With their colors, they allow you to add a touch of elegance to your interiors. With their functionality, they enable you to control the bright and dark within your comfort zone, as well as the breeze and privacy. Window blinds are an essential element of your home décor that influences not just your sense of style, but also your experience of comfort. However, with time, you may come across a point where you’ll need to take a call to either repair or replace them. Here’s an article from our experts that’ll help you make the right decision.
1. You see warped or bent slats: Like humans, materials too are not immune to the effects of aging. No matter what material your blinds are made from, you’ll see some sort of degradation or decline, at some point in time. Aluminum blinds for instance, are flat when new but get bent out of shape as the years roll by. Wood blinds absorb humidity or moisture and swell up. Faux wood blinds get damaged with prolonged exposure to the sun. Replacing the most affected slats may seem like a quick-fix, but it’s just a matter of time before the entire set looks ready for a replacement.
2. You find it difficult to raise the blinds: If you find it hard to start up the car, it means trouble. If your AC takes time to cool your room, it means trouble. Anything that fails to operate smoothly, spells trouble, and this reasoning extends to your blinds as well. If you find it hard or impossible to raise them, the reason could either be a lifting mechanism that’s damaged or about to break, or excessive width of your blinds which render the cords and mechanism incapable of supporting the load. This increases the risk of the entire blinds falling out of the window, upon the use of excessive force.
3. You see discoloration: Ever noticed how an extra hour on the beach gives your skin a lovely tan? Well, not everything gets a color enhancement with exposure to the sun. For instance, the UV component of sunlight causes the colors of materials to fade. If you see yellowed or faded blinds in your home, it’s most likely caused by sustained exposure to the sun’s UV rays – which have a tendency to break down the molecules of the dye pigments which give your blinds their color. The good thing here is, you could replace your old blinds with the newer UV-protected blinds that won’t fade as quickly.
4. You see better blinds in other homes: Everything that starts off new has to phase out someday. Be it your car, phone, furniture or for matter, even your window blinds. Look at the bright side. Replace your older version with something contemporary and you get upgraded functionality, less maintenance, better privacy and light control and yes, compliments from your friends and guests.
5. You see frayed cords and edges: Years of sustained use cause wear and tear in almost all of the appliances you rely on, to keep life running smoothly. If you notice frayed cords, it means you have used your blinds well past their lifespan and further use will only expose you to the risk of a collapsing window treatment. Frayed edges too indicate damage caused by scraping along the inside of the window frame. Both these sights signal the need for a replacement.
If you see any or more of the above signs, consider going in for a new set of window blinds. You have very little to lose except for a window treatment that has served you well all these years, and plenty to gain – with a more advanced product that’s sure to impress you. If you’re looking for customizable window blinds in Philadelphia or Downingtown, PA area, give us a call. We’re Bartlett Blinds and Shutters – a veteran-owned and operated business that’s known for serving its community with the highest quality custom window treatments at prices that don’t stretch your budget. Contact us and we’ll be more than happy to handle your needs right from consultation to installation.