Manufacturers are Cutting the Cord On Their Window Treatments

As of December 2018, newly manufactured stock window coverings should be cord-free or have small, inaccessible pull cords. Sunburst welcomes this decision, as it comes after negotiations between the Window Covering Manufacturers Association and the American National Standards Institute, and includes any pre-manufactured window treatments. Please note that these regulations don’t recall already purchased window treatments, but, many in Indianapolis have seen the statement as an opportunity to go with a safer option.

 

What Are The New Window Treatment Safety Standards?

Since the 1960s, corded window treatments have been deemed one of the Top 5 Hidden Hazards In The Home by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Toddlers and infants can get entangled in the cords, leading to injury or strangulation, with a report finding that there were almost 17,000 window cord injuries during a fifteen-year period. External cord safety products, such as cord cleats and wind-ups, attempted to solve the problem, but people did not use them as much as anticipated.

What Do The Safety Regulations Cover?

Every stock (ready-made) window treatment sold in stores or online must now be cordless or have inaccessible cords. This accounts for over 80% of all window covering products purchased in America and Canada. Custom-made treatments don’t have the same requirements; however, cords can only hang down to 40% the length of the covering and will default to a tilt rod rather than a tilt cord. These requirements are only on window coverings constructed after December 19, 2018, and old treatments have not been recalled.

What Are Your Options For Cordless Window Treatments?

With the new standards, people are now pursuing different cordless options when acquiring or replacing their corded coverings. Let’s look at some different cord-free options:

• Plantation Shutters: These family-friendly window treatments cover the window with large louvers and usually open by a center tilt-rod. Plantation Shutters can be seen as the most durable window covering option and are manufactured with either natural wood or a faux wood composite that doesn’t warp, crack, splinter, or chip. Plantation shutters have never used a cord, so these treatments have always been considered child-safe.

• Barn Door Shutters: Instead of raising vertically via a cord or tilt rod, barn door shutters attach to a track over the window and slide side to side. You can open the panels a tad to have some light peek in, or open them all the way apart for a statement piece.

• Cord-free Shades and Blinds: Some window treatments have altered their mechanics to employ internal cords that shouldn’t hang loose. Others employ motors, which raise and lower treatments by remotes or voice commands. Different shades are set to their desired height by lifting the bottom bar. These treatments are available in different colors, textures, and patterns, and has many semi-translucent options that give you the feel of sheer draperies.
  

Sunburst Can Help You Cut The Cord On Window Treatments

If you’re looking to upgrade from corded hazards with a better choice, your Indianapolis Sunburst representative is here to help. We will show you an array of cord-free choices, and we can guide you in finding one that looks great in your windows. Book your no cost in-home consultation by calling 317-558-9066 today.