Jim writes from Poquoson, Virginia: “Are Foamular products UV stable?
All polystyrene products slowly deteriorate if left exposed to the ultraviolet (UV) light in sunlight for long periods of time. Generally it takes 30 to 60 days for the process to be noticeable. The process is slow and gradual. Once covered, and the UV exposure is ended, no further deterioration occurs. The rate at which deterioration occurs is a function of the amount of UV exposure experienced. Therefore, the rate varies between climates such as the cloudy Great Lakes region versus Arizona. It can vary locally day-to-day depending on cloud cover. The insulation, when exposed to UV, goes through several stages. Only after prolonged exposure (months versus days) will measurable loss of material be experienced. The first evidence of UV exposure is fading color. The colorant used to color FOAMULAR® insulation PINK will begin to pale usually in 14 to 28 days. Gradual color loss, although quite visually noticeable if exposure is prolonged, has no effect on the properties of the insulation
