Window Covering Recall Gives Consumers Several Safety Options

Does your home have roman-style shades or roll-up blinds manufactured before 2001? If so, take special note of the voluntary recall of these products announced December 15 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Window Covering Safety Council. The industry-wide recall covers all pre-2001 blinds and shades whose pull cords can form a loop and accidentally strangle infants and young children. For a list of recalled blinds, go to the Consumer Products Safety Commission website, www.cpsc.gov.

Consumers can either retrofit their older window treatments to remove safety hazards, or they can replace them with today’s safer products, such as cordless blinds, says Todd Zimmerman, owner of Just Right Blinds and Shutters, a Hunter Douglas distributor in Wheaton, Illinois. Hunter Douglas products are not listed in the recall at www.cpsc.gov.

“Retrofit kits are free,” says Zimmerman. “You can request them online at www.windowcoverings.org, or call the Window Covering Safety Council’s toll-free number, 1-800-506-4636. You can use the free kits to eliminate looped pull cords on pre-1995 mini blinds and pleated shades, to install cord stops on pre-2001 horizontal blinds and corded shades, or to install tie-down devices on pre-1997 vertical blinds. Windowcoverings.org also offers step-by-step how-to videos for repairing all types of older blinds and shades.”

To more fully protect young children, the Window Covering Safety Council also recommends consumers follow safety guidelines, including:
Using only cordless window coverings in homes with infants and young children
Moving cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords
Keeping all window cords and inner lift cords out of children’s reach
Locking cords into position whenever blinds or shades are lowered

What if you decide to replace instead of retrofit your window coverings? “Today’s blinds and shades don’t include dangerous loops, even on regular corded products,” says Zimmerman. “But consumers also have several exciting new options to choose from, such as continuous cord, cordless, or convenient motorized blinds with remote control operation.”

For more information about the voluntary safety recall, free retrofit kits or new purchase options for blinds and shutters, contact Todd Zimmerman of Just Right Blinds and Shutters, 630-292-3756, or visit the company’s website at http://www.justrightblinds.vpweb.com

How to retrofit from Window Coverings Safety Council:
Install only cordless window coverings in young children’s bedrooms and sleeping areas. Owners and renters should replace all other window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today's safer products.

However, if you prefer to keep your older window treatments, the following instructions will help you retrofit them. You can also watch Video Examples of Retrofit Steps! www.windowcoverings.org

ELIMINATE LOOPED PULL CORDS (pre-1995miniblinds and pleated shades)

INSTALL CORD STOPS (all pre-2001 horizontal blinds and corded shades)

INSTALL TIE-DOWN DEVICES (pre-1997 vertical blinds and draperies)