windows as much as possible, as these are sunlight-rich areas.
Likewise, TVs should be placed away from high heat sources such as fireplaces, radiators, and refrigerators, as they can cause overheating.
If your room naturally receives a lot of sunlight, add some drapes or blinds to the window to prevent the sun’s glare from hitting the TV. You can also place your TV in a media center or recessed cabinet to block out incoming light.
Final Thoughts
Prolonged exposure to sunlight can permanently damage LCD TVs. It can cause screen discolorations, dark spotting, overheating, and warp the plastic frame of the TV. As such, TVs should always be positioned away from direct sunlight.
If your room naturally receives a lot of sunlight, invest in drapes or blinds to protect your TV from the sun’s harmful glare. Also, make sure to position your TV away from windows and glass doors, as these areas get the most sunlight.
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