My Venetian Blinds Are Stuck

Considerations

• When Venetian blinds become stuck, the problem usually centers around the mechanism controlled by the pair of cords you use to raise and lower the blinds. Take care when trying to free stuck window blinds by pulling on the cord. Pulling with force may dislodge the plastic catch-pieces that hold the head rail, allowing the whole blind to pop out of the mounting brackets, which may injure you and damage the blinds.

Operation

• Downward pressure on the cords raises the blinds, causing each slat to nest beneath the one directly above. You must pull both cords equally and at the same time to keep the bottom of the blinds level. To lower the blinds, you must first pull the cord to the right side to free the cord locking mechanism. By directing the cords to the right to disengage the locking mechanism and left to engage it, you can raise or lower the blinds to the height you choose.

New Blinds

• If your blinds are right out of the package and will not lower, mount the blinds and try to disengage the lock again. If the blinds still refuse to lower, the YourBlinds website suggests you remove the blinds from their mount, inspect the spot where the cords run through the locking mechanism within the head rail, insert a flathead screwdriver, turn it perpendicular to the head rail, and push the sliding pin, which will free the cords.

Older Blinds

• If your older blinds stick, the YourBlinds website suggests the following series of tricks. Try holding the cords level with the head rail as you pull. Pull to the right, then the left repeatedly to attempt to free the lock. If the blinds only partially unfurl, you may need to disengage the lock several times. The blinds should descend a little with each pull until they fully lower. For faster effect, disengage the lock by pulling the cords to the right, and hold the lock open by keeping the cords pulled taut with one hand while pulling downward gently on the bottom rail of the blinds. If the blinds stick in an unfurled position and will not raise properly, pull down gently on the bottom rail, which resets the spring that controls the movement. You can then attempt to raise the blinds. You may need to perform this action any time you leave your blinds closed for an extended period.