Manufacturers are Becoming Safer With Their Window Treatments

As of December 2018, all newly manufactured stock window treatments should be cordless or have short, inaccessible pull cords. Sunburst welcomes these regulations, as it comes after conversations between the Window Covering Manufacturers Association and the American National Standards Institute, and encompasses any pre-manufactured window coverings. It should be noted that these regulations don’t recall corded window treatments, but, many in Clearwater have viewed the announcement as a chance to change to cordless window treatments.

 

Why The New Window Treatment Safety Standards?

Since the 1960s, cords on window treatments have been determined as one of the Top 5 Hidden Hazards In The Home by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Toddlers and infants can get intertwined in the cords, leading to 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, tried to alleviate the hazard, but families did not install them as universally as expected.

What Do The New Regulations Cover?

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

What Are Your Choices Regarding Cordless Window Treatments?

With the new standards, people are now looking at the entire range of cord-free choices when buying or replacing their window treatments. Luckily, there are different options that are cordless, such as:

• Plantation Shutters: These family-friendly window treatments cover the window with large louvers and usually employ a center tilt-rod. Plantation Shutters are the longest-lasting window treatment and are made with either natural wood or a faux wood composite that doesn’t warp, crack, splinter, or chip. There has never been a cord on plantation shutter, so shutters have always been seen as a safer option.

• Barn Door Window Coverings: Instead of opening up with a cord or tilt rod, barn door window treatments attach to a track above the window frame and slide horizontally. You can slide the panels a little to let light through, or open them all the way apart for a statement piece.

• Cordless Shades and Blinds: Some shades and blinds have modified their designs and now use internal cords that won’t dangle down. Some operate by motors, which open and close coverings by remotes or voice commands. Different shades simply raise or lower to their needed position by lifting the bottom bar. These coverings come in different colors, textures, and patterns, and are offered in several semi-translucent fabrics that offer the same ambiance of sheer draperies.
  

Call Sunburst To Help You Cut The Cord On Window Treatments

If you’re looking to change out those corded hazards with a safer option, your Clearwater Sunburst representative is here to help. We have many cordless window treatments, and we can help you find one that looks great in your windows. Schedule your free in-home consultation by calling 813-580-7288 now.