Blinds, Shades and Shutters - 12 foot custom vertical blinds don't move
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GregsFence
11-27-08, 05:11 AM
Ok , just like the title says.. I have a one length 12 foot custom made header ,with 6 foot long vertical blades. The blinds used to open up from the center and part to each side.
The blades still spin , but the blinds no longer spread open to the sides. It seems kind of jammed.
My biggest questions are ,
Does this happen often? And of course can it be fixed?
I had opened them with much difficulty, then they would not close with the draw cord.
I then had to physically pull the blades back towards the center from each side.
Is it likely there is just a simple problem inside the header? Or are they history?
The blades still spin , but the blinds no longer spread open to the sides. It seems kind of jammed.
My biggest questions are ,
Does this happen often? And of course can it be fixed?
I had opened them with much difficulty, then they would not close with the draw cord.
I then had to physically pull the blades back towards the center from each side.
Is it likely there is just a simple problem inside the header? Or are they history?
GregsFence
12-07-08, 07:47 AM
No one touched this one huh?
BLD
12-11-08, 07:39 AM
No, it doesn't happen too often.
first thing I would do is make sure you have a basic understanding of how these things work.
The rope you use to spread the blinds is the excess of a continuous loop you have in your headrail. The lead ends (the 2 center slats/vanes that meet) are the only 2 things connected to this continuous loop and will move with it as you pull the loop.
the carriers that the vanes snaps in to are each riding that head rail like a railroad track. there will be a groove of some sort that is meant to ride smoothly along the metal slot, sometimes these will get off the rail and bunch up causing your blinds to jam. there is also a star ssaped rod that is thread through each one of these carriers, this is resposible for turning a gear inside each carrier that will rotate your vanes. corrosion or dust or dead bugs or whatever may have built up on this rod, water may have caused some sort of rusty corrosion that created a bond that could have cause it to jam.
I would start by
removing the cord loop from any sort of wall mounted pully on your wall, maybe this thing is even the problem.
go to the center and see if they can easily spread apart with your hands.
inspect for any carriers that have fallen out or off of their rail
get a can of silicone (not wd40) and spray the entire inside of the track, then operate it with your hands or cord to really work it in.
they are pretty simple tracks, i would suspect a carrier or 2 is out of wack and this is your problem.
if none of this works, take it down yourself and bring it to a dealer for repair, they shouldnt charge you more than 40 bucks if they dont have to take it down or put it up.
first thing I would do is make sure you have a basic understanding of how these things work.
The rope you use to spread the blinds is the excess of a continuous loop you have in your headrail. The lead ends (the 2 center slats/vanes that meet) are the only 2 things connected to this continuous loop and will move with it as you pull the loop.
the carriers that the vanes snaps in to are each riding that head rail like a railroad track. there will be a groove of some sort that is meant to ride smoothly along the metal slot, sometimes these will get off the rail and bunch up causing your blinds to jam. there is also a star ssaped rod that is thread through each one of these carriers, this is resposible for turning a gear inside each carrier that will rotate your vanes. corrosion or dust or dead bugs or whatever may have built up on this rod, water may have caused some sort of rusty corrosion that created a bond that could have cause it to jam.
I would start by
removing the cord loop from any sort of wall mounted pully on your wall, maybe this thing is even the problem.
go to the center and see if they can easily spread apart with your hands.
inspect for any carriers that have fallen out or off of their rail
get a can of silicone (not wd40) and spray the entire inside of the track, then operate it with your hands or cord to really work it in.
they are pretty simple tracks, i would suspect a carrier or 2 is out of wack and this is your problem.
if none of this works, take it down yourself and bring it to a dealer for repair, they shouldnt charge you more than 40 bucks if they dont have to take it down or put it up.