Child Safety: What to consider when buying new blinds

In a previous article, we discussed the steps to follow to make your blinds child friendly. Keeping in line with the child safety theme, this month we’re going to look at the different types of blinds and mechanisms that are best for child safety in your home, so that your pets and children can stay safe and sound in the comfort of their home.    

When it comes to child safety, the most important blinds features to look out for is no operating cord or chain, or at least a concealed or tension cord system, as these pose no threat to children. With this in mind, here is a list of our recommended safe blind accessories for you to choose from:

Cordless blinds

Cordless blinds fit within the window frame i.e. perfect fit. You simply push the blind up using your hand, move the blind into position and lock it securely into place. Cordless blinds are a popular choice for windows and doors and are available in a range of styles, including pleated, Venetian and roller blinds.  

Cord lock away

This can also be referred to as a wand or a rod mechanism. The wand can be twisted to alter the position of the slats and then either pushed or pulled to move the blind into the desired position.

Gear box

Where you would usually see a cord down the side of the blind, is instead a long operating handle. The handle needs to be manually turned to raise or lower the blind.

Tensioned cord

A small device is fitted to an adjacent wall, whereby the cord is permanently held within it. This way, there is no cord left hanging, dangerously in the way, and the blind can still be operated by pulling on the cord to lift and lower.

Chain-break connector

Rather than being a loop, the blind chain is one length and the two ends slot into a small device. As soon as a certain amount of pressure is placed on the cord, the chain will break free out of the device, relieving any tension that was on the cord.

Shutters

Shutters are one of the safest window dressing options as they require no cords or chains at all, and instead can be opened and closed by hand using a fixture on the actual shutter itself.

Electric blinds

Motorised blinds are becoming increasingly popular and are ideal for high level blinds that are hard to reach. With a remote control, they are extremely simple to operate.

So now you’ve seen the safest blinds styles available, it’s important to bear these in mind if you want to make your house as child-friendly as possible.

If you’re looking for new blinds for your house, please feel free to have a browse through our vast range of blinds and shutter styles, or ring us for more information. Our experienced team will be more than happy to offer you their professional advice and can book a free home consultation at a time that is convenient for you.