Roller Shades Tips

Read these 7 Roller Shades Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Window Treatment tips and hundreds of other topics.

Roller Shades Tips has been rated 3.2 out of 5 based on 85 ratings and 1 user reviews.
Will I need to hire a professional to install my shades?

Roller Shades: How to Get Them Up and Rollin'!

Roller window shades are easy to install and do not require any specialized tools, equipment or training. Installing them yourself is a great way to cleave the expense of hiring a professional to install them for you, making them an even better option for those on a budget.

Installing roller shades is a simple task. Before ordering, first decide whether you will give your shades an inside or an outside mount. An inside mount needs to be measured inside the frame at the top of the window. An outside mount needs to account for the area you want the shade to cover. Please note that the shades should overlap the window casing by 1 ½ inches on each side if you are concerned about light control.

Gather a tape measure, pencil (for guide marks), a screwdriver and a level and you have all the necessary tools to complete the task! After installing the window shades, adjustments to the tension spring located in the roller may be necessary. This can be accomplished by rolling or unrolling the shade by hand.

   
Aren’t roller shades just basically plain old sheets of plastic?

Roller Shades: When You Want to Choose a Classic

Homeowners can now update and modernize their homes with motorized roller shades. With no more effort than the press of a button, these window shades can be flawlessly raised or drawn over any size window. This style of window treatment is an especially valuable option for ‘hard to reach' windows.

Those on a budget will find roller shades a good choice for the value and improved roller mechanisms make for a flawless and easy operation. Now widely available in not only vinyl but fabrics of various colors and patterns ranging from traditional to modern, homeowners choose this option when looking to give their home a uniform and wonderfully timeless ambience. Light filtering fabrics provide a level of privacy without completely losing natural light, while heavier fabrics block out light, heat and buffer noise.

   
How can roller shades make my home look better?

Roller Shades: Functionality, Simplicity and Versatility

Lace roller shades are a simply elegant addition to any room's décor. Pleasing to the eye, the natural light that permeates is used to create an instant feeling of hearth and home and is a wonderful choice in creating a unique theme using window treatments.

As an all time classic now thoroughly updated to include a variety of colors, patterns and fabric weights, roller shades are the first choice in creating that classic look with sleek lines for a room. While tradition always has its place, modern fabrics embossed in eye-catching designs, not to mention decorative hems and tassels, also give the opportunity to turn a room into a veritable masterpiece.

The capacity for choice abounds with these window shades thanks to their functionality, simplicity and versatility. While a sheer fabric (such as lace roller shades) can provide privacy without losing a room's natural light, a heavier, room darkening shade can be beautifully matched to a room's décor, giving a feeling of continuity and panache.

Curtains are optional with this type of window treatment, though a cassette headrail system placed at the top of the window over the roller shade will also give a nice finished look.

   
Where will roller shades work best in my home?

Roller Shades: Safe and Stylish

Cord safety is a cause for concern in any home that has children or animals. With 2.5 million children being injured every year in household accidents, accidents with cords on window blinds is a catastrophe that can be avoided by keeping them out of a little one's reach. Better yet, you can install spring loaded roller shades- they have no cord at all!

   
Aren't roller shades outdated?

Roller Shades: An Oldie but a Goodie

The current trend in window treatments are roller shades made of a sheer fabric called ‘sunscreen' that blocks UV rays and glare without cutting out natural light. Popular in commercial venues such as banks and restaurants, home use is becoming more common with the introduction of different colors. This innovative fabric is composed of a PVC-coated fiberglass yarn that does not cut down on outward visibility. Roller shades are a single, flat piece of vinyl (or fabric) that is attached to a spring loaded roller or cord loop system. They can be mounted inside or outside of a window casing and rank at the top of the list for window shades with room darkening qualities. Roller shades on spring loaded rollers are lowered by simply pulling the shade down and raised by giving a slight tug at the bottom, to activate the spring. Some roller shades use a simple cord loop system on continuous feed.

   
How can I clean my roller shades?

Roller Shades: The Clean Routine

Being that window treatments sit next to windows where air flow is
controlled, window shades can become magnets for dust. It's just a fact of life. Fortunately, many manufacturers now treat their shades and blinds with anti-static materials that create a protective barrier so dust can only settle on the very surface. A regular dusting routine will keep roller shades from turning dingy.

For general care, dust fabric and vinyl window shades with a feather
duster or a can of compressed air. For heavier dirt or dust, use a brush attachment from a vacuum, if available. (This method keeps the dust from resettling on the window shade.)

Depending on the type of material a fabric window shade is made of, heavy stains may require a consultation with a professional. For vinyl window shades, wipe with a damp sponge.

For fabric roman shades, be sure to completely draw the shades to ensure that folds can be dusted or vacuumed thoroughly.

   
Will having roller shades be much trouble?

Window Shades: Troubleshooting

The wonderfully simple design of these window shades is what has kept it around for over a century. It also means problems come far and few between yet allows for quick and simple fixes in the event that the shade does not seem to be working correctly. For window shades that won't catch, remove the shade from its brackets. Unroll roughly 18 inches of shade by hand and replace,
repeating if necessary.

Sometimes a shade veers to one side and rolls unevenly. This is called ‘telescoping'. Unfurl the shade until you reach the area where the material of the shade meets the roller. Place a piece of tape (or as many needed) on the area of attachment, opposite of the end that is telescoping. Roll the shade up and replace n the brackets.

   
Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Window Treatment Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!


Guru Spotlight
PJ Campbell