The Blind FYI

If you ever decide to put custom wood blinds in your home.  Be sure that you include extra louvers.  ALWAYS... if they are the large 1.5 inch blinds that is only one extra per inch.  Meaning that if you are doing this yourself not having them installed add at least one inch to the window length.  I would add two, giving me two extras per window.  If you are having them installed by a company. (crazy I know but that is actually cheaper in Houston than doing it yourself)  Have them give you at least two extra per window.  WHY?? Well here is why..  

 I went to raise the blinds and the cords were behind this louver, snapped it fast.

Sorry I didn't think about blogging this until it was done.  So no broken blind photo.  But right here is where it happened.

The only way to tell which one it was .. is it is the one with no dust.. :-)  I pulled the blind down and did the repair on the floor.  I did not cut the bottom rope, I took a pair of tweezers and pulled the knot from the plastic piece and unknotted it.  I did not want to shorten these or the lifting cord.

Here is how to fix the problem.  FIRST take the blind down.  Several reasons, but most important is that you can loose the cords up into the feeding mechanism, if that happens you are done.  I have tried with no avail to re-feed cord through that maze of craziness, it is next to impossible.   You may need help getting them down, these bad boys weigh a TON.  At the bottom of each blind is a cap along each raising rope/cord line.  It is a simple pop those  little plastic caps off(I used a flat head screw driver and gentle shoved it against the plastic between the wood, making sure to not damage either item), once the cap is off pull the line threw the blinds to the louver just above the broken one.  Pull the broken louver out from the side, pull one of the extras from the bottom.  Slip it in place just above the thin guide lines (the louvers rest on those).  Now feed the lines one at a time back threw the louvers, do not get them wrapped around the guide lines.  This does take a moment to do.  When you get to the bottom replace the plastic caps and you are done. Ta dah.. all fixed and good as new.  Well maybe if they were dust free.  Totally saved me $350 bucks.

Happy blind recovery.