Window Shade Repair

Window shades cover millions of windows — except when the shades are broken. This Gear up-It Guide on window shade repair tells how a window shade works, what often goes wrong, how to identify a window shade problem, and what parts and tools you will demand to set up information technology. Information technology then gives instructions for how to loosen or tighten bound tension, how to adjust an uncoiled bound, how to release a bound that is locked in the roll, how to brand the ratchet lock, and how to replace shade fabric.

How Does a Window Shade Piece of work?

Window Shade Repair

Components of a typical window shade mechanism.

A window shade is a flexible roofing attached to a roller mounted at the top of a window, designed to regulate the light or view. A window shade uses a hollow roller with a coiled spring within. Pulling down on the shade puts more tension on the spring. In one case you stop pulling, a ratchet and apartment pin at one end of the roller holds the tension until you release information technology. The other end of the roller has a circular stationary pin that turns freely in its bracket.

Fix-It Tip

When purchasing a new window shade, look for i that is made to last and won't require frequent service.

What Can Go Wrong with a Window Shade?

Window shades are relatively simple in operation and piece of cake to fix. The tension on the roller may exist too loose or as well tight. The shade may not stay downward. The shade may be stuck all the way up or downwardly. The shade may fall out of the bracket. The shade cloth may tear.

How Can I Place a Window Shade Problem?

  • If the shade goes up also quickly or with a bang, the tension on the spring may be too tight (come across below).
  • If the shade rolls up too slowly, the bound may be besides loose (see below).
  • If the shade won't raise, you may demand to adapt a fully uncoiled spring (see below).
  • If the shade won't pull down, the spring may be locked in the coil (see beneath).
  • If the shade doesn't stay down, the ratchet may not be locking (see below).
  • If the shade falls off the brackets, reposition the mounting brackets closer together.
  • If a shade tears, you can replace the cloth (see below) or patch it with a piece of clear tape.

What Practice I Need for Window Shade Repair?

Replacement parts are available from larger hardware stores and home centers also as window handling retailers. You lot also can buy replacement parts from the manufacturer and aftermarket suppliers. The tools you lot will demand to fix a window shade include these:

  • Screwdrivers
  • Pliers
  • T-square
  • Pair of scissors
  • Staple gun
  • Brush or canned air
  • Penetrating oil

What Are the Steps to Window Shade Repair?

Loosen window shade spring tension:

  1. Roll up the shade and lift the roller out of the brackets.
  2. Unroll the shade halfway by manus. Replace the roller in the brackets.
  3. Echo if necessary until the tension seems correct.

Tighten window shade bound tension:

  1. Pull the shade down halfway. Elevator the roller out of the brackets.
  2. Gyre up the shade past hand. Replace the roller in the brackets.
  3. Repeat if necessary until the tension seems correct.

Suit a fully uncoiled window shade spring:

  1. Remove the roller from the brackets.
  2. Unroll the shade halfway. Use pliers to turn the apartment pin until you experience tension, and so back off and then the pawl (latch that allows movement in only i direction) hooks onto the ratchet.
  3. Loosen or tighten spring tension every bit necessary using the directions above.

Release a window shade spring that is locked in the gyre:

  1. Remove the roller from the brackets.
  2. Utilize pliers to grip the pin and twist it clockwise to free the pawl. Release information technology quickly to unwind the coil.
  3. Loosen or tighten the spring tension as necessary using the directions above.

Brand a window shade ratchet lock:

  1. Remove the roller from the brackets.
  2. Remove the metal end cap.
  3. Use a castor or canned air to remove dust from the pawl and ratchet. Lubricate these parts with penetrating oil.

Replace gyre-upward window shade fabric:

  1. Remove the shade from its brackets and unroll it.
  2. Remove the one-time textile.
  3. Apply a T-square to marshal the fabric on the roller.
  4. Staple or tape the new fabric to the roller.
  5. Loosen or tighten the spring tension as necessary using the directions in a higher place.
  6. Replace the shade in its brackets.

Ready-It Tip

If you tin't fix a window shade and demand to supercede information technology, remove whatsoever reusable parts for future repairs.