Foreword
This booklet is intended to give you an insight to the tips and tricks of the trade and how we fix, repair, adjust, etc. window coverings in the field. If you are a Do-It-Yourselfer and want to take a crack at your particular problem, go for it, however; remember we are always just a phone call or email away to help you.
Outline (click on any of the links to jump to a
certain section)
General tips & tricks
Specific tips & tricks
The “Ettes”
Motorization
Lifting & Tilting Mechanisms Explained
General Tips & Tricks
Blinds on Doors – To make your door mounted blinds last longer and rattle less, after you’ve inserted the bottom rail into the hold down brackets, pull the lifting cord tight and then using a small screwdriver or similar object, push the locking cam inside the cord-lock mechanism up so that it pinches the lifting cord thus locking it into place and keeping the slats tighter so they bounce around less when the door is opened. You’ll have to do this from time to time or every time you raise and lower the blinds.
Valances – This happens to wood blinds especially; the valance clips (usually plastic) rot or just give out and the valance falls off. If you don’t have any spare clips you can borrow one from another blind or just let us know and we’ll send you some. Valance clips are typically attached to the headrail and then to the valance. If you need help removing or installing one just let us know and we’ll coach you through.
Cord Tilter jams or the tassels have gotten uneven – To prevent this you should avoid grabbing one of the cords and just jerking it to tilt the blinds. This can cause the other end of the cord to hop off the pulley in the headrail and get jammed around the shaft or start slipping and cause unevenness. If this does happen, take the blind down and detangle the cord and put it back on the pulley. If it’s uneven the process is a bit more difficult so just give us a call.
Wand tilter jams or breaks – Just give us a call.
Telescoping (scoping) – This is the most common problem with any type of roller shade. Telescoping is when the shade gathers to one side or the other as it is rolled up. This is typically a leveling problem, however; you don’t have to remove the shade to fix it.
Regular rollers – make a mental note as to which side the shade is scoping toward and then roll the shade all the way down as far as it will go. Then take a small strip of paper (1/2” wide and 3” long) and on the opposite end of the shade from where it is scoping, tuck the strip of paper horizontally up between the rolled down shade and the roller so that it ends up on top the roller between layers of the shade fabric. Roll the shade and watch carefully to see if is still scoping. If this didn’t quite do it add another layer of paper or thicker paper. If it was too much then use thinner paper or a narrower strip. This may take some experimentation.
Silhouettes & Vignettes – These two special Hunter Douglas shadings have an integrated balancing weight. Please see the “Specific Tips” section on how to adjust these shades.
Clutch jams or cord loop breaks – Try gently tugging the cord back & forth to see if it frees. If not just give us a call. If the cord loop is a beaded chain and it breaks, it is usually at one of the joiners. Give us a call and we’ll send you a new one and you can just rejoin the ends together. If the cord loop is a continuous nylon cord (most Hunter Douglas products) then the ends will have to be re-welded or replaced. Just give us a call.
Honeycomb Shades – Most problems that arise with honeycomb shades are typically related to their lifting systems. Please the “Lifting & Tilting Mechanisms Explained” section to find remedies to these type problems.
Fabric is wrinkled or folded in at the corners – The best remedy for this is to gently unfold the crease(s) and then raise the shade up, helping to reset the folds on the way up, to the top-most position and leave the shade up for about a day. If this doesn’t do it then it may be beyond repair.
Vertical Blinds – Verticals can be temperamental blinds. If treated well they will last a lifetime, however; just the slightest amount of abuse can really wreak some havoc.
Rules for happy verticals
· Tilt open the slats before trying to traverse them
· Never push the slats back to traverse the blind
· Don’t leave them blowing in the wind
· Don’t let kids operate them
· Keep the chain clean
One slat is “out of sync” with the rest – It is important you read these instructions all the way through before you try this. This is a common problem and easily fixed. Most vertical blinds are self adjusting. Using the tilting control rotate the slats all the way one way and then the other. When the offending slat bumps into the slat next to it and prevents the blind from completing it’s rotation to fully closed, pull a little harder until you hear a “click” (may take multiple clicks to readjust). Don’t worry you wont break it. If there are multiple offensive slats this may not work as you will not be able to exert enough pull to “click” them all into place. In this case or if the above isn’t working, reach up to where the slat is attached to the carrier in the headrail and rotate the slat into the proper position. You will still hear the “click”. Don’t panic, if you break it. Just give us call and we’ll repair it.
