Conservatory Roof Blinds
So you have got the new conservatory and now is the time to make it feel like a room! This is one way to expand the size of the house fairly easily to make an extra area for the growing kids to have their playroom.
Or you may be using it as a dining room or lounge area. Having said this you would be amazed at how many people are using their conservatory to store bikes and other household items.
That is often the case when the conservatory is too cold, too bright, too hot or like a ‘goldfish bowl’.
The conservatory needs a certain amount of furnishing to make it ‘liveable’. If it is too bright the kids will not be able to see the TV screen. Too hot in summer makes the room inhabitable (staggeringly many people actually remove the internal conservatory door in summer to let the heat out)! Often you will see conservatories built without window vents in the roof apex so the heat becomes trapped. Although there is reflecting glass that can be used to keep the heat down – this wont solve the glare problem though.
So it seems the answer is to get some blinds. Do bear in mind that if you do have a heat issue about 70% of the heat is coming in through the roof. So don’t fit window blinds and think that will help – it won’t!
When it comes to roof blinds you need to be very cautious when buying them. You have probably heard the stories about the salesman who comes for the evening (sleeping bag in the car)! To sell you your roof blinds, he comes equipped with a bag full of ‘discontinued’ fabrics to do you a ‘deal’. The salesman is prepared to spend as much time with you (many hours in fact) to walk out of your door with an order. DON’T PLAY HIS OR HER GAME
Lets put this nicely – you have invited the salesman into YOUR house for you to consider buying roof blinds. You should be in control of the situation, you are NOT obliged to entertain him for any longer than you want to and you are DEFINITELY NOT obliged to buy anything on the night. So, yes do make a cup of tea and be civil but do ask lots of questions bearing in mind he or she is prepared to stay all night (because they are on a very big commission). Believe me they would rather spend their evening somewhere else! They are ONLY with you on the prospect of making very good money.
Don’t make a decision on the night (you will regret it), do get any free samples and take notes of various prices for different solutions. Then show them the door and arrange to see some other companies, if you haven’t already. Get at least 3 quotations and then have a think about the whole service offered – guarantee, how are they fitted (any drilling of your new conservatory!!), reflective material and how much experience do they have (ask to see their portfolio of previous jobs).
It is interesting to note that as the housing market changes the nature of blinds that sell changes too! It is a fact that when the market is depressed and fewer people move house more of us decide to ‘improve rather than move’. This results in more extensions being built, conservatories being added and windows being replaced.
Now each of these can be good for the blinds industry as house owners go on to later décor and then want blinds to complete the job.
Take extensions, a great example, as the growing family cannot (or don’t want to move) yet the family is expanding. A new baby means another room is required, and that is often the motivation to extend. Once the paint is dry on the new nursery, the realisation is that to get the baby to sleep darkness can help. This it where Velux or ‘sloping roof’ blinds come in.
These days there are a few manufacturers of this type of blind, however Velux are probably the best known. They make their own ‘custom made blinds’ and they are available in pleated, Venetian and the most popular Blackout roller blind variant. These are not like the old versions (and some current copies) where the blind hooks into a wooden rake so is only adjustable to 3 or 4 positions. No the modern blind is infinitely adjusted to any height in the frame.
If you have a Velux window do buy the genuine Velux made blind. You are then guaranteed a great job – they are very good at blocking both light and heat. Finish is superb and electrically operated versions are available for high windows. All normally come with a 2-year guarantee and are available in an extensive range of colours and paterns.
Once installed the job is done, total darkness – anytime of day! The heat these keep out will also impress you. The brushed aluminium frame often becoming hot to the touch!
