Manufacturers are Cutting the Cord On Their Window Treatments

As of December 2018, newly manufactured stock window treatments should be cordless or have small, inaccessible pull cords. Sunburst welcomes the announcement, as it comes after negotiations between the Window Covering Manufacturers Association and the American National Standards Institute, and covers any pre-manufactured window coverings. And while the new safety standards don’t recall old corded treatments, some people in Fort Myers have viewed the announcement as a reason to go with a safer option.

 

Why 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. Children and infants can get tangled up in the cords, causing injury or strangulation, with one study finding that there were almost 17,000 window cord injuries over a fifteen-year period. Independent cord safety products, such as cord wraps and wind-ups, attempted to make treatments safer, but people did not use them as universally as expected.

What Do The New Regulations Cover?

Every stock (ready-made) window covering available in stores or online must now be cordless or have inaccessible cords. This includes over 80% of all window treatment products marketed in America and Canada. Custom-built treatments will not have the same constraints; however, cords can only hang down to 40% the length of the covering and will default to a tilt rod instead of a tilt cord. These standards are only on window treatments constructed after December 19, 2018, and old coverings have not been recalled.

What Are Your Choices Regarding Cordless Window Treatments?

With the new safety requirements, people are now pursuing different cord-free options when purchasing or replacing their corded coverings. Luckily, there are different options when it comes to cordless window treatments, such as:

• Plantation Shutters: These fashionable window treatments cover the window with sturdy louvers and usually open by a center tilt-rod. Plantation Shutters can be seen as the most durable window covering option and are made with either solid wood or a faux wood composite that doesn’t warp, crack, splinter, or chip. Plantation shutters have never worked with a cord, so this product has always been seen as a safer option.

• Barn Door Shutters: Instead of raising up with a cord or tilt rod, barn door coverings attach to a track above the window and slide horizontally. You can part your barn doors a tad to bring in some light, or slide them all the way apart for a statement piece.

• Cordless Shades and Blinds: Some corded window treatments have altered their mechanics to employ internal cords that shouldn’t pose a hazard. Others employ motors, which raise and lower coverings without touching the treatment. Different shades open and close to their desired height by operating the bottom bar. These shades are available in a multitude of colors, textures, and patterns, and are offered in a variety of semi-translucent models that can look like of sheer draperies.
  

Let Sunburst Help You Cut The Cord On Window Treatments

If you’re looking to replace your corded hazards with a better choice, your Fort Myers Sunburst representative is here to help. We have an array of safe options, and we can assist you in finding one that looks great in your windows. Book your no cost in-home consultation by calling 239-208-6577 now.