Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing New Window Treatments For Your Home
Today our homes are built with purpose, the landscape, and aesthetic appeal in mind. Why should our windows be any different? At DoneRight Window Coverings, we offer shutters, motorization, horizontal shadings, cellular shades, alternating shades, Roman shades, pleated shades, zebra shades, wood horizontals, faux wood horizontal blinds, vertical blinds, roller shades, and more.
All these options are available to ensure your commercial and residential window treatments and coverings are not neglected in your next project. DoneRight Window Coverings wants to arm you with the most accurate information available to help you understand and make informed decisions. To do this, I’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about choosing new window treatments for your home.
1. How does the new child safety law that came into law affect my purchase of window treatments?
In May of 2022, the law concerning child safety was implemented. Manufacturers of window coverings can not sell any window treatment that has chains or cords that exceed more than ten inches of a cord or chain that is exposed.
The choice now is motorization, selection of rechargeable batteries, hard wire, or plug into an electrical outlet. Motorization has been used in window covering for a long time and is very efficient. Another option is cordless, which has been used to operate your window coverings for years. The cordless option has improved over the years. It is simple just push up and pull down and stop it at whatever height you want.
An all-Canadian company that I use (Maxxmar Window Fashions) has been busy inventing ways to be able to use chains for lifting and lowering your shades and blinds that conform to the new government standards. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. I would be happy to discuss these options with you.
2. Roller Shade fabric that you can see out during the day. Does it give you privacy at night?
The simple answer is no. What you are seeing through your Solar/Sunshades fabric during the day, people can see into your home at night when your lights are on. That usually leads to the next question. I want to protect my furniture and floors from the harmful sun’s rays and still be able to see outpouring the day. I also want to have privacy at night when the lights are on.
The solution is two roller shades on two separate aluminum tubes that operate independently of each other. During the day, you have the solar/sunscreens down. Then at night, you pull down the room’s darkening opaque fabric to give you the privacy you want and the best of both worlds.
3. I have an arch window. Can you suggest a window treatment that will cover the window?
I am happy to tell my clients that, yes, there is a window treatment that I can suggest, actually more than one. There are a few options to cover an odd-shaped window, like an arch or round or trapezoid window. I recommend shutters, cellular (honeycomb), and roller shade fabric. These products can be made for specialty shapes. Which product you choose would depend on the shape of the window itself.
4. What window treatment can I use in my bathroom where there is humidity?
There are a few excellent choices that are available. I recommend one of the following. PVC (polyvinyl) shutters are very durable for high-moisture bathrooms. Roller shades are a great product, durable and easy to clean, made from PVC, fiberglass, or a mixture of fiberglass and PVC. These fabrics are moisture-resistant. There are a lot of colors and different textures to choose from. What also makes a roller shade the perfect choice is you can choose an opaque fabric for complete privacy, or you can have a translucent material that will also give you privacy; the fabric will let in a glow of light, During the day. Also, you can roll them up right out of the way. The components are made from plastic or aluminum, and the cassette is painted aluminum. Therefore, they won’t rust from the high humidity.
5. My hydro bills are high because heat is pouring into our home in the summer, and in the winter, the furnace is constantly running. Are there window treatments that can help insulate my windows?
Window treatments to the rescue. Yes, there are many options, no matter which window covering you choose. They all have an R-value (insulation factor). The two best window treatments to give you an insulation factor are Cellulars (honeycomb) and shutters. There are air pockets in the design of each product that gives it its excellent insulation factor. Roller shades are another good choice. I have had many clients that wanted insulation from heat and cold, that chose roller shades, call me and tell me that they were skeptical that roller shades would work as an insulator and how surprised they were at the difference they made with heat and cold. As I wrote above, all the window coverings will work. These are just a few examples.
6. Should I choose real or faux wood blinds?
Depending on what room in your home you are choosing to put them in. I wouldn’t recommend putting natural wood in rooms that have high moisture levels, as they can warp or swell when they absorb the moisture. Natural wood is made from hardwood (basswood). They are stained to many different colors and ten varnishes, giving them a more natural-looking finish than faux wood. Faux wood can be used in places with high humidity, such as bathrooms. As they are made from manufactured material PVC (polyvinyl), or they can be a composite material. I would suggest these blinds where your windows have direct sunlight and high heat. Another difference between real wood blinds and faux wood blinds is the price.
Now that you have answers to some of the frequently asked questions about window treatments and coverings, it’s time to take action. If you are looking for window treatment and covering experts based in Severn, Ontario, reach out to us at DoneRight Window Coverings.
We offer custom window treatments, blinds, shades, shutters, automation, motorization, roller shades, and more. We serve Severn and Georgian Bay, Newmarket, Barrie, Orillia, Gravenhurst, Port Carling, Wasaga Beach, and Collingwood in Ontario. Our commitment to you is excellent customer service from industry experts.
To learn more about the services we offer, please click here. To get in touch with us, please click here or give us a call at (705) 481-0346.