Wondering what you should know before you buy motorised blinds?
It’s likely that in your search for the perfect window furnishings, you came across motorised blinds. And seeing as how popular they are out there, this is hardly surprising. After all, if your lighting and sound systems can be automated, why not your blinds?
Aside from being incredibly convenient, motorised blinds are an investment of their own. They add value to your asset, by significantly elevating the functionality of your spaces. However, if you want to make the most of your investment, you should first carefully consider everything this entails. It can help you avoid any hassles and costs in the future, like with DIY blinds online vs. regular retail.
1. What Are Motorised or Electric Blinds and How Do They Work?
Simply put, motorised/ electric blinds are window furnishings that are operated electronically as opposed to manually. It’s a system that does away with the normal cord/ chain system, offering greater flexibility. These blinds use wireless technology to function, and can be operated with the use of a remote, smartphone, tablet, or third-party home-automation system. You’re bound to have at least one of these with you already.
The way they operate is quite straightforward. The battery-operated motors are fitted into the blind in question. Aside from being discreet, this also means you needn’t take them down when you need to charge them. Simply plug them into a power source. With our motorised blinds, there’s a 15-channel remote control also included. This means you can programme up to 15 blinds on one device. Typically, this can control all the blinds in your entire home, provided they’re motorised.
You can also choose to go with your home automation system, and for this you’ll need to procure an Acmeda Hub. We don’t currently offer this on our website, however can absolutely source it for you. The cost of the Hub is around $300, and will allow you to pair your motorised blinds with your smart devices.
2. How Are Motorised Blinds Powered?
With the simple touch of a button or voice activation, thanks to wireless technology and a motorised unit. Rechargeable motors, like the ones we use with Acmeda’s motorisation system, are highly recommended. As mentioned above, they’re easy to use as you don’t need to take anything apart. They only need to be charged as needed. They also can be charged up to 500 times, with 500 cycles available with each charge. That should give you plenty of leaveway in terms of functionality.
There are other ways to power motorised blinds, like hardwiring which runs off your home’s power supply. But bear in mind that you do need an electrician for that. Have a browse through them if you’d like to get a thorough understanding of it all.
3. Can Motorised Blinds Be Connected to My Smart Device?
Absolutely. This is what home automation means: The ability to control your blinds from your smartphone/ tablet. Again, you’ll need the help of the Acmeda Hub to assist, as that’s what connects your blinds to your device.
Once you have all the components in place, it’s just a matter of using some basic tech skills to pair them altogether. You’ll be able to make use of a designated app that makes life easier for this purpose.You can then control both your internal and external blinds, from one place. You can even operate them when you’re not home!
4. Are Motorised Blinds Reliable?
They certainly are, however, as with all things technology, we think it’s best to err on the side of caution. Technology can go wrong in many different ways. We’re not saying your blinds will suddenly develop AI and take over your house. But they could suddenly not work due to a technical fault. You want to be sure that even in such instances, your blinds will work till the issue is rectified.
Because of this, motorised blinds can still be manually operated. It’s an option that’s included, foreseeing this exact situation. So all things considered, yes, motorised blinds are a dependable choice.
5. Are Motorised Blinds Hard to Install?
Not at all. It’s only as hard as installing blinds may be to you. And with our handy Do It Yourself window blinds installation guide, we’re going to say it’s in the bag. Be sure to follow our instructions, and confirm whether you want an inside or outside frame mount. This is because it has a direct effect on your measurements and thereby, fit.
The motors themselves go inside the roll of the blind. So they’re mounted along with the blind. As there are no external components, there’s nothing else you need to worry about installing.
6. Are Motorised Blinds Worth It?
In our books, yes. They’re particularly useful if there are accessibility/ mobility requirements, as they can be operated remotely. Bear in mind though that cheap blinds may not be able to handle this functionality.
Additionally, they may not seem like much, but they are a luxurious feature to have in a home. Your guests are bound to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ when they see your motorised blinds work as if by magic. Best of all, it won’t cost you the earth. DIY motorised blinds are a simple way to elevate both style and functionality.
Setting each day’s sunrise and sunset to your own time is yet another thing to look forward to. Use the timer functionality to raise your blinds at a certain time on weekdays, and another time on weekends. And if you’re getting home late, why worry about your home being peeped into? You can close your blinds from wherever you are.
Our motorised blinds feature rollers, double-rollers and Romans. If you’ve been thinking about getting these blinds for yourself, ask us about motorisation. We’ll walk you through the process, and help you decide if it’s right for you and your home. Get in touch with us via Live Chat, e-mail, or simply give us an old-fashioned ring.
