October has been declared National Window Covering Safety Month by the Consumer Products Safety Commission and the Window Covering Safety Council.
Why is this important?
According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, corded
window coverings are among the top five hidden dangers in American homes. The
Window Covering Safety Council says that only cordless window coverings or
window coverings with inaccessible cords should be in homes with young
children.
Here are five recommended steps from the Window Covering
Safety Council to help keep cords safely out of a curious child’s hands:
1. Keep all window cords well out of reach of
children. Position cribs, beds, playpens and other furniture well away from
windows.
2. Eliminate all dangling cords.
3. Make sure tasseled pull cords are as short as
possible.
4. Use cord tensioners to hold looped cords taut to
reduce the risk of entanglement. Check that cord stops are properly installed
and adjusted to limit movement of inner lift cords.
5. On draperies and vertical blinds, permanently
anchor continuous loop cords to the floor or wall.
The Window Covering Safety Council (www.windowcoverings.org) offers free
retrofit kits for parents who need to fix older window coverings. For
information, contact the Council at 1-800-506-4636, or email them at info@windowcoverings.org.
While retrofitting older shades helps improve safety, the
best option for homes with children is to replace corded window fashions. And
there are lots of alternatives to choose from! Just Right Blinds & Shutters
offers the wide assortment of Hunter Douglas products that are either cordless
or have inaccessible cords that won’t form hazardous loops.
Ranging from motorization to wand control, and available in
the full line of Hunter Douglas colors, styles and materials, these options keep
your child safe now and provide convenience and beauty that transition well as
a child grows up.
Hunter Douglas window treatment safety operating systems
include:
· PowerView
Motorization: a cordless, wireless option that lets you program shades with
an app or use a remote to move them on command.
· SoftTouch
Motorization: a battery-powered system that uses a wand to gently pull down
or push up a shade with no exposed cords.
· LiteRise:
a cordless operating system that lets you raise or lower a blind with the touch
of your hand.
· SimpleLift:
Another cordless system where you move the blind up or down using a contoured
bottom rail.
· Vertiglide:
a cordless choice ideal for sliding glass or French doors.
· UltraGlide:
a retractable “click-and-go” wand system that uses a single sleek wand in place
of operating cords.
· Custom
shutters are an especially attractive and completely cordless option.
Shutters add beauty to any room and are ideal around young children.
Todd Zimmerman at Just Right Blinds & Shutters is ready
to help you discover which Hunter Douglas cordless or inaccessible cord design best
fits your safety needs within your budget. Todd will come into your home to
show you safety options as well as colors and fabrics, and will measure and
install for the proper fit.
For more information, contact Todd Zimmerman, Just Right
Blinds & Shutters, Direct: 630.292.3756, tz@JustRightBlinds.com, www.JustRightBlinds.com. Todd is
ready to consult with you on all your window treatment needs, and provides free
measuring, estimates and installation.
Just Right Blinds & Shutters is based in Wheaton,
Illinois, and serves the west and far west suburbs of Chicago, including
Naperville, Wheaton, Warrenville, Carol Stream, Winfield, West Chicago, Glen
Ellyn, Lombard, Villa Park, Elmhurst, Oak Brook, Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Lisle,
Woodridge, Bloomingdale, Itasca, Downers Grove, Darien, Geneva, Batavia, St
Charles, Wayne, Elgin, South Elgin, Crest Hill and other communities.
