Manufacturers are Cutting the Cord On Their Window Treatments

As of December 2018, all newly manufactured stock window treatments should be cordless or have compact, inaccessible pull cords. Sunburst welcomes the announcement, as it comes after discussions between the Window Covering Manufacturers Association and the American National Standards Institute, and encompasses any pre-manufactured window treatments. And while the new safety regulations don’t recall old corded treatments, many in Atlanta have viewed the announcement as a reason to change to cordless window treatments.

 

What Are The New Window Treatment Safety Standards?

In the past few decades, cords on window treatments have been determined as one of the Top 5 Hidden Hazards In The Home by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Children and infants can get entangled 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. Extra cord safety products, such as cord cleats and fasteners, tried to solve the problem, but people did not install them as universally as anticipated.

What Do The New Regulations Cover?

Each stock (ready-made) window covering sold in stores or online must now be cordless or have inaccessible cords. This accounts for over 80% of all window covering products sold in the U.S. and Canada. Made-to-order window treatments don’t have the same requirements; however, cords can only be 40% the length of the covering and must default to a tilt rod rather than a tilt cord. These requirements affect window coverings constructed after December 19, 2018, and current shades and blinds have not been recalled.

What Are Your Options For Cordless Window Treatments?

With the new standards, families are now seeking various cordless choices when buying or replacing their corded coverings. Let’s look at some different window treatments that don’t use cords:

• Plantation Shutters: These popular treatments cover the window with large louvers and usually utilize a center tilt-rod. Shutters have been know as the sturdiest window covering option and are manufactured with either natural wood or a faux wood composite that won’t warp, crack, splinter, or chip. There has never been a corded plantation shutter, so this product has always been considered child-safe.

• Barn Door Window Coverings: Instead of raising vertically via a cord or tilt rod, barn door coverings attach to a track above the window and slide apart sideways. You can slide them a tad to let light through, or open them to the edge of the track for a statement piece.

• Cord-free Shades and Blinds: Some corded window treatments have changed their make-up and now use hidden cords that don’t dangle down. Other treatments use motors, which raise and lower coverings via remote control. Different shades are set to their desired height by lifting the bottom bar. These coverings come in a multitude of colors, textures, and patterns, and has many semi-translucent options that give you the feel of sheer draperies.
  

Let Sunburst Help You Cut The Cord On Your Window Coverings

If you need to change out those corded window treatments with a more child-friendly treatment, your Atlanta Sunburst representative can help. We can bring you an array of cord-free choices, and we can guide you in finding one that works best for your rooms. Set up your no cost in-home consultation by calling 404-962-8517 now.