Also, the slats may be tangled or out order with each other in the way the overlap. If they are just gently untangle the slats and all should be well.
Slats won’t traverse or the cord is broken – Just give us a call.
Plantation Shutters – Shutters are fairly simple and rarely malfunction. This is good, however; when they do break it is usually something we’ll have to handle.
Louvers won’t stay in place or are hard to move – All of our shutters have “tension adjustment screws” and are easily adjusted. Open the panel doors and look at the edge of the panel. You’ll notice holes or holes with plugs in them interspersed along the edge. If plugged, gently remove anyone of them with a small blade or screwdriver. Using a Phillips head screwdriver either tighten or loosen the screw to adjust the tension on the slat. One slat will usually do it since they are all attached, however; feel free to adjust as many as you feel necessary to accomplish your goals.
Anything else should be handled by a professional. Please give us a call.
Tinting Film – Virtually maintenance free except for cleaning so here’s the key to cleaning tinted windows:
Use a solution of water . You may also use standard cleaning solutions made for windows. Use a soft cloth and avoid abrasive materials. NEVER use a razor blade or sharp object on the film.
Specific Tips & Tricks
The “Ettes”
Bugs & Junk in the louvers – just blow them out or flick them with your finger.
Binding as the shading rolls up – There is a slideable weight in the bottom rail that adjusts for “telescoping”. All you need is a penny or a screw driver to release the little plastic locks that hold the weight in place. After you release the lock(s) slide the weight in the direction the shade is binding by a few inches and then roll the shade all the way down and up again. As you roll it up, pay attention to the edges of the shade on the roller and make sure it isn’t binding. If it is then slide the weight a little more. If you over do it, then slide it back the other way. Always roll the shade all the way down before rolling up again each time you test it. If this doesn’t work give us a call.
Luminette – There is very little that could go wrong with a Luminette that is DIY (Do It Yourself). Here are a few simple things:
The fabric has come loose – BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING … WASH YOUR HANDS! There a two different ways Luminette fabric is attached. On the ends the fabric is Velcroed to a small panel that is attached via a clip and rod. This is so the ends can be adjusted to hang straight. If the panel has come unclipped from the rod, remove the fabric from the small panel by separating the Velcro and just clip the panel back on. Then reattach the fabric via the Velcro making sure the fabric is hanging straight. If the fabric has detached from a carrier (everything between the ends) it just needs clipping back onto the carrier.
The cord loop device is loose and sliding up and down the tilting rod – Your installer should have given you a small packet with a small Allen wrench. This is for adjusting this exact thing. If you don’t have the wrench, just give us a call.
Louver(s) is(are) out of sync – Using your thumb and index finger gently but firmly rotate the offending louver’s carrier into the correct position. You will hear a distinct “click” when it moves into position. You may feel as though you are going to break it. Don’t Panic. If you do we’ll fix it. Just give us a call.
Vignette – These operate exactly like silhouettes and roller shades. Please see those sections for help.
Alouette – A product unique to itself. So far we’ve encountered very few problems. The Alouette utilizes three different control systems; the Bar Tab System (BTS), the Bar Cord System (BCS) and the Cord Cord System (CCS)
BTS – The only problem we encounter is with the bar hinge losing it’s adjustments from initial settings. This has happened when you aren’t able to fully close the louvers in the up or down position. This is easily fixed with a standard screwdriver. You’ll notice there is a slotted screw head looking object on the inside of the tiltbar where it is attached to the tiltbar hinge. This may have slipped and needs adjusting. If the tiltbar is sliding up and down where it is attached to the hinge then the screw just needs tightening. With the screw loose, move the tiltbar so the louvers are in the open position and then by sliding the hinge attachment up or down the bar move it so it is perpendicular to the bar. Tighten the screw. Now move the bar to see if the louvers will fully close both ways. If not just readjust until it is functioning properly.
