If you're going to be ordering new custom drapes for your home, take steps to protect your investment. Without proper protection, your drapes will be exposed to the sun for a large portion of the day, especially during the summer months. Unfortunately, the sun can destroy your drapes. Here are crucial steps you need to take to protect your drapes against sun damage.

Insist on a Lining

Now that you're going to be investing in new drapes, make sure you insist on a lining. Linings do more than keep your room dark when you want to sleep in. They also increase energy efficiency and help reduce sun damage. One of the ways that the lining helps prevent sun damage is by serving as a protective barrier between harmful UV rays and your drapery fabric.

Add Some Sheers

If you've decided to forego the additional window sheers, you need to rethink that decision, especially if you want to protect your drapes. Most people think of sheers as a decorative accessory to drapes. However, window sheers actually help protect your drapes from sun damage. In fact, they work with the lining of your drapes to block out the heat and the UV rays, protecting the fibers in your drapes. As an added benefit, sheers also ensure that your windows are always shaded, even when you open your drapes.

Tint Your Windows

If you haven't tinted your windows, now's the time to take care of that. Window tinting is one of the easiest ways to protect your drapes from sun damage. Not only that, but the window tinting will also help keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. In addition to those benefits, window tinting also helps protect your furniture and carpeting against sun damage.

Let Your Drapes Move

If your drapes are going to be used as a decorative focal point, and you won't be opening or closing them, you could be putting them at risk for sun rot. Without occasional movement, the sun will beat down on the same spots day after day. Eventually, you'll notice that the fabric is rotting in the spots with the most sun exposure. You can reduce that risk by letting your drapes move each day. Simply open and close your drapes at different times throughout the day.

Now that you're investing in new drapes for your home, use the tips provided here to help protect them against sun damage.