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Motorized Tilt Function for Your Wood or Faux Wood Blind

5/25/2015

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The deluxe tilt radio frequency motor is available for use with 2" and 2 1/2" wood and faux wood blinds.  The motorization can be accomplished with batteries, a DC transformer to a power supply, or a solar panel.  This upgrade will add between $280 and $500 per blind, but can be a nice feature for those who need the convenience for hard to reach windows.  Keep in mind, motorization of wood and faux wood blinds are for the tilt function only - not for the lift function.

If you are thinking about motorization of your wood or faux wood blinds, then it is important to keep in mind some of the things that can cause difficulty.  Like anything with a certain level of technology, no matter how well designed the product is - learning the nuances when compared to the standard non-motorized option that has been around for decades is useful.

If you have, or are considering, a motorized window treatment, here are a few tips and tricks to keep the blind working perfectly for years.

When using the battery option:

1. Make sure the battery tube end is screwed on tight.

2. Use only lithium batteries. Lithium batteries have a higher temperature tolerance than alkaline batteries. Alkaline batteries can burn up your motor.

3. Put the batteries in the correct way.

4. Check connections and then batteries. Dead or dying batteries can cause the shade to go slow and have other issues. You need to replace batteries when the shade starts to slow down.

5. If you have done all you can do, for example, checked all connections, changed batteries, then the problem could be a motor that is bad and needs to be replaced. If you have another shade that is working, switch battery tubes from the shade that is not working and see if the problem is the batteries or just a bad motor.

6. If you don’t have motion when using the battery motor, check the connection at the motor. Often times, when changing out batteries, the tube may dangle below the blind and the tube disconnects the wire from the motor.

7. It is important that you do not to start pressing buttons on your remote, the shades are already programmed. Do not press the UP and DOWN button at the same time. Don’t push any two buttons together unless you are programming the shade.

8. If shades with external antennas won’t operate after checking the batteries and power cords, check to insure the antenna has good remote visibility. To insure visibility, keep the antenna in front of the headrails and not wrapped around other obstructions.

When using wired power options:

12. When motors seemingly do not have power, check the power supply cord. Power cords are often times tucked behind or under other materials (under carpet for example) and may be crimped or pinched. Carpet tacks can damage wires.

13. When using wall switches, do not tighten switch plate to where it pinches antenna, causing damage.

This list represents most of what a service technician would check first when evaluating your motorized wood or faux wood blind.  Anything more involved with this would involve reprogramming the blind and/or switching out the actual motor or remote.  Instances of motor or remote failure are rare and most of the time the issue can be corrected with the steps listed above.

While motorization and automation of everything seem to be the wave of the future, we at Latreia Wood Blind prefer that our clients are aware of what extra steps and management may be required of the motorized blind.  With all of that said, we prefer motorized blinds in our own homes, because they are convenient, clean, and very cool.

We would love to help you with your wood or faux wood motorization project.  Also, please check out our online wood and faux wood cost estimator for a rough idea of what your project may cost.  Remember to add approximately $400 per blind for the motorization option.

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How to Rewind a Cord Tilt Mechanism in a Wood or Faux Wood Blind

5/17/2015

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First things first, you will need to remove the cord tilt from the headrail.





1. In order to do this, you first need to remove end stiffeners(a). Using a rubber mallet, or a small hammer and cloth so not to mar the surface, pop the end stiffeners out.



2. Then remove the tassels on the cord(b).

3. Then take the tilt rod and gently slide towards the opposite end from the cord tilter(c), and just to where the rod clears the cord tilter. DO NOT remove the tilt rod, nor slide it out of any of the other parts it runs through.



4. Next, spread the headrail apart at the cord tilt location just enough to where you can pop the cord tilter out of the headrail.






5. Remove the cord from the tilter.







6. Locate hole on backside of wheel of cord tilt mechanism (d)








6a. Feed one end of cord through hole in wheel.






7. Pull half of length of cord through wheel.






8. Cross over cord on wheel and fit cord through slots.





9. Feed left end of crossed-over cord back through hole in wheel. Feed right end of crossed-over cord back through hole in wheel.






