Blinds are usually made of fabric, with slats of glass or plastic so they can be opened easily. They are similar to shades in that they are used to control the light inside a room, but blinds have slats and sometimes horizontal louvers, which allow for airflow through the blinds.
Blind Types
Window / Door – Large blinds that cover a door or window. Awning – These make up a closed fabric box at the top of a window or door opening. Corded – These types have cords similar to Venetian blinds. Vertical – Blinds that pull down from around a window. Roman – Slanted wooden strips on one side hung from an upper rail along the tops of windows, doors, or partitions across a room or office area.
Blind Uses
Solar Control – Using different materials and slats, blinds can control the temperature inside a room by obstructing the sun from heating the space within. This helps conserve energy and keep cool in the summer months. Noise Reduction – Blinds reduce noise in an area by blocking sound waves and insulating against outside noise. Energy Efficiency – Curtains and shades provide insulation to help keep cold out in winter and hot out in the summer season without using any additional energy.
Room Darkening
The ideal fabric choice for darkening rooms is blackout fabric that has no light penetration through it, such as what’s used in theaters, studios, etc., but because this type is usually hard to find, blinds are the next best thing. Privacy – Modern blinds with slats can be angled to provide some level of privacy for an open window or door, which would otherwise be transparent.
Decoration
Blinds come in many different colors and patterns, giving them a decorative function by helping their room blend with the rest of the décor. Safety Features – Special meshes are sometimes installed on windows using roofing felt to prevent small children from falling through them because they can push themselves up against mesh that adults cannot squeeze through. Awnings may also have similar safety features built into them as well for this reason.
Blind Installation
There are three main types of installation for blinds: cordless, continuous cord loop, and spring tension.
Cordless – A break-away connection for the lift is usually used on this type of blind, so they don’t pose a strangulation hazard if a child pulls on them. A side access wand is also easier to use with this type as it allows the user to choose the desired slat position instead of reaching from either inside or outside the window frame.
Spring Tension – Spring-loaded cords that can be stretched into place and then released once they meet resistance at any point during the installation, which lets you slip blinds up and down effortlessly.
Continuous Cord Loop – These kinds of outdoor blind consist of thin nylon loops which pull out like a tape measure and snap into place using pressure, often requiring two people to install blinds with this kind of mechanism as one person must hold them up. In contrast, the other person attaches the end loop.
Blind Safety
Keeping children and pets away from windows with closed blinds is vital for safety reasons. A few tips for preventing accidental injury caused by blinds. Always use cordless or continuous cord loop blind types not to be pulled off too quickly and pose a strangulation hazard. Place your hand in front of cords before closing blinds to avoid the risk of being pinched if they snap back suddenly after you release them. Remember, children’s fingers can fit in much smaller spaces than adults’ can, even when cords appear far out of reach.
