What's the most frustrating thing about owning / using vertical window blinds?

boatBurner

shutup, crime!
Feb 24, 2012
1,521
35
0
Just looking for feedback on a product idea without driving to a desired answer.

Any feedback appreciated.
 


pets chewing on them and small children ripping them down / trying to swing on them like a vine

u writin' a book or somthin?
 
Like...what kind of vertical blinds?

I have these massive "roll-up" blind type things over all the windows in my condo. Pull a cord, blinds go up. Pull the cord again, blinds go down.

Is that what you are talking about?
 
Like...what kind of vertical blinds?

I have these massive "roll-up" blind type things over all the windows in my condo. Pull a cord, blinds go up. Pull the cord again, blinds go down.

Is that what you are talking about?


vertical_blinds.jpg
 

Oh. I had those in my last apartment.

PITA to clean - they get dusty and you have to go down each individual one to clean'em good.

If there is a vent for AC or heat near them, there is a good chance they will bounce off of each other making this, "click-clack" noise...which doesn't seem like a big deal, but when it is going consistently, it drove me insane.

Also, if they start swinging because of said vent, direct sunlight can come through, then go away, then come through - also really annoying.

When the "track/rotator" thing they are on at the top breaks (because it eventually will) it is also a PITA to fix
 
PITA to clean


The latest craze for some years now and the norm in most new construction is "in between glass" blinds.

Keeps 'em clean. When you do need to clean, pop open the inner glass panel to access.

Haven't seen them made for "vertical", all are done horizontal.

dcwoxy.jpg
 
I have these in my apartment and they suck.

1. They let too much light in
2. They will swing like a pendulum for eternity until you physically stop them with your hand.
3. Like someone else mentioned, any air blown from a vent on them will make that annoying clacking noise.

I don't think anyone likes them, yet apartments always have them installed.
 
Just looking for feedback on a product idea without driving to a desired answer.

Any feedback appreciated.



Biggest problem for me is lack of automation. mine are 8 feet tall, and maybe 20 feet wide. (cover 3 big sliding glass doors.)

I don't know what they weigh, but a tiny little string drags them all the way across the room. They sway a lot, leading to a higher chance of me breaking something. I open and close them by using the sway to my advantage. (to try to avoid breaking whatever cheap little parts are making things work.) Not only that, but I'm pulling DOWNWARD to move a bunch of weight SIDEWAYS. Since mine weigh a lot, it's just asking for a mechanical failure somewhere.

A small electric motor to open and close them slowly would make a big difference.

Then I don't have to worry about pulling too hard, working with swinging momentum, etc. Not sure if that helps you or not, but I bet a motor to do that job would be pretty cheap to manufacture, make failure less likely, and be a nice add for value. I'd have an "open full" button, a "close full" button, and two manual buttons you can hold to place the blinds wherever you want. Or maybe you can improve the interface... I haven't thought about it much besides "I hope this doesn't break right now."
 
Privacy, verticals offer much less than horizontals.

How can a gay webmaster jerk off to Brad Pitt without a little privacy?

I could envision verticals with a fine mesh between them, so as to let light in, without letting people see in.
 
Privacy, verticals offer much less than horizontals.

How can a gay webmaster jerk off to Brad Pitt without a little privacy?

I could envision verticals with a fine mesh between them, so as to let light in, without letting people see in.


I'd use that gay-ass point in a sales pitch for horizontal blinds, but my vertical blinds are mounted outside of the window frame, and also close very tightly.

So I'd flip it and reverse it, if I were pitching vertical blinds.

You could put your nose up to my window and still not be able to see anything through my vertical blinds. (NOT an invitation, creeper!)

If anything, there's a weird inverse. I can see out through my horizontal blinds if I get my eye up close to a hole. If I try that with my vertical blinds, I'd have to disturb them, and tip off anyone paying attention.
 
I should mention this too, Boat. My particular blinds rotate to opened and closed easily once in place. (after they are dragged across the room with a string) Oddly, they have a sink-chain sort of thing for the rotation, and a string for moving them all the way across the room.