Summer is nearly upon us, and many custom sun shades are being installed to keep the family safe in the car. Higher-end custom sun shades cost upwards of $200, while lower-quality screens can be found for less than half that price. What you get will depend on how much you are willing to spend.
But did you know there are ways to optimize your custom sun shade’s life expectancy? How do they work?
1) Use More Than One Shade
The most common mistake people make when purchasing custom sun shades is not getting enough of them. They usually only cover the front seat windows, leaving the back seat passengers exposed to both UV rays and heat. A custom sun shade should ALL windows behind the driver within about a foot and a half. You can even get custom sun shades for the back window too!
2) Install Your Custom Sun Shapes Correctly
If you want your custom sun shade to last, make sure it’s installed right. Most custom sun screens are custom cut to fit your specific car windows. The problem is that many people either try to install their custom sunshades themselves or hire someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. This results in poor installation, which has led to broken custom sun shades. If you want yours to last, find an auto upholstery shop that specializes in custom work with high-quality products that guarantee service for at least five years. It may cost more upfront, but it will definitely save you money in the long run.
3) Vent Your Custom Sun Shade for Heat
Even custom sun shades can get hot on sunny days. If you want your custom screen to last, make sure your custom sun shade vents out some of that heat. This also helps keep it from getting too stuffy inside and gives you a bit more air flow when you need it most: when it’s hot outside and the car is parked in direct sunlight. An easy way to vent custom sunshades yourself is to use an old wire coat hanger and some painters tape (duct tape works well). To start, bend the hanger until it looks like a “C”, making one end about 4″ across. Then cut off both ends so there are no jagged edges. Next, tape the custom sun shade to the top of your car’s window. You should be able to see all four corners at once if you look through the custom sun shades from the outside. Next, carefully place one end of your custom sunshade against each corner and let it hang down in front. What this does is raise up part of your custom sun shade so there’s less pressure on it around its bottom edge – where it tends to break first.
4) Don’t Use Your Custom Sun Shades When Not Needed
When you’re not using custom sun shades, don’t leave them in place. If possible, roll them up and put them away – or even better: take them out completely! If you leave custom sun shades on your car windows when parked, the UV rays will cause them to crack and break over time.
5) Get Two Sets of Custom Sun Shades
This is a great way to get more value from your custom sun shades without spending more money up-front. Many people don’t realize that custom sun screens can be easily damaged or broken by things like hail, rocks kicked up on the road, flying debris in the wind and more. The best way to combat this is to use two custom sun shades: one for normal driving conditions and another for hazy days (especially those with lots of road construction), dusty roads or for backup during bad weather. It takes just a few extra minutes each day to switch out custom sun shades, but it will definitely extend the life of your custom sun shade screens.
While custom sun shades aren’t usually expensive – especially when compared to custom car paint jobs or customizing other parts of your car – you still want yours to last as long as possible. Taking the five steps listed above will help you get more mileage out of custom sunshades and get more value for your money! Once you’ve got that custom sun screen on your vehicle’s windows, make sure you take care of it with regular maintenance. Using these tips together will ensure that custom sun shades give you their maximum benefits for years to come!
Conclusion:
Custom sun shades can be custom cut to fit any car model and they come in a variety of different colors as well as the material that you want them made out of. You can custom order custom sunshades online or just drive down to your local auto upholstery shop and have one custom cut for your vehicle. Remember, custom sun shades are custom cut to fit each window so make sure it’s installed right the first time around! If you want yours to last, find an auto upholstery shop that specializes in custom work with high-quality products that guarantee service for at least five years. It may cost more upfront, but it will definitely save you money in the long run!