BCS – Virtually the same as the BTS except a cord is used to lift the louvers instead of a Tab. If the cord becomes tangled, carefully untangle it.
CCS – This system uses a unique clutch system with a counter weight to tilt the louvers. If the louvers aren’t tilting properly (i.e. flopping open & closed, not moving to full closed position) the clutch needs resetting or the brackets attaching the shade into the opening have come open. First the clutch: Pull the tilt cord all the way down until you can pull it no more. Don’t be afraid to pull firmly. You should hear a “click” as the clutch resets itself. If you don’t hear a “click” and the shade is still malfunctioning then move on to the bracket section below. The CCS will need to be reset after the shade is raised up most of the time. Now the brackets: Check to see if the brackets at the top of the shade are fully closed. If they aren’t then push them closed buy pushing them toward the back of the shade. They should click closed. After closing the brackets, try the reset deal above and that should do it. If not then give us a call.
Motorization
Hunter Douglas PowerRise, PowerTilt & PowerGlide – While being the most affordable motorization option available, it is also one of the more temperamental. Fortunately most of the problems that arise with this system are easily remedied.
A few notes on your new Duette PowerRise shades – Inside your Duette shade there are tiny sensor/switches that sense when the strings that actually raise and lower the shade go lax. They are there to prevent the motor from running on and creating a tangled mess of string in the headrail if the shade were to be obstructed on its way down. When the shade is down and you lift up the bottom rail (or middle rail in a Top Down shade) just slightly, you will hear a faint “click”. When you set the rail back down, you will hear it again. That sound is the sensor(s) opening and closing. If the sensor is open and you press the down button, the shade will not go down any further. It should, however; go up. When a Duette shade is new the strings are new and they sometimes will stretch as they break in. This can cause the sensors to malfunction. This is normal and we will need to come out to adjust it. This same stretching may also cause a shade to become askew. Again, this is normal and we will be happy to make the adjustments for you.
If the shade stops working altogether - here is a check list of thing to check before going any further:
· Are the batteries or transformer okay?
o Check the shade and the remote
o If you just replaced them make sure they are in correctly
o Swap a battery wand from another shade if available
o Switch to another remote if available
o Make sure the outlet isn’t switched off or the circuit tripped
· Reset the shade if possible (see below)
If none of these things revives the shade then give us a call.
Resetting the shade – (This applies to all PowerRise & Powerglide products) If the shade is stopping short of the bottom or the top then it probably needs resetting. To reset the shade, run it down to the lowest point it will travel and then while pointing the remote at the shade’s receiver eye, press the down button and hold it for 5 seconds. This will erase any memory the shade may have picked up as to where to stop. Another way of resetting the shade (for all types including PowerTilt) is to interrupt its power supply. Remove the battery wand or unplug the transformer for a few moments and the shade will be reset. Of course this will happen every time you change the batteries.
If you are still experiencing difficulties, please give us a call.
Hunter Douglas’ electric motorization or hard wired systems are more sophisticated and a bit more complicated. If you are experiencing difficulties with this type of system, please give us a call.
Somfy radio and infra-red controlled systems are more sophisticated and a bit more complicated. If you are experiencing difficulties with this type of system, please give us a call.
Lutron systems are more sophisticated and a bit more complicated. If you are experiencing difficulties with this type of system, please give us a call.
Lifting & Tilting Mechanisms Troubleshooting
Tilting Systems
Cord Tilt – The two most common problems with cord tilters are tangling on the pulley and slipping on the pulley. If the cord is jammed or the blind will only tilt partially, the cord has most likely jumped off the pulley and wrapped around the pulley shaft. This is easily fixed if you are slightly handy by taking the blind down and just unwrapping the cord and placing it back on the pulley. If the ends of the tilting cords aren’t even by more than a few inches when the louvers of the blind are level then the cord is slipping on the pulley. This is a little more complicated and requires removing the tilter assembly from the headrail and re-wrapping it completely. Again if you’re the handy type give it a shot. You can’t break it and even if you do, we’ll still be glad to repair it for you.
