4 Main Advantages & Disadvantages Honeycomb Shades

Nothing worst then buying a new treatment, waiting several weeks for it to arrive, and  installing it up only to find after only one week it doesn’t work or something broke. This  is not uncommon specially on treatments that haven’t been around too long. Sure you can  get a replacement but guess who has the hassle of dealing with sending it back and  re-installing.

Honeycomb blinds also referred to as cellular shades have proven themselves over the  years. They’ve been on the market for years. Window treatment manufactures have had  years to work out any kinks as opposed to newer treatments just hitting the market and  still being tweaked as problems arise.

In this article you will find some of the main adavantages and disadvantages so you can  decide if they are right for you.

1.) Feel The Cold Air Disappear

Honeycomb blinds keep you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. When you  install a new blind on a cold day and you lower it for the first time, you can feel the cold  air disappear. As the hot or cold air tries to pass through the material it get trapped in the  cells keeping you more comfortable. They really do save on your energy bills.

They work so good that in cold weather you should make sure you draw them up everyday to allow for air to circulate behind to prevent ice build up on your windows. It’s  also not a bad idea to install them several inches from the glass for air circulation. Mount  them too close and you will get ice build up. They hold out the cold air that good.

2.) What A Difference A Cord Makes

They are available in cordless. Just lift or lower by hand. Where ever you let go, that’s  where it stays. This is much safer for children since they can’t get caught up in any cords.  If you have young kids and concerned about their safety this is the way to go. Another  nice thing about cordless cellular shades is they have a much cleaner look since there are  no string hanging . When you have several shades side by side, for example on a bay window, the difference in appearance is very apparent.

You have to keep in mind that since there are no cords you have to reach it to operate it.  If you have tall windows or a window over a sink with a counter top, you will only be able to raise them as far as you can reach.

3.) Disappoint The Nosy Neighbors

Another nice option with cellular shades is Top Down Bottom Up. Top Down Bottom Up  implies just what it says. With this feature the honeycomb blinds will operate like a regular shades where you can raise the bottom (bottom up)so you can see out. Or you can lower the top (top down). These are ideal for anywhere you want privacy but still want to maintain your view outside and let some light in. Consider these for baths, bedrooms, or street level windows facing the front of your house. You can leave the lower half of the window covered for privacy and the upper half open to let light in and see out.

There are not complicated to install. They mount up exactly like a standard shade.

The drawback is you have two cords for each blind, one on each side of the shade. This might not be a big issue unless you have several of them butting together, for example a large picture window where you would have three treatments butting together. In this case you will have 6 cords hanging. If this is a issue for you the way around all the cords is to go cordless.

4.) Breakaway Child Proof Cords

If you do decide to have cords the good news is they are more child safe. All honeycomb blinds that I am familiar with have breakaway cords to prevent little guys from getting hurt. They are designed so that if a little one gets hung up in the cords, the piece that holds the strings together will break apart thus keeping them safe. The piece then can be snapped back together.

In additional to breakaway cords most will come with a cord cleat that you can mount high up on your wall beside you treatment. You can drape the cord around the cord cleat to keep it out of the reach of small children.

Drawback to the breakaway cords is sometimes they pop apart under normal use. It doesn’t always happen but it can be a little annoying. It certainly is worth it to keep your children safe.

Competition Is our Friend

Many people are surprised at how affordable honeycomb blinds are. They have been on the market for years and are produced in larger quantities and are very reasonably price.  The market is so competitive companies keep their prices down to attract more business.

Once you start adding on some of the options like cordless or top down bottom up then the price rises as well. The good news is many window treatment companies use these options to attract new business in the form of sales. It’s not too hard to find a sale offering FREE cordless or Top Down Bottom Up upgrades.

Overall cellular shades offer great appearance and many benefit at an affordable price. They will pay for themselves with the energy savings you’ll realize.

About The Author
Robert is a window treatment installer who blogs about all things window treatments at bobtheblindguy.com. If you are looking for information on window treatments and ways to install them yourself, Bob The Blind Guy is the source to look at. Get the first-hand information from a professional with years of experience in the business. Visit him today at bobtheblindguy.com.