How to Make Your Corded Blinds Safer for Kids
- Use a Pair of Cord Cleats One of the easiest ways to keep cords away from kids is to wrap the blind’s operating cords around cord cleats. You can use cord cleats for both the lifting cords and the tilting cords. ...
- Shorten the Cord Length Shorten operating cords as much as possible. ...
- Place Cord Joiners Correctly ...
- Replace Cord Tilt Mechanisms ...
Full Answer
How can I Make my blinds and shades safer?
After that, use a cord cleat to keep it out of reach of children. The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) offers free retrofit kits, so you can make your current blinds and shades as safe as possible, until you’re able to upgrade to a cordless option later.
Are Corded blinds safe for children and pets?
Corded window coverings can be made safer for children and pets by simply adding a cord cleat to each window blind or shade. SelectBlinds.com provides cord cleats with every corded product order.
What is a cord cleat for blinds?
Cord Cleats. A cord cleat is a plastic or metal safety device that allows you to wrap dangling cords so they’re out of the reach of children. Corded window coverings can be made safer for children and pets by simply adding a cord cleat to each window blind or shade.
Can I use a retrofit kit to replace my blinds?
If you have older blinds or shades and they have a cord, you can always use a retrofit kit if you can’t upgrade to cordless blinds right away. Federal regulations dictate that a continuous cord loop must be attached securely to the wall with a tensioner or be cut into two cords with safety tassels added to the bottom of each loose cord.
How often do kids die from window cords?
Is it safe to use cordless shades on kids?
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How to keep kids from looking at windows?
Kids will touch and explore anything within their reach and line of sight. Move their cribs and beds away from windows. Consider rearranging furniture to keep tall things away from windows. Kids can climb on furniture to reach interesting looking cords. Some kids will even move chairs, stools, and toys over to windows to stand on so that they can look outside. Make sure that the cords on your blinds are secured.
How much should the cords be on a blind?
Shorten operating cords as much as possible. Cords should be 40% or less than the total length of the blind. This includes both lifting and tilting cords. Be sure to only shorten cords when the blind is in the fully lowered position.
How to keep cords away from kids?
One of the easiest ways to keep cords away from kids is to wrap the blind’s operating cords around cord cleats. You can use cord cleats for both the lifting cords and the tilting cords. You can use cord cleats on wood, faux wood, mini and Venetian blinds, as well as cellular, honeycomb, pleated, Roman and woven wood shades. Install cord cleats at least five feet above the floor, high enough that most kids can’t reach. Use a pair of cleats large enough to securely wrap the cords around them in a figure eight pattern. We carry a variety of cleats in many sizes and finishes to coordinate with your home’s decor.
Do blinds have to be tied down?
Some blinds operate with a loop of bead chain or cord. The loops must be tied down to make the blinds safer for kids. Unsecured loops pose an entanglement and strangulation risk for kids.
Do Roman shades have cords?
Some Roman and woven wood shades have exposed cords on the backside of the blind. This exposed cord can be pulled away from the blind material, forming a loop. To reduce this risk, install cord shroud on all exposed cords. The cord shroud tape prevents the lifting cords from being pulled out and away from the backside of the blind. The cord shroud ties to each ring or cord guide on the back of the blind. Then, the lifting cord weaves through the cord shroud.
Is it safe to replace cordless blinds with cordless blinds?
Blinds that operate with cords are a strangulation hazard for kids. It’s not always realistic to replace an entire house full of corded blinds with cordless.
Can you install safety washers on blinds?
You can install safety washers on all types of horizontal blinds, as well as pleated, roman and woven wood shades. Also, lock your blind, even when it is fully lowered . This is a simple safety measure that can also help prevent the cords from being pulled out lower on the blind.
How do accidents happen?
Hanging blind cords with a looped end can strangle little kids. Upon reaching it, kids can wrap the cords around their neck, and when they try to sit or fall, the risk of strangulation is high.
Keeping your blinds safe for kids
There are some ways to keep blinds at home safe for your toddlers. The quickest remedy is to tuck the cords of your blind high, away from your child’s reach. Make sure that they cannot reach it while standing on any furniture. Remember that a looped cord could serve as a noose if a toddler falls while it is around his neck.
5 Tips to Ensure Your Roller Blinds are Kids Safe
Being a parent, you adopt every necessary measure to ensure that your window blinds remain safe for your kids.
Reasons to Get a Cordless Blind
Most often, parents are worried about their children while choosing a window treatment. If so, then you can rely on the kid-safe roller blinds. They have attained the top rank in the most preferred window blind options. With a cordless technology, these blinds have turned out to be the safest window treatment for kids and pets.
What Types of Cordless Window Coverings are There?
There are a few lift options that feature no cords. Here are a few of them that have no cords and thus are kid-safe.
How often do kids die from window cords?
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about once a month a child between 7 months and 10 years dies from window cord strangulation and another child suffers from a near strangulation. When window cords are within reach for small children, these seemingly harmless products may become hazards.
Is it safe to use cordless shades on kids?
However, not all window coverings with a cordless option are safe for kids. We recommend products like cordless cellular shades, cordless roller shades, curtains and shutters. Shop our Safer for Children Collection to make a smart choice for your home and your family. Prevent Access to Cords.
