Thank you for your kind words Steven. This video is the most popular of all the North Phx Suburbanstead videos. Our main objective was to contribute back to the RU-vid community. Meaning, we at the North Phx Suburbanstead have been a benefactor of RU-vid, and we believe it's our responsibility to give back when & where we can. On this particular topic, there's a fair amount of content available on Hunter Douglas blind repair... but none of it covered these types of tips & tricks. We took our time with the repairs, but if we had this type of information prior to executing, we're confident we would have been more productive. Lot's more to come!
Thank you so much for this video! We had our (large) puppy chew the draw cord off, and then ran away with part of it, then came back to try and pull the whole shade down, and instead got hold of some of the tape/string, ran off with that...and it was a disaster. We left the shade down for 3 years and now that our dog stopped doing those things, we got it working thanks to you!
Hi Ross, thank you for your kind words! RU-vid has been a great resource for us. So happy to know that we’ve contributed back to the community. We have many more projects & videos in the queue. Hopefully we’ll help many more… or at least offer some entertainment value. Thx for subscribing!
Tip: if you only replace one and not all, you will need to still loosen the end of the tape and pull it all the way out just like a new one. This way they are all at the same starting point and will rotate the same way. I learned this the hard way. I replaced 2/3 and not 3/3. When I pulled on the rope to raise the blinds, the new sections went up and the old side went down. When I reversed directions the old side went up and the new side went down! Finally figured it out. I hope this tip saves other people from making the same mistake or at least how to fix.
Thank you Robin! Really happy you found value in the video. It's been our most popular video, and we've received several very kind comments like yours. We're currently working on another 'Things They Don't Tell You' video, and are making plans to add a bunch more throughout the year. Thanks again!
Nice! It appears from other comments there are 2 schools of thought on how to remove the blinds. I like you, like the palm and roll technique. Others say to undo the bottom clip and remove from bottom up. Not sure which is best, but I’m sure both techniques work.
Mine is broke...i was just looking up videos on how to clean my silhouette blinds. I honestly didn't think i could fix my other issue. I actually contacted hunter Douglas to get brackets they were excellent with service and sent them to me for free. Do you have any videos on washing them? I'm saving this video.. Thank you again
@@suburbandiy hey....ended up after hunter Douglas researching my blinds have been discontinued so they have no parts. I literally now roll them up and have folder flips on each side to keep them up. Thank goodness it looks pretty decent and no one knows. Ugh
We have three of these that open top and bottom and break every 3-4 years. I am hopeful the mechanisms inside are about the same. The hint in the video was "heat" , which we have a lot, and the cheap plastic parts, which seems inevitable. But now I have a plan that doesn't involve the dumpster after the warranty ends. (assuming I can buy the "motors" and those little plastic cap and plug things for less than the cost of the blinds) Thanks!
Hi Thomas - TY for watching and commenting. We're in Phoenix AZ. We have both heat and dry air. Even after 10+ years the plastics (clutch & spools) were operational. Our challenge was the 'tape' (aka string or rope). They dried-out and broke (and frayed) and therefore the blinds would neither lift nor lower. We're not sponsored by Hunter Douglas, but they rock! I used their online service to acquire parts replacement at no charge. The system allowed me to upload pics of the broken tape... they sent me brand new spools with the tape already installed. Nice! In short, consider engaging HD during or post warranty... should be no charge! If curious, rather than hiring someone or dumpster, DIY is at the very core of the North PHX Suburbenstead. And it's RU-vid that makes the DIY a reality. Our goal is to contribute back to YT, so that others like you can gain from the content. Thank you again! Lot's more videos in the queue.
The prewound reels don't have long enough tape for our biggest window. Hunter Douglas sent more cord which is like dental tape. It frayed badly. I've replaced the cord so many times and this time it was so frayed I may try stronger cylindrical cord. I removed 3 weights from the bottom as it is so heavy on this attempt at repair. There are only 3 lift cords.
Hi Angela, Thanks for the comment… very helpful. May I ask the length (height) of your blinds? The reason I ask, is because when I was making the spool replacements, I actually thought there was too much tape. 😊 Did you subscribe to the channel? We have lots more ‘fixing things’ videos… and making things too!
@@suburbandiy 10ft 6" is the height of the blinds - I fixed them this time not with the dental tape type cord but with string-like cord that is on some of our lighter blinds - it seems stronger but might bind sometimes - it seems OK if the blind is wound up from the ground for now. I actually had to turn the blind upside down - not this time but the time before when I repaired it as the tool that Hunter Douglas provides for going through the blinds was inadequate and I tried a big fat needle but made a hole near the top of the blind -so I chopped a few rows off and turned it upside down. This time I pulled 3 weights out of the blind - it was always far too heavy and it still drops OK. I do wonder if one weight was put in by mistake as 2 were side-by-side. The blind in itself is not that heavy but with the weights it is huge - it covers double doors so is quite wide too.
Exactly the cord they use is terrible. I don't think they understand the stress that opening and closing shades puts on the cord. You would think in their testing lab they would raise and lower shades thousands of times to see how quickly the cords fail. So basically I have to pay a blind repair company where I live a couple hundred of dollars to remove the shades and repair the cord. I can't DIY. I am not handy with tools. The best I can do is change out a light bulb. Hunter Douglas sent me the