To avoid damage to carriers, as well as the traversing mechanism itself, always be sure the vanes of a vertical blind are tilted to the open position before traversing them.
The photo indicates when a vertical blind is ready to be drawn to the side on which it stacks, and when it is not.
The same applies to privacy sheers.
For long life, correct operation of functional window coverings is the most important factor. But they will eventually fail. When they do, ADVANCED ON-SITE provides a full compliment of drapery and shade services, including repair.
Don’t let pets hang out near vertical blinds. Our dog would always go behind and walk through the slats which broke a few so they didn’t close with the rest. Thanks for fixing Advance Onsite!
You’re absolutely correct. And thanks for the great review! Please allow me to explain, for the benefit of anyone who might happen across this page.
It is indeed a good idea to keep pets, and for that matter children, away from vertical blinds. The real enemy though, is sunlight.
Conditions generated in most any covered window opening can really take a toll on certain materials. Think about what you have. It’s a space formed by a pane of glass magnifying the sun’s energy, on the one side, and a barrier such as a closed blind slowing that energy from escaping, on the other side. It’s a lot like a convection oven, actually.
Heat creates convection – Cool air sinks while hot air rises.
Up top is where all the blind’s plastic components are located. Heat has the effect of drying them out. The continual movement of air, containing dust and other contaminants speeds up the process. As does the repeated expansion and contraction that occurs with heating and cooling.
Parts become brittle. Given enough time, they’ll fall apart all on their own. The stress of day to day use further shortens life expectancy. Add to that the kind of exuberant activity surrounding children and pets, and verticals will develop problems in NO time.
Usually, first to go are the tiny gear driven teeth at the top of those stems the blind’s slats hang from. If just one of them breaks off, that particular slat will not operate in unison with the rest. This is precisely what happened to Shari’s blind. Fortunately the stems on hers were replaceable.
Drapery fabrics, and the mono-filament thread used to sew hems into them, are also easily damaged by sun and heat.
Among other things, that’s discussed in our post Enemy Sun.