Why Should You Have Zip-Retention Blinds in Your Home?
Blackout blinds are a popular choice for homes as they provide privacy, and block sunlight and light pollution.
The term ‘blackout blind’ is often used to describe any blind with blackout fabric. But without side channels, you will still get light leaking through.
Side channels, like those used on our KuroLok™ system, are aluminium profiles that connect to your blind cassette and span the full drop of the blind. With side channels, the roller blind fabric is held in the channel and usually, the hembar will also run through the channel.
Side channels are mainly used on fully-cassetted blackout systems because of the additional light-blocking benefits they bring. By holding the fabric and hembar within the channel, you are closing the light gap that a standard free-hanging roller blind would have.
Zipped Side Channels
Zip-retention, or zipped-edge fabric retention, is where there is a piece of zipper welded to the edge of your roller blind fabric that is held into the side channel.
The zipper used is just a standard zipper that you might find on a coat. The unique patented technology is what is inside the side channel.
We use something called a ‘zip-insert’, which is a plastic profile retained within the aluminium side channel.
The teeth of the zip engage with the zip-insert, securely retaining the fabric whilst still allowing the blind to freely roll up and down.
Why do we recommend zip-retention blinds for homes?
Appearance
Zip-retention side channels can be much narrower than a non-zip channel. This is because on a traditional channel without zip-retention, the fabric must sit quite deep into the channel to keep it in there.
On our Kuro channel, for example, the fabric sits approximately 25mm deep into the channel. By contrast, our smallest KuroLok zipped channel is only 24mm wide in total.
This side channel, specifically designed for our KuroLok system, is the narrowest zip-retention side channel on the market.
At just 24mm wide AND deep, this aluminium profile is perfect for properties where aesthetics are important, such as high-end residential homes or hotel bedrooms.
Maintenance
Another huge benefit of using zip-retention is that if a window is left open and the blind is closed, the fabric will be held in the side channels.
When the fabric isn’t being held in place and you open a window behind a closed blind, the fabric will get sucked out of the channels because of the air pressure. This can also happen when you open a door which can create enough negative air pressure to suck the fabric out of a non-zip retention channel.
Pulling the fabric out of the channels regularly can lead to maintenance issues such as fraying down the edges, creases in the fabric and potentially damage to blind hardware such as the hembar.
Flyscreens
Is there anything more irritating than opening your patio doors on a warm summer’s day to let in a cool breeze and being swarmed by insects? Or opening a kitchen window in the middle of winter and inviting in every moth from your garden?
Perhaps your standard blinds aren’t enough to keep them out, or you’ve tried a fly screen curtain for the back door but still your house is full of insects.
The best solution is one that is fully framed, where the specially designed fly mesh fabric is held securely into a channel using zip-retention. This closes any gaps that a standard blind or curtain would leave and prevents insects from coming through. Our KuroLok system is perfect for this scenario.
Or for French doors and bifolds, we have our Centor sideways pulling blind systems.
Whether you are renovating or building, creating a seamless inside-outside living experience is important in any modern home. The Centor S2 & S4 Fly Screens from Umbra offer insect protection, fresh air, breezes and uninterrupted views.
Centor’s unique load balancing technology allows the screen to glide smoothly across the whole door opening to effortlessly stop at any desired position. The lightweight operation means the screen can be operated from any height with one hand, so even the youngest of the family can close the blind.
When not in use, the screen retracts discreetly into the frame removing visual distractions to the view outside whilst also protecting it from damage, dust or dirt. This is especially important for a seasonally used product. The fabric is fully retained on all sizes using zip-retention, allowing total control of insects.
Sloping windows and roof blinds
Blinds with zipped-edge fabric retention can also be installed at an angle and still function perfectly; an ideal solution for sloping glazing and roof blinds. The fabric being held down both sides means that the fabric won’t sag in the centre like it would on a non-zip blind.
Also, when you add zip-retention to a roof blind, it means you can make much bigger roof light blinds than you can without zip-retention.
Again, this is thanks to the zipped channels keeping the fabric more taut and less saggy. Whilst small blinds tend to look okay with no zip-retention, on larger blinds the fabric will sag and droop in the centre. This is especially noticeable on roof light blinds as the blind is parallel with the ceiling, so any drooping of the fabric is more apparent.
We don’t recommend roof blinds be over 4m2 if they don’t have any zip-retention.
To see how zip-retention works in real-life, check out this video below. This video shows you how the zip-retention works when force is applied to the fabric:
For more information on our KuroLok zipped-edge blackout system, click here:
If you want more information on how zip-retention works, or to see a live demonstration, why not schedule a no-obligation call with a member of our sales team?