Window treatments are an important piece of decoration in any home or office. They play a crucial part in any home’s aesthetic and style. Window treatments help us save money and energy by preventing the loss of heat during the winter months and gaining it during the summer months. They also help protect our art, furniture and floors from the sun’s harmful UV rays. This is why most homeowners prefer replacing their window treatments every 6 to 7 years.

If you have had yours for quite a while, check them for wear and tear. If your blinds appear to be worn or old, it is probably time to replace them and upgrade the look of your home. Also, making the change can help improve the aesthetic of your home’s exterior while also keeping your kids and pets safe. If you are still considering whether or not you should purchase new window treatments for your home, here are some signs telling you it’s time to look for a new style of window treatment for your home.

Bent or Warped Slats

Misshapen or warped slats can be a sign of humidity damage for wood blinds and heat damage for faux wood blinds. They will both prevent the blinds from rising up properly, and the wavy slats are bound to stick out like a sore thumb. If just one or two slats are warped, you may be able to find a replacement but if all of them seem to be a little wobbly, the best thing to do is replace the entire set.

Avoid faux wood blinds if you live in a desert-like climate as they tend to warp rapidly under extreme conditions. Your best bet is to go for UV blocking solar shades or using fabric window treatments. Pets and kids can do anything to wreak havoc on mini aluminium blinds, like bending them out of shape. It is best to update your window treatments to a more durable and safer option, if you have little ones at home.

Impossible to Fully Raise

If you need to put in a lot of effort or force to raise the blinds, and they still cannot be completely lifted, you are most likely facing two serious issues. Your blinds could have been made a little too wide so the mechanism and cord cannot support the load adequately or the lifting mechanisms on the blinds may either be damaged or on the brink of breaking.

Blinds that are hard to lift are a sign of some dangerous issues and they can also fall out of the window when enough force is applied. To keep your family safe, you should change them as soon as possible. This will allow you to close the blinds easily. If you are in search of styles that are less susceptible to snags and tears, faux wood blinds and cellular blinds are easy to man-oeuvre since they are lightweight.

Dis-coloured or Yellowed Slats

All blinds are susceptible to some discolouration and fading due to exposure to the sun. However, many new blinds are available in the market that provides UV protection. If you notice visible discolouration and yellowing of your blinds, it is a sign of the material deteriorating. It means your blinds are losing their structural integrity and will not last much longer. Also, when replacing your blinds, look for ones that are fabric or choose UV inhibitors.

Frayed Cords

The cords on your blinds are bound to fray over a few years. Once you notice frayed cords, know that it’s time to replace them. It could either mean that the internal mechanisms are causing the damage or simply that the wear and tear are getting the best of them. In either one of these cases, your blinds are in danger of being unusable or even falling. So, once you notice this, know it’s time to get a new set.

Don’t Meet the Needs of Your Window

Just because your blinds look new doesn’t mean they are suitable for the job. Take a close look at your blinds and see whether or not they provide you with adequate privacy. Consider whether they keep you cool during the summer months and warm during the winter ones. Some window treatments also leave a glare on the TV even when they are closed.

Even though your blinds may look like they are in great shape, there’s a possibility that they may not be serving you as they should. Wrong blinds may result in you not being able to make the most of your living space and also spending more on energy costs.

Rather than blinds that have slats, you can purchase window shades as they provide complete privacy. If you are looking for better insulation, go for cellular shades. Blackout shades can be great for glare control.

Fabric Shades with Frayed Edges

If your solar shades, roman shades, cellular shades or roller shades are getting frayed along their edges, it means your shades are too wide for the window opening and are most likely scraping along the edges of your window frame. In such instances, it is better to replace the frayed shades sooner or later as they will just keep getting more and more damaged due to the tight fit. The ones you replace your old shades with will be made perfectly so that the same thing doesn’t happen again.

Blinds Aren’t Safe for Kids

Parents should know that blinds which have exposed cords pose a strangulation hazard for pets and small children. This is why you should look for alternative window treatments for areas where your pets and kids roam around. You can protect your little ones by upgrading to a safer option like draperies, cordless cellular shades, cordless roller shades or plantation shutters.

Slats Don’t Close Properly

There may come a time when the slats on your blinds may have a huge gap between them once they are closed. If the slats on your blinds don’t close as tightly as they initially did, or if you have to tilt and twist the wand repeatedly but they still barely move, the tilt mechanism has probably given out. It is rather difficult to replace this piece without having to re-cord the whole blind. So, it’s better to just replace the entire unit and is more effective as well.

They Have Gone Out of Style

If you still have blinds from when your home was built, it’s high time for you to change. Those psychedelic roller shades or Venetian blinds are older window treatments and will only make your interiors look dated. They will also most likely be worn and could be dangerous to have around. Apart from plantation shutters, most window treatments have a usable life of about 6 to 7 years, as already mentioned above. If more time than that has passed, consider an upgrade immediately, and choose a style that will make your home look great while also keeping your family safe.

You Have New Windows

If you have just installed new windows, it is time to get new window treatments. The new windows will have new dimensions and will result in your old blinds not fitting on them any longer. You should take this opportunity to decide whether you want vertical or horizontal coverings. The best thing to do is to replace them with more contemporary options like beautiful fabric roman shades or top-down/bottom-up shades.

No matter the decor and style of your home, the windows are among the first things that your guests and neighbours take notice of. You can enhance their appearance with quality and stylish blinds that can keep light out while also preventing nosy people from peeping inside your home. There are plenty of options available and you will surely have fun exploring them. New window treatments have the ability to add so much to a room and can also eliminate the need of having to do anything else for a while.