10. Set left cord in slot and then wrap cord four times around wheel in a clockwise direction(e).





11. Set the right cord in slot and then wrap cord in the opposite direction, counterclockwise(f), four times.







12. Feed each end of cord into holes of hinged part of tilt mechanism.






13. Fold up hinged part of tilt mechanism and test cording by pulling on one end of cord (g) and then the other to ensure smooth operation of tilt mechanism.





14. To finish, install the cord tilt back into the headrail.  Place tilter into headrail and align the tilter with cord hole (h). Snap headrail back around the tilter.





15. Gently push tilt rod back through tilter (i). Reinsert the end stiffeners (j) using a rubber mallet or small hammer with cloth. Retie the tassels onto the cord (k).
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A Travel Tip for Owners of Wood and Faux Wood Blinds

5/11/2015

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Here in Arizona, we have winter visitors that leave for 6-9 months per year.  Additionally, full-time residents do all then can to spend some time away from the desert during the hot months - really June through September - some years you can add May and October to that list.

So, for those folks who have wood or faux wood blinds in their windows, which are lots of folks, what should they know about their blinds?

Here is our tip.  Take a close look at your wood and faux wood blinds.  Notice that they close tighter at the top and less tight at the bottom.  This is simply the nature of the mechanics of the blind.  If you try and crank down on the tilt function to tighten the gaps at the bottom, there is a good chance that you will break the tilt mechanism.

So here's what you should do.
  Tilt the blind in the up position when you are gone from the house.  This is especially true for extended leaves, but also true for daily management.  Why?  Because, tilting the blinds in the up position prevents direct sunlight from hitting your floor and furnishings.  Go ahead and play with the blind while direct sunlight is on the window.  If you tilt in the blind in the down position, you will notice light leaks which allow direct light to strike your stuff.  Tilt the blind up and the light leaks. while still there, do not allow direct light onto your furnishings and finishes.

Why does this matter?  Because the UV light of the direct sun - over a period of time - will fade, crack and otherwise negatively affect your floors and furnishings.  By paying attention to this simple detail, you can help to preserve your home's original finishes for years to come.

We would love to help you with your wood or faux wood blind project.  Additionally, check out our online wood and faux wood blind calculator for a rough idea of what you project might cost.


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What is a Faux Wood Blind Made From?

5/4/2015

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Are you in the market for new faux wood blinds?  Have you ever wondered what they are made of?  In short, they are vinyl.  So, what is vinyl?

Vinyl is a synthetic man-made material. It is a type of plastic that is made from a derivative of oil and the chlorine from salt. Upon processing you get Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) resin, or as is commonly referred to - Vinyl.

According to WhatIsVinyl.com, "Vinyl was first invented in 1920 by scientists who wanted to develop a material that would help to manufacture everyday products that were easier to make, more durable, and cheaper than what was available. Today, Vinyl has become the second largest manufactured and sold plastic resin in the entire world.

The most common use of vinyl is that in construction, especially as vinyl flooring and vinyl siding. In fact, these uses of vinyl are often thought of as its only uses. In addition to these, vinyl has many other uses because of its ability to combine with various additives and modifiers, thus making vinyl highly suitable to be used in the manufacture of many different products.

Common Properties Of Vinyl

Vinyl is resistant to moisture and humidity.
It is a very strong and durable plastic material.
Vinyl can be manufactured in a variety of colors, both transparent and solid.
Vinyl is a very low cost material to produce.
Vinyl is a plastic material, which unlike other plastics, can easily be recycled. Because of the durability of vinyl, products made from this material have a long life span. Add to this the fact that the vinyl can then be recycled, translates into an even longer life of the vinyl plastic resin.
Vinyl is a very environment friendly material, not only because it can be recycled, but also for many other reasons. Vinyl helps in the preservation of environmental resources as 57% of vinyl is made from common salt, which is a renewable natural substance. Non-replenish able resources such as crude oil only account for 43% of vinyl resin, thus making it nature friendly.

In comparison to various other materials used by the packing industry, vinyl requires lesser amounts of natural resources to make, utilizes much lesser energy for manufacture, and also releases lower emissions into the environment.

Thus vinyl, a synthetic manmade material, has truly revolutionized the entire plastic resin industry."

We would love to help you with your faux wood, AKA vinyl blind, AKA PVC horizontal, project.  Also, for a quick idea of what your faux wood project might cost, please check out our online wood and faux wood blind estimator.

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