How Motorized Shades Improve Accessibility For Seamless Light Management

Wrestling with tangled cords is frustrating for anyone. When you have mobility limitations, many common window treatment types are more difficult to use. Motorized shades alleviate accessibility concerns with easy-to-control window treatments. Common control methods include wands, remote controls, voice activation, and mobile apps.

Controls for window treatments often require a tight grip to hold a wand or cord. You also have to twist the controls or lift the blinds. That's not easy when you have poor grip strength or mobility issues. People who use wheelchairs may not be able to reach the controls if they're mounted out of reach from a sitting position. Installing accessible shades that don't require a lot of force, a tight grip, or twisting motions eliminates many issues. Motorized window coverings give you access from afar without the need for a strong grip or a high reach.

Some motorized shades use wands that you push up to open and pull down to close. Blinds with remote controls allow opening and closing from across the room. Even better, consider smart window treatments in your home. Smart blinds use home automation features for easy management. They connect to an app that you access on your smartphone to control the blinds from anywhere. Some models are compatible with smart home systems, allowing you to use voice commands to adjust the shades. When comparing smart blinds, look for extra features, such as the option to program your shades so you don't have to make adjustments regularly.

Being able to open, close, and adjust blinds remotely also addresses another accessibility issue: windows that are too high to reach from the floor. Skylights, windows over entry doors, and high windows in rooms with vaulted ceilings are examples. Instead of leaving those windows bare, install motorized blinds to control the light. This helps with the energy efficiency of your home. Closing the blinds on hot, sunny summer days blocks heat from entering your home, keeping it cooler and giving your AC a break. You can also close the blinds on those hard-to-reach windows on cold days to add a bit of insulation against the chilly air. 

Window coverings that are motorized can increase safety and security around your home. Eliminating cords from the controls makes your motorized blinds safer for curious kids and pets. Cords and loops present a strangulation risk for those vulnerable groups. Since automated blinds use remotes, wands, or apps, they don't need hanging cords for controls. Smart motorized blinds could increase home security and help protect your home from intruders when you're away for several days. Keeping your blinds closed for your entire trip signals to potential burglars that no one is home. Since you can control smart blinds from the app, you can open and close them randomly while you're away or program them to open at different times, giving the illusion that someone is in the house.