Manufacturers are Becoming Safer With Their Window Treatments

As of December 2018, newly manufactured stock window coverings should not use cords or have short, inaccessible pull cords. Sunburst applauds these regulations, as it comes after discussions 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 requirements don’t recall corded window treatments, but, many in Houston have used the regulations as a chance to replace their old window treatments.

 

Why The New Window Treatment Safety Standards?

In the past few decades, window treatment cords 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, resulting in injury or strangulation, with one report finding that there were almost 17,000 window cord injuries during a fifteen-year period. External cord safety products, like cord shorteners and wind-ups, attempted to make treatments safer, but families did not use them as manufacturers anticipated.

What Do The New Requirements Cover?

Every stock (ready-made) window covering made for stores or online needs to now be cordless or have inaccessible cords. This involves over 80% of all window covering products purchased in the U.S. and Canada. Custom-built window treatments do not have the same constraints; however, cords can only be 40% the length of the treatment and must default to a tilt rod instead of a tilt cord. These standards affect window treatments manufactured after December 19, 2018, and current treatments have not been recalled.

What Are Your Choices Regarding Cordless Window Treatments?

With the new standards, consumers are now looking at the entire range of cord-free choices when acquiring or replacing their corded coverings. Let’s look at a few cord-free options:

• Plantation Shutters: These fashionable treatments cover the window with thick louvers and usually utilize a center tilt-rod. Shutters can be seen as the most durable window treatment and are constructed with either natural wood or a faux wood composite that won’t warp, crack, splinter, or chip. Plantation shutters have never employed a cord, so these treatments have always been known for safety.

• Barn Door Window Coverings: Instead of opening vertically 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 bit to let light through, or slide them to the edge of the track for a different look.

• Cordless Shades and Blinds: Some window treatments have modified their designs so they can use hidden cords that won’t pose a hazard. Some operate by motors, which open and close treatments without touching the treatment. Some shades open and close to their needed position by operating the bottom bar. These shades are available in a multitude of colors, textures, and patterns, and has several semi-translucent fabrics that give you the feel of sheer draperies.
  

Sunburst Can Help You Cut The Cord On Window Treatments

If you’re looking to replace your corded hazards with a better treatment, your Houston Sunburst representative is here to help. We can bring you a vast selection of safe choices, and we can assist you in finding one that works best for your rooms. Schedule your no cost in-home consultation by calling 713-853-9629 now.