Electric blinds and blinds - read this before you buy them

Friday, January 27, 2023

Although from the outside they do not differ from standard solutions, electric blinds and roller blinds certainly deserve to be called intriguing solutions. The possibility of remote control of their settings makes the operation of these window coverings extremely convenient. As if that wasn't enough, electric blinds and roller blinds break down less often, because the automatic control minimizes the risk of accidental damage. What else is worth knowing about them?

What are electric blinds and vertical awnings and how do they work?

Both blinds and electric roller blinds can be placed both inside and outside the house. Looking at them, it is difficult to see the difference between remotely controlled models and those that have a more classic form. Of course, they don't always look the same, so you can divide them into groups and assign them to specific rooms.

Talking about them as electric models does not explain at all how they can be controlled. Most often we deal with proposals for which a special remote control is used. It allows you to raise and lower the covers, not only from anywhere in the room, but also from different parts of the house, if necessary. Even more modern solutions can be managed not with a remote control, but with an application that can be installed on any mobile device. Thanks to this, you do not have to worry about where the remote control is at any given time. In addition, at the same time, we can control not only the blinds, but also the lighting. If we are not at home, this is a great way to increase protection against theft.

The most original electric blinds and roller blinds are those that can be connected to timers and even to weather sensors. Thanks to this solution, blinds and roller blinds can be raised at a certain time or when the weather conditions are most suitable. This type of proposal, although still the most expensive of the above, will certainly interest lovers of a smart home and energy saving.

How are electric blinds driven?

People interested in electric roller shutters can choose one of several types of drive.

• Drives controlled by a key switch are the most popular solutions. They tempt with an affordable price, although for your own convenience it is worth making sure that each roller blind is controlled from a separate switch so as not to damage the motor in a short time.
• Overload cable drives are more expensive, but using them is much more comfortable. It is also worth emphasizing that in their case we are dealing with solutions that are characterized by quiet operation. Overload cable drives are also described as reliable and almost failure-free, because in the event of a problem, the drive automatically stops the roller shutter drive.
• Radio motors for roller shutters are adapted to be controlled with the use of a remote control. They are intuitive, and their assembly is not complicated. It is enough that each roller shutter is powered from the mains, so there is no need to prepare switch boxes, which is not only a rather complicated but also troublesome task.

Choosing the right drive determines how the electrical installation will be routed and connected. Before making the final decision, it is worth taking an interest in at least a few options, learning about both their advantages and shortcomings.

Can electric blinds be connected to a smart device?

If we choose the right type of drive, electric blinds (as well as roller blinds and slats in the roof of the pergola) can be connected to the electrical device managing the smart home. Importantly, at the same time, we can manage both a specific window cover (for example, blinds in the living room) and a whole group of them. A smart home can also combine blackout, gates, lights, heating, and other elements - both connected to the home network and the Internet. The advantage of connecting roller shutters and blinds with the smart home system is the ability to create certain scenarios. This means that we can plan in advance not only single actions involving blinds and roller blinds, but entire groups of them. As a result - without our intervention from Monday to Friday, the blinds can be raised at seven in the morning and lowered after six, although of course any other scenario is just as real.

Are electric blinds reliable? What is their lifetime?

It is difficult to maintain that all electric blinds will be equally reliable. After all, their lifespan depends on at least several factors. The following come to the fore in this context:

• quality of materials from which specific window covers are made,
• careful assembly,
• type of selected drive,
• how to use roller blinds.

If we care about the longevity of roller blinds, let's think about whether saving on them is a good idea. The cheapest solutions very often turn out to be those whose quality is described as low. Putting on a more expensive model, you can expect that we will be dealing with a more solid solution. It is also worth considering whether self-installation of blinds is really a good idea. There are plenty of guides on the Internet that greatly facilitate the assembly work. However, if we are afraid that our lack of experience may be a hindrance, it may be a good idea to seek the help of professionals.

Are electric blinds loud or noisy?

Many people are afraid of the loud operation of motorized roller shutters. After all, we can often hear that it is troublesome both for the household and for their neighbors. Opinions about how noisy electric window guards are, however, are not always the same. It is not difficult to guess that a lot depends on what type of drive we choose. There are many possibilities, but the more modern the solution, the less audible are the blinds doing their job.

Excessive noise of external roller shutters does not necessarily mean that we have bought the wrong solutions. Very often it is a signal informing us about irregularities during assembly. In this case, it is worth consulting a specialist. If the noise suggests assembly errors, not only will it not go away on its own, it may also get worse over time. The consequences of such a state of affairs are easy to predict - they involve the risk of damaging the drive and the roller shutter as a whole. Of course, there are no failures that we cannot handle. However, each generates costs, and this is not in our interest.

Is it difficult to install motorized roller shutters?

At least several factors determine the level of complexity of installing an electric roller shutter. The location of the roller shutter comes to the fore (whether it is an external or internal model, whether we are dealing with a surface-mounted roller shutter or a flush-mounted model), but it is also important what type of drive we have chosen (this one may require creating additional cans, although this is no longer the norm today). As a rule, the installation of each type of device can be carried out by yourself. Availability of a detailed manual is key. Many producers today do not limit themselves to its written form. On their websites, you can also see videos that explain possible ambiguities and devote a lot of attention to the installation and configuration of the drive itself.

However, it is worth remembering that many problems related to the functioning of the roller blind have their source in assembly errors made by people who decide to install it themselves. In extreme cases, the irregularities are so large that the only way to deal with them is to replace the solution and replace it with another model. With this in mind, it is always worth considering whether we really have to do the assembly work ourselves. In certain circumstances, it may be safer to entrust them to an external company. Finding such a company should not be a problem. Very often, information on its te,at is provided by the seller of roller blinds himself.

Are motorized blinds worth it?

Although the popularity of this type of opinion is systematically decreasing, we can still meet the voices of people who point out that electric roller shutters and blinds may be interesting solutions, but it is difficult to maintain that they are necessary. However, more and more arguments speak against the critical voices.

What comes to the fore is that electric roller blinds are much easier to use than classic window covers. Their lifting and lowering does not require any physical effort from us, even if we are dealing with large-sized solutions. It is also important that solid drives are now resistant to mechanical damage and do not wear out quickly. Even in the case of external roller shutters, they work flawlessly for years, although they are constantly exposed to low temperatures and other harmful weather conditions.

Pondering over external roller shutters, it is worth bearing in mind a number of their other advantages, additionally enhanced by the presence of a drive. It is worth mentioning here that roller shutters protect the house against heat loss in winter and excessive solar radiation in summer. Their advantage is also the fact that they can suppress noise coming from the outside, limiting access to the interior for curious passers-by.

The presence of the drive also means that electric roller shutters (especially in combination with other solutions included in the so-called smart home) are able to contribute to better protection against thieves. Many robberies are preceded by an observation of the house or apartment, during which the thief tries to learn the rituals of the household members. Regularly raising and lowering the roller blinds in conjunction with adjusting the lighting can send a signal that someone is constantly in the house. Thanks to this, the potential threat can disappear.

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