The 5 most common problems with school blinds

We have spent every summer for the last 30 years visiting schools to carry out their annual maintenance programme.

We carry out the same repairs to the same blinds in the same schools every year. Whilst these maintenance contracts are great for our bank account I'm sure the schools would soon be spending this money on more important things for their staff and students.

The number of school maintenance contracts we have each year is reducing as we help schools find the right blinds that are reliable, robust and will last.

The 5 most common problems with school blinds: 1 Cords and Chains

Chains and cords are by far the most common issue we find. This is the most common and most frustrating problem for premises officers and teachers.

As soon as the cords or chains get damaged the blinds stop working. This means cutting out the glare in the classrooms becomes impossible.

There are 2 options to solve this problem.

First have chains that are secured to the walls or window frame. This ensures the chains cannot be played with, tangled or broken.

The second solution is chainless blinds.

Vertical blinds can be rod-operated. You simply move the rod backwards and forwards to draw the blinds across the window and twist the rod to alter the angle of the louvres.

Roller Blinds can be operated with a gearbox. You will have a winding handle that hooks into the gearbox. Rotate the handle until the blind is at the height you need it to be and remove the handle.

The 5 most common problems with school blinds: 2 Fabric Choice

The use of whiteboards in classrooms has meant that light and glare control is a priority to enable students to have a comfortable view of the screen.

We see so many school blinds with the wrong choice of fabric because they have probably been there from the chalkboard days (maybe showing my age a little there).

There are 4 different choices when it comes to the fabric for your blinds. Light filtering, Dim out, blackout and screen fabrics.

The right fabric may differ from classroom to classroom depending on the amount of light that enters the classroom.

Over the years we have designed a specific fabric collection for schools.

The 5 most common problems with school blinds: 3 Fabric falling off

"Every time they open the windows a strip of fabric falls off and I need to get a ladder to reclip it" was a comment made by a premises officer a few weeks ago.

With most vertical blinds the runner has a simple hook that the fabric clips onto. The problem is if the window is open, or there are books on the window sill or someone plays with the fabric they can fall.

This makes the classroom look untidy, makes it difficult to cut out the glare and annoys the premises officer.

The simple solution is to supply a vertical blind rail so that the runners have a lip in front of the hook so the fabric can not come unclipped. Problem solved.

We introduced this rail to solve this problem for our older customers as we didn't like the idea of them climbing on step ladders to try and hang them back up. 

The system has now become the only rail we will use in schools, offices and hospitals.

The 5 most common problems with school blinds: 4 Broken runners

You will know the treatment school blinds can get is very different to how you treat your blinds at home.

The hooks mentioned in the previous problem can break if the fabric is pulled forcefully enough.

To replace the damaged hook would usually mean taking the blind down, taking the rail apart, replacing the damaged runner and refitting.

Not a quick or easy job.

The solution that we have for the blinds we fit in schools is a hook that simply twists out and a new one pushes back in.

This can be done quickly and without having to take the blind down. We would always leave a few spares and instructions our how to replace them.

The 5 most common problems with school blinds: 5 Bottom weight and chains

Vertical blinds have plastic weights in the bottom of the fabric to ensure the fabric hangs nice and straight.

Over time the weights and chains can get broken and need replacing.

We now offer chainless weights. The weight fits into the fabric the same way but without the pegs on the side to attach the chain. No chain.. no problem.

My grandad had a saying "It is not our job to find customers for our blinds, it is our job to find the right blinds for our customers"

With our focus on problem solving we believe that now have the most comprehensive range of school blinds ever.

If you are in Leicestershire and would like to find out more please give us a call on 0116 2769771.