The Ultimate Guide for Child-Safe Window Treatments in Greenwich

When it comes to baby-proofing your home, you’ve probably already installed locks on your kitchen cabinets and secured electrical outlets to render them tamper-proof. Were you aware that window cords pose a potential strangulation hazard to both young kids and infants?  The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission reports the staggering statistic that corded window treatments are in the top five hidden hazards in American homes, leading not only to serious injury but also death. If your home or business regularly has young children present, it is extremely important to make your window covering safe by only using cordless options.  As a member of the Window Coverings Manufacturers Association (WCMA) and the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC), Budget Blinds is proud to be at the forefront of making a window covering safety a major priority.

We are proud to participate in the Best for Kids Certification Program, a special initiative of the WCSC with a primary goal to bring awareness to consumers about the possibility of window-cord hazards facing kids.  Additionally, we seek to assist the same consumers to reach the right purchasing decision when buying window coverings for their home or business.  We are honored to have this certification and to maintain it, we are required to live up to specific program criteria and we submit our window covering products to a designated third-party testing laboratory.

Which options are child–friendly? One of our favorite choices is honeycomb cellular shades.  Comprised of multiple layers of fabric, the internal cords are not accessible, making them perfectly safe for kids.  To maintain your privacy while enjoying glorious natural light, cordless top-down/bottom-up cellular shades are ideal.  You can open the top while the bottom is lowered, making them an amazing choice for any space in your home. 

Cordless roman shades are another solid option in child-friendly window treatments.  These timeless classics do not have visible cords on the front side of the shades.  There are cords on the back, which allow the shades to be lowered and raised.  The benefit of this style is that the cords are secured tightly to the fabric so loops cannot be created.  Disaster averted!

Pro tip:  The WCMA highly recommends replacing all window coverings in your home or business manufactured prior to 2001.  Swap them out for modern, cordless window treatments, especially in children’s bedrooms and play areas. 

Another popular choice is roller shades, which are driven by a rolling mechanism at the top end of the shades.  Because of this innovative design, cords aren’t needed to raise or lower them.  There are additional options like a standard roll headrail or a reverse roll headrail, which is completely up to you and the style that you prefer.  With roller shades, you’ll never lose a minute of sleep, worrying about an accident involving kids and cords.

Shutters make a fantastic and iconic option that looks good in any room.  Shutters are always cordless.  The privacy they provide is at home in any of your favorite spaces.

Pro tip:  If you love your window treatments and want to make them child-safe, consider our retrofit motorized options.  We can easily retrofit your existing blinds or shades to make them both motorized and cordless.

We can help make your window treatments child safe so you can enjoy your home worry-free. Call (203) 580-3362 to schedule a free consultation today.