Three of the Biggest Mistakes To Avoid with Roller Shades

Sunshine Drapery sliding glass doors window treatment

Roller blinds offer many benefits from increased safety to energy savings. They also are an excellent window treatment choice for those seeking simple, clean lines. However, there are some common mistakes that people make when choosing roller shades.

Benefits of Roller Shades

Roller shades offer clean lines, modern appearance, and increased safety around children and pets. Their simple design makes them extremely versatile. They can mounted inside or outside of the window frame, altering the look of the windows. Roller shades are easy to operate and can be used with a continuous loop chain or cordless control. Additionally, they offer an almost endless array of options and designs for your window treatments. Their simple design makes them a great pair with heavy draperies. Mix blackout shades with sheer curtains to offer a brightly lit room when wanted during daylight hours and pitch black at night or during the bright morning hours. Roller blinds are also an excellent choice for reducing glare and heat. The sturdy material offers insulation that can help you maintain consistent temperatures in your home. While drafty windows should most certainly be repaired as soon as possible, roller shades can help reduce drafts until a window replacement is made.

Roller Shade Pitfalls

While offering many benefits, roller shades can offer some difficulties if you aren’t prepared. Being aware of the possible pitfalls will help you get the look you want.

Mounting Errors

It’s really best to have a professional install your roller blinds, or you could run into problems. The shape and design of your window frame has a lot to do with how you hang your shades. For instance, if your frames are thin, it’s best to use an outside mount. French doors also rarely have the necessary depth for an inside mount. Thicker frames with a decent depth or even inset windows are perfect for mounting roller shades on the interior of the frame. Professional installers also know that the goal of the homeowner affects the placement of the mount. If room darkening is one of the outcomes that a homeowner seeks, then the blinds should be placed on the outside of the frame, regardless of its depth or structure, as outside placement is more effective at reducing light seepage than inside mounting is. Roller shades come in a variety of styles, including room darkening, light filtering, glare reduction, and UV ray reduction. A professional installer can help you choose the kind that fits your goals.

Incorrect Measurements

Too often, roller shades are installed improperly, causing less-than-perfect results, which in turn could cause wear and damage to your investment. If your shades are professionally installed, you can expect your technician to help you choose the correct size of headrail. When installing inside the frame, you must measure tip-to-tip, including the headrail pegs which are used to mount the shade. When installing outside the frame, you can measure just the cloth, allowing the headrail to extend beyond the material of the blind. When measured incorrectly, you could end up with a gap, or worse, blinds that are too big and don’t fit the space intended for them. If incorrectly measured, you may end up with a product that is poorly mounted. This will cause unnecessary wear and decrease the lifespan of the window treatment.

Light Filtering Fails

Even if you don’t want the effects of room darkening shades, you should consider the continuum of weaves available before making your selection. Roller shades come in a varying degree of weaves, from widely open to tightly weaved. You may decide to allow light into your living room, but then sit in your favorite chair and notice that the open weave does nothing to ease the glare across your television screen. And while you may not realize it, that open weave in your bedroom all but broadcasts your nighttime routine to the neighborhood. On the flip side of the coin, a window on your front door should not be covered with a tightly woven roller shade, or you may not be able to make out who is ringing your doorbell. Take the advice of your professional installer and choose the type of weave that works best for each room and window.

Professional Installation

Roller shades can provide you with the clean, simple design that you seek. They can offer safety and security. They can help with room darkening and temperature control. However, they can be a real pain if installed incorrectly. Talk to a professional regarding the best roller shades for your particular room and your specific goals to ensure that you are completely content with your purchase for years to come.