How To Lower Blinds

Blinds are a perfect choice if you want to have control over how much light gets into the room at any given time. Yet lowering them to protect yourself from the sun is often a process of trial and error. Learn how to lower the most common types of blinds and take control of the light situation in your living quarters once and for all.

If your blinds have a single string, it is controlled by locking and unlocking the string and pulling or releasing it. To raise the blinds, pull the string down and then slightly to the right to lock it in position. To lower the blinds, unlock the cord by pulling it slightly to the left. The blind will begin to lower. You can let it lower toward the bottom or stop it in the middle and lock the cord in place by pulling it to the right.

Continuous-cord loop blinds have a loop attached either on the right or the left side of the blinds that allows you to raise or lower the blinds. The cord goes into the headrail and creates a single, continuous loop that controls the blinds. You can pull on either side of the loop, with one side raising it to open the blinds and one lowering it. To raise the bottom of the blinds, pull down on one side of the loop, and to lower the blinds, pull on the other side of the loop. You might have to test the two sides to determine which is which.

If you have a top-down, bottom-up lift mechanism, your blinds probably have cords on either side. These blinds are different from the other types in that they allow you to adjust the height of both the top and the bottom of the blinds. This will come in handy if you want to enjoy the view out of your window but still maintain your privacy. Pulling on the right string will allow you to control the bottom of the shades. Pulling on the left string will adjust the top.

As with a single-string mechanism, pulling each cord slightly to the left will unlock it, allowing you to adjust the height, and pulling it slightly to the right will lock it in position.

A sleek, modern option is a cordless blind system. Cordless blinds are also a good way to babyproof your house because they eliminate the cord that can cause a strangulation hazard for young kids.

Instead of using a cord, these blinds have a sturdy bottom slat that you use to raise and lower the blinds. Push up on the bottom slat to raise the cordless blinds and pull down on it when you want to lower the blinds. You can stop the blinds anywhere along the window by simply stopping the push or pull. The cordless blinds should move up and down freely without much pressure.

If your blinds are stuck in a raised position and cannot be lowered when you pull on the cord, there are a couple of things you can do. First, check that the cord lock is not jammed. If necessary, you can push a flat-head screwdriver inside the lock to help release it. If your cord is fraying or is being pinched, it won't work properly. In this case, the cord needs to be replaced.