FAQ's
Sealed Glass Blinds - What are the design limitations ?
Sealed glass blinds
These blinds are assembled with the double glazed units and the spacer bars of the units are also the rail sections enclosing the mechanisms of the blind. The benefits are that they are much less prone to user damage and, as a mid pane blind, are much more effective in rejecting solar gain than a room mounted blind.
However, they should be specified with caution. In our experience the effects on components of the high temperatures generated in a mid pane situation can cause breakdown sooner than for one fitted in the room . For this reason the brand leader limits their system to tilt only with the minimum of mechanisms. All components are metal with special paint finishes and the only nylon components the cord and ladderbraid are woven to allow for shrinkage.
There are systems available that are based on standard blinds with a raise/lower function with nylon components and standard paint finishes. Apart from the effect of fogging of the glass from breakdown of the nylon and paint the chances of them functioning for the duration of the life of the unit is unlikely. Ah you say but they are warranted- read the terms- could you afford the costs involved in replacement of the unit?
On a ten year declining warranty the cost of removing the glass to repair a blind on say the fifth floor of a building, craneage, closing the street etc. needs to be considered. In the ninth year a 10% contribution to the cost of the replacement part of the blind will be a miniscule part of the cost. After the warranty expires how many building users expect to replace the glass on a 10 year cycle for that will be when breakdown will start to occur?
Hence our suggestion of caution, if access for removal is simple, say for internal screens or doors, then they may be appropriate. We have expertise of the technology as we supplied 1022 custom units to the Inland Revenue building in Nottingham in 1994. They were fitted to the upper part of an arched window the louvres were fixed at an angle of 43° to be a light shelf – no mechanism so not a problem. In situations where removal may be a problem the mid pane blind option would be safer.
The blinds are installed within the unit so the supply source is the DG unit supplier. Luxaclair from the brand leader is available from Pilkingtons.
Linked Information:
Awkward shapes?
European Standards© Copyright 2008 Hallmark Blinds All Rights Reserved
For more information feel free to Contact Us