Mini Blinds - Pros and Cons
Child-proofing mini blinds
Mini blinds have emerged as a popular alternative to their older cousin, the more traditional Venetian blind. Mini blinds are light, airy and can soften, filter or block out light. They’re also easy to use and have a healthy lifespan; all of which explains what they are cornering a greater percentage of the market share.
Mini Blinds - the drawbacks
However, they do have a couple of drawbacks; one of which is their limited insulating qualities. Mini blinds are not airtight and aren’t good at retaining heat, which can become costly in the long run. Another far more significant problem with mini blinds is their safety implications. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1997 outlined some worrying statistics. The report detailed 359 cases of child asphyxiation by mini blind cords between 1981 and 1995. This roughly equates to one child being lost every fortnight in the US alone. Most incidences occurred with parents were in the house, believing their child to be safe in their room. Approximately 40% of accidents occurred either when infants were playing or sleeping in their cots and got tangled in the cord. The remaining 60% involved an older child climbing on furniture to look out of the window, slipping and becoming entangled. The study was restricted to mini blinds and there no reason why similar statistics shouldn’t apply to other types of blind.
If you have young children and are thinking of installing mini blinds, there are a number of things you can do to ensure your mini blind cords do not course any problems. The most effective method is to eliminate loops in the cords. Take a look at your mini blind and you’ll see a looped cord with a tassel at the end. The loop itself performs no real function and can be cut and a new tassel attached to the end of each, thus creating two cords. If you take this simple precaution there should be nothing to worry about and you can look forward to years of (safe) practical usage from your mini blind.
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