How To Lower Blinds (Here's What You Can Do)

One of the most versatile and common window coverings out there are window blinds. Because they are so versatile, they can look quite good in just about any home as well as in-office settings. Even better, they allow for more precise control over the amount of light that enters the room at any time.

Unfortunately, some blinds can feel like they require a degree to operate. Some blinds have locking mechanisms and need to be unlocked to move. Others require simple lifting or pulling. In most cases, it depends on the cord system involved.

The first thing to understand is that not all blinds are created equally. There are several different types and the key to operating them effectively is knowing which kind that you are dealing with. Continuous cord loop blinds will have a loop that is attached on either the left or right side of the blinds.

The purpose of the continuous cord loop is to allow you to either lower or raises the blinds when you see fit. In order to raise the bottom portion of the blinds, pull one side of the loop down. If you are trying to lower the blinds, simply pull down on the other side of the loop.

These are probably the simplest set of blinds to deal with and generally lead to the least amount of frustration. The only issue is that the cords can become tangled at times and may not work as effectively as they normally would.

Your set of blinds might only have a single string to it. That means that it is controlled by unlocking and locking that single string in order to pull it or release it. If you are looking to raise the blinds, simply pull the string down and then off to the right. This will lock it into position.

When trying to lower the blinds, you would pull the cord to the left to unlock it. This should begin to lower the blinds and you can stop at any point, locking the blinds into place by pulling the cord to the right.

These blinds tend to be a little tricky to operate, especially if you haven’t really used blinds before. But once you get used to them, getting precise positioning is possible.

If your blinds have cords located on either side of them, there’s a good chance that you have a bottom-up, top-down lift mechanism. What makes these blinds different from the other types is that they give you the chance to adjust the height of both the bottom and top of the blinds.

Having this type of blinds is great if you want to be able to look out on a scenic view but still want to maintain a little bit of privacy. Simply pull the right string to control the bottom portion of the shade; pull the left string to make adjustments to the top shades.

Similar to the single-string mechanism, pulling each of the cords to the right will lock it into place. Pulling slightly to left will allow you to make adjustments to the height of your blinds before locking them into place once again.

While every set of blinds listed above comes with a set of strings (or a single string in one instance), there are actually blinds that don’t have any strings at all. Cordless blinds allow for the same great aesthetic that blinds provide without the annoying, hanging cords.

In order to raise your cordless blinds, simply grab the bottom rail of the blinds and gently lift upwards. On the flip side, if you want to lower cordless blinds, simply grasp onto the top of the shade and gently pull down.

Cordless blinds tend to be a little more costly than the others on this list. This is due in part because of the improved aesthetic, but also because of the fact that you won’t have to deal with tangled or broken cords.

When you have vertical blinds – these are typically for large slider or patio windows – they won’t come with strings, but rods instead. This rod and track system is fairly simple to control as you can just grab the rod and drag it one way or another.

Some models will have a continuous-cord system or single-string system, though these are less common. To rotate the blinds open or closed, you would simply twist the rod in much the same way that you would with horizontal blinds.

From time to time, you may find yourself with blinds that are stuck in a raised position and just won’t lower even when you begin pulling on the cord. The first thing to do is make sure that the cord lock hasn’t jammed.

If you feel that the cord lock has become jammed, you can gently push a flathead screwdriver into the lock; this should help it release. When the cord is pinched or beginning to fray, it will rarely work properly. When this happens, you will have no recourse but to replace the cord entirely.

Wooden blinds are a stark contrast to the typical white, plastic blinds that we are most familiar with. Wooden blinds are quite a bit thicker and provide a different aesthetic to the room that plastic blinds can’t match.

In order to lower your wooden blinds, simply pull the cord to the center portion of your blinds and then raise your hand slowly while still holding onto the cord. Reversing the blinds, meanwhile, requires pulling the lift cord away from the blind. You can pull it away at any angle.

You can also tilt the slats to allow more light into the room without compromising privacy. To do this, you would either activate the tilt cord or the wand that comes with your set of blinds.

From time to time, blinds can get stuck in place and may be difficult to manipulate. In order to release the blinds, tug the lift cords off to the side while pulling towards the center. Should this not prove to be effective, you will have to release the pawl of your blinds.

To release the pawl, you will have to remove the blinds entirely. Do this by taking the headrail of the blinds out of the brackets. Using a screwdriver, press down on the pawl; it will be in the track where it travels. With the pawl released, put the blinds back into their brackets and then try to lower them again using the lift cord.

For blinds that come with a tilt cord, adjustments are possible. Start by removing the tassels and then take off the plastic end cap or metal end piece from the headrail of the blinds. With space to maneuver, tilt the rod only slightly so that it can barely clear the tilter.

With the tilter clear of the tilt rod, replace the tilter and then gently push it back down so that it snaps back into place. Everything should work properly once again. If it doesn’t, you may need to replace the tilter entirely.

Like just about anything else in life that has mechanical parts, those parts will begin to wear down and even break over time and frequent use. The cord lock on the blinds could eventually wear down and stop working effectively. Replacing it is a relatively easy process.

Start by taking the shade or blind off of the window entirely. Make sure that you untie your drawcords and do not cut them. Cords are measured for a specific length; cutting them will make your strings ineffective.

Make sure that you pull the drawcords all the way through the top of the lock mechanism and then pop the mechanism out of the headrail entirely. You can’t really fix a busted cord lock, so purchasing a new one is necessary. In most cases, these cord lock assemblies will come pre-assembled.

Simply insert the new cord lock into the shade or blind headrail, pressing down gently until you hear it snap into place (you’ll hear a click when it has properly locked). Retie your draw cords into a knot at the place where they were previously knotted.

If the assembly does not come preassembled, don’t worry. All you need to do is insert the pawl into the lock housing mechanism and then insert the pin right after. From there, your cord lock will be ready to insert as outlined in the steps above.