Window shades are a great window covering that can add color, extra insulation, and privacy to your window. They are an essential window treatment for any window. Aside from providing privacy, window shades also protect your furniture against sun damage. Unfortunately, they can also be a headache if they’re not working correctly. Fortunately, window shade repair is often an easy fix. When window shades break or malfunction, they need to be repaired quickly for the window to stay functional.
This blog post will cover some common window shade repair issues and how you might fix them. Some common window shade problems include: (Credit Information: D.P Interiors)
Window Shade Moves Up Too Fast or Too Slow
The most common window shade problem is that the window shade moves up too fast or too slow. The window shade may be too fast when it doesn’t allow for the window to be raised or lowered. The window shade may be too slow when the window is difficult to raise or lower; this creates frustration for people who need to open or close their window quickly. There are several easy ways you can fix window shades that move up too fast.
First, try manually winding the window shade down to see if it’s caused by an uncoiled window shade spring. If the window shade opens and closes smoothly when manually wound, you can fix window shades that move up too fast by replacing or repositioning the window shade end brackets. You may also need to adjust or tighten the window shade bracket screws to make it work properly.
Another possible reason window shades move up too fast may be connected to window shade spring tension. Though window shade springs are generally taut, they can become unbalanced or broken so that the window shade moves too fast. If this is the case, you need to replace your window shade springs for your window shades to function correctly.
You can also adjust window shade spring tension, so window shades move up slower. To do this, you remove the window shade brackets from the window frame and loosen or tighten the window shade springs until they are in balance. When properly balanced, window shades will move up slowly enough to allow your window to open and close smoothly.
Window Shades Won’t Open
Another common window shade problem is window shades won’t open. There are many reasons window shades may not open. If your window shade was installed incorrectly, it might be hard to figure out why window shades won’t open because the issue isn’t necessarily with the window shade but with how the window was put into its window frame. It’s also possible that window shade brackets are missing or window frame screws are stripped.
Missing Window Shade Brackets
If window shade brackets are missing, window shades won’t open fully. If window frame screws are stripped, window shades may not stay in place when raising or lowering the window, which would cause window shades to freeze. You can fix window shades that won’t open by replacing window shade brackets or window frame screws.
Window Shades Have Dents and Cracks
The window shades may also have dents and cracks. Window shades are usually made of vinyl, which easily dents and cracks. You can fix window dents and cracks by repairing window shade vinyl or replacing window shade frames. If the window frame has dents and is causing window shade frames to bend, you can fix window shades by smoothing out window frame dents.
Window Shades Are Stuck
Another window shade problem is that window shades are stuck. Window shades become stuck for several reasons, such as window shade brackets being installed too far from window frames, window shade springs being unbalanced, window shades not centering properly around the window frame after raising or lowering them, etc. To fix window shades that are stuck, first, you need to remove window shade brackets and clean the window frame where they were attached. You can fix window shades that are stuck by simply replacing window shade brackets.
If the window shade roller is bent or uncoiled, window shades may not stay in place when raising or lowering the window, making window shades won’t close. This problem can be fixed by removing roller mounts, straightening out the roller bar, and then replacing the window.
Shades Keep Falling Out of the Window
This is usually due to window or window shade brackets that are bent or missing. To fix the window shade bracket, you must first straighten it out. To do this, turn the window shade so that it’s at its fullest extent and push it down on both sides of the window. This should straighten out one side while bending in the other. Next, remove the window shade bracket from the window and lay it flat on a table or workbench. You want to make sure that you can see what is going wrong with the window shade bracket and how to fix the issue before trying to bend it back into place, of course.
Once you have determined what is causing the window shade bracket issue, take the shade bracket and bend it back into its proper shape. If there is a torsion spring attached to it, be very careful not to over-bend the window shade bracket so that you don’t strip the window’s hardware.
Once the window shade has been replaced with a newly bent window shade bracket, the window shade should function correctly.
Uncoiled Springs
If window shades are uncoiled or too coiled, there is a simple fix. Unwind the window shade by pulling on the cord to unwind it. If window shades don’t go down after coiling, pull on the cords until they straighten out. If window shades have been stored for a long time, window shades may likely uncoil when you try to roll window shades back. This can be hard to fix, but window shade springs may become uncoiled over time.
Lubricating window shade springs and brackets with WD-40 or a similar lubricant may prevent window shades from sticking and becoming uncoiled.
Sticky Shades
Window shades that are catching or sticking can be fixed by opening window shade casings and cleaning the window shade brackets. If window shades have become stuck inside window shade casings, window shade casings may need to be disinfected before window shades can move freely again.
Motor Breakdown
Cordless window shades are window treatments that open and close using an electric motor. If window shade motors are broken, window shades won’t work at all. Window shade repairs for window shades with broken window motor mechanisms generally require replacing the window motor or window shade brackets. Motor repair services typically cost more than replacing roller brackets alone. If you attempt window shade repairs yourself, be sure to unplug window shades before attempting window shade repairs. If window shades don’t move up and down after window shade repairs are complete, window shades may need to be re-wired.
Conclusion
Several window shade problems can be fixed at home. If window shades have become uncoiled or have broken window shade brackets, window shades may need to be re-wired, or window shade brackets may need to be replaced. Motor breakdowns may require window motor replacement for window shades with electric window motors or roller bracket replacement for cordless window shades. If window shades become sticky, window shade brackets may need to be disinfected before window shades can go up and down again. If window shades catch or stick, window shade brackets should be cleaned before the window shades roll up and down properly again. You can refer to the above points to resolve your window shade issues and protect them from damages.