When it comes to motorised blinds vs manual blinds, it can be hard to find information that gives you an honest comparison. The development of smart technology means we can now operate home devices remotely, from the push of a button or the tap of an app.
From smart speakers to thermostats and security cameras, the smart tech revolution doesn’t stop when it comes to window shading solutions. Motorised blinds are fast increasing in popularity.
But are they worth the investment? What’s wrong with manual blinds? Can they really be that special?
We answer all those questions and give you a complete overview of motorised blinds in this comprehensive blog.
What’s The Difference?
If you’ve ever seen them side by side, you’ll know that manual and motorised blinds look pretty similar, and they do the same job. They can both be opened and closed to offer shade and privacy and retain heat in your home.
So how are they different?
First up – manual blinds.
Manually operated blinds are a popular window shading solution commonly found in homes everywhere, and they come in a huge range of designs and styles.
You can buy off-the-shelf budget blinds from high street shops, but for a perfect fit – and a high-performing blind with heat block and energy efficiency in mind – made-to-measure, luxury blinds are the way to go.
Manual blinds are typically operated by hand using a cord or wand system. Motorised blinds, on the other hand, can be hard-wired into your home’s electricity system.
But are they worth the investment?
Let’s explore the benefits of both types of blinds and see where that takes us.
Manual Blinds – The Benefits
Everyone’s raving about motorised blinds, but what are the advantages of opting for manual blinds?
Price
Manual blinds are kinder on the purse strings. And by quite a way. If you’re looking to buy manual blinds for your property, you can spend around £200 for a middle-of-the-range window covering, which means that sorting a shading solution for a whole house is achievable.
Motorised blinds, on the other hand, start at around £400 for a single shade.
Fitting
Not only is the product itself cheaper, but manual blinds are super low cost to install. You don’t need to spend on fitting at all if you’ve got basic DIY know-how and some tools in the shed!
Style Choice
There are so many manual blinds on the market these days that you’d be hard-pushed not to find something you like. After a specific colour? You’ll find it. A particular pattern? Chances are you’ll be able to hunt it down or get it made.
Manual blinds are more readily available, so there’s a whole world of choice and a blind for every room.
And there we are. To be honest, that’s about it when it comes to the benefits of manual blinds.
Motorised Blinds – The Benefits
Here we go. These factors are why motorised blinds are taking the interior design world by storm.
Increased Accessibility
Being able to operate your blinds without moving from the sofa, or wherever you are, is delightfully convenient for everyone. Nursing the baby on the sofa and unable to get up to create some shade? Stuck in an important Zoom meeting and struck by the sudden glare of the afternoon sun? Motorised blinds are for you.
But motorised blinds offer substantially more comfort for people with reduced mobility and disabilities.
Why? Because getting across the room, reaching and twisting to grab the cord or wand, and the manual dexterity required to operate it can all pose challenges. And motorised blinds eliminate all of them.
Motorised blinds can integrate with Alexa or Google Home for the added convenience of voice command control.
Improved Safety
Accidents in the home are one of the biggest causes of significant injury and death in children. And regular blind cords are a serious strangulation hazard.
Motorised blinds, which have no dangerous dangling cords, are the safest option for houses with pets and children living in or visiting them.
Money-Saving
Installing motorised blinds in your property will save you money on your energy bills. And here’s why.
Our lives are busy, and we don’t optimise using manual blinds. We’re not home at the right times of day to open them and let the warmth in, or close them to trap the heat inside… We just don’t think about it.
When you connect your newly installed motorised blinds to a smart home hub, you can programme your blinds to open or close automatically, depending on the weather. And even if you don’t have a smart hub, you can determine preset timings for your blinds to operate, whether at home or not.
What does this mean? Well, when programmed to perfection, your blinds will:
- Close during the hottest part of the day in summer. This will keep your home cool and prevent the need for expensive air conditioning.
- Open during the daylight hours of the short winter days. Open blinds for longer daytime periods enable the sun to naturally heat your home… Reducing your reliance on central heating and shrinking those sky-high energy bills.
Who can say no to that?!
Improves Home Security
Preset, timed settings for your motorised blinds not only help to reduce your energy bills, but they simulate a lived-in house – even when you’re not at home. And when a house looks like it’s consistently occupied, it’s far less likely to get burgled.
Protects Your Belongings
A further benefit to smart blinds that operate on a schedule or in response to the weather?
They look after your much-loved furniture and other belongings at risk of UV damage over time. The sun is a welcome feeling in the depths of winter and spring when it continues to feel like ice in the shade and the ground is still sodden… But the make-up of sunlight can bleach furniture and cause other materials like plastics to become brittle, decreasing the lifespan of many of the items we have in our homes.
The Scottish Shutter Company Recommends Motorised Blinds
This blog explores the similarities and differences between manual and motorised blinds. From protecting your home and everything in it to reducing the cost of your energy bills, it’s clear to see that the benefits of motorised blinds far outweigh the initial investment.
Keen to find out more about motorised blinds and how they would work for you? Check out our range of Luxaflex blinds – which can be fully motorised for utter convenience and easy living – by requesting our brochure.