Wand Tilt – The most common problem with this system is that the wand will break off or the system will just get old and gum up or corrode. If the wand snaps off, just give us a call and we can usually send you a new one that is easily replaced. If the system is jammed then it will have to be replaced. Again you can have us send you the part, or bring it in for repair.
Lifting Systems
Standard Cordlock – The way blinds & shades have been raised and lowered for over a century. If you don’t understand how these work yet, we’re afraid we can’t help you. Seriously though, if you’re having troubles make sure the strings aren’t frayed. Although wear & tear isn’t covered under our warranty, we will be more than happy to assist in having your window fashion “re-strung”. Most of the time there is no charge. At most it would be $50.
EasyRise – The first innovation in window fashion control. The EasyRise cord loop is extremely simple. You pull the cord loop which rotates a shaft which winds up the string which hoists the covering. Like the cordlock, fraying is usually the culprit here. If the loop breaks it will have to be replaced. Although wear & tear isn’t covered under our warranty, we will be more than happy to assist in having your window fashion “re-strung”. Most of the time there is no charge. At most it would be $50.
UltraGlide – The next innovation uses a retractable cord that “pumps” the shade up and uses gravity or the pump to lower. These are a bit more complicated. Typically it’s good old wear and tear, however; if there appears to be no frayed cord and the mechanism fails, give us call.
LiteRise – The cordless operation of LiteRise is ingenious and completely unrepairable in the field. Give us a call.
TrueRise – Uses a counter weight to keep the shade at exactly the height you would like it to be. Although it appears simple, it isn’t and must be repaired by us. Give us a call.
Please go to the following web site for all you need to know about all of our products and how to care for and clean them.
http://www.hunterdouglas.com/pdf/Careandcleaning.pdf
Hunter Douglas – Your warranty info should be included in your booklet, however; if not here is a copy of the warranty:
Hunter Douglas makes the highest quality window fashions and we back that belief with a comprehensive warranty that covers your Hunter Douglas products for as long as you own them, with the following products or components warranted only for the periods specified below:
PowerRise®
and PowerGlide® motors and circuitry
five years
Other
Silhouette® window shadings, Duette® honeycomb shades, and Vignette® Modern
Roman Shades motorized components
five years
Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Lifetime Limited Warranty
Hunter Douglas Inc. warrants that its Hunter Douglas brand window fashion products will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as the original retail purchaser owns the product (or as otherwise set forth below*), PROVIDED THAT (i) such products were properly installed in residential dwellings; and (ii) such products were made or assembled exclusively from Hunter Douglas materials and components.
The obligation of Hunter Douglas and its licensed fabricators/distributors is limited to repair or replacement of the window fashion product or components found to be defective and excludes shipping charges and costs of removal and reinstallation. Repairs will be made with like or similar parts.
To obtain warranty service, contact the dealer from whom you purchased the product. Your dealer will work with its licensed Hunter Douglas fabricator/distributor to promptly repair or replace any defective parts or components without charge. If you require further assistance, contact Hunter Douglas at the address or telephone number listed below. Warranty claims must be accompanied by proof of purchase, as well as details regarding the nature of the problem, location of the product, etc.
This warranty does not cover any conditions or damages resulting from accidents, alterations, misuse, abuse, exposure to the elements, excessive humidity, fading or discoloration over time (with the exception of Hunter Douglas Alternative Wood Blinds which are warranted against fading or discoloration of the slats, valances and bottom rails under normal conditions), or failure to follow our instructions with respect to measurement, installation, cleaning or maintenance. This warranty also does not cover any condition or damage resulting from removal of the product or reinstallation in the same or another window or application.
This warranty does not apply to conditions caused by normal wear and tear upon the product.
THIS WARRANTY IS EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER OBLIGATIONS, LIABILITIES OR WARRANTIES. In no event shall Hunter Douglas or its licensed fabricators/distributors be liable or responsible for INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES or for any other direct or indirect damage, loss, cost, expense or fee. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so this exclusion or limitation may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Different warranty periods and terms apply for commercial products and applications. Please contact Hunter Douglas for more information.