Like most Birmingham homeowners, you probably think installing motorized blinds and shades in your home would be pretty cool. You can raise or lower the shades or tilt the blinds for the right amount of light filtering. Who wouldn’t want that kind of convenience at the touch of a button?
However, for most people, “pretty cool” isn’t a good enough reason to install them just yet. But what if we told you that, along with the added convenience, there are other important reasons to install them? Below are the top five reasons you need motorized shades and blinds in your home.
#1: Safety of your children (and of others!)
Childproofing is here to stay, and it is always improving. We now have items that prevent little ones from a variety of household dangers. We childproof our cupboards that have chemicals in them, and prevent kids from opening doors to unsafe areas. Smart electrical outlets stop children from sticking things into them that will cause a shock. Countless accidents have been avoided and many lives have been saved from mishaps that were common in the past. However, cords from blinds are still a major strangulation hazard present in most homes.
A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows us how serious the problem is. Between 1990 and 2015, over 16,000 children in the United States were treated for injuries caused by window blind cords. While most of these incidents were not life threatening, 271 children died from their injuries. Anyone would agree that even one such death is too many. The use of motorized blinds and shades removes the dangling cords. This makes them much more ideal for any homeowner that has children. It also removes the possibility of danger to children who are guests in the home.
#2: You have hard to reach windows.
Some homes have custom windows that go up to the ceiling or are located behind furniture. Here, motorized blinds and shades can turn a difficult job into an effortless one. There’s no need to climb dangerously to achieve your desired lighting. You also save time from drawing them open or closed one by one in hard to reach places. Just hit a button on your remote control or smartphone to instantly create the perfect lighting.
#3: They are necessary as part of your Smart Home solution.
These days, convenience is demanded in every aspect of our lives. If there isn’t a one-touch method of getting what we want, we feel like technology is letting us down. Plus, there are countless instances around the house where motorized shades and blinds come in handy. For instance, you’ll love the ability to effortlessly lower all the shades at once. This is perfect to eliminate any glare when you’re ready to start a movie or turn on the big game.
Furthermore, home automation starts the second that we wake up. By motorizing your blinds and shades, you give yourself two options to start your day. First, you can open the shades to give you the sunshine you need to spring out of bed. Secondly, you can close them to get rid of that unwanted beam of light that’s messing up your final snooze. Each of these all-too-common scenarios make having motorized blinds and shades a true win.
#4: Security and peace of mind.
Whether you’re away for a night or a month, it’s nice to still feel in control of your home. Set up timers for your blinds or remotely raise & lower your shades. This will throw off any would-be intruders or just give your plants a few extra rays on a sunny day.
#5: The investment pays for itself.
Cords are not just dangerous to children, but they also shorten the life of your window coverings. Kids and pets tend to play with the cords, which often damages them. Even worse, someone can pull the unit right out of its brackets or dislodge them. This leaves you with the task of fixing a large hole in the plaster or wall. Who needs that?
The good news is that you can motorize and automate many types of window treatments. It doesn’t matter if you have roller shades, vertical blinds, or roman shades. Often, a homeowner looking to sell their property will upgrade to luxury blinds in order to increase its resale value. Since motorizing your window coverings will increase their life span, why not enjoy the benefits now? Improving your home is a great investment whether or not you are planning to sell your home.
In short, having pretty blinds and shades should not be something that you put off. Motorizing them as part of your full home automation offers you many benefits. Along with convenience, you get increased safety, value, and peace of mind at the touch of a button. Until you have them in your home, you really don’t know what you’re missing out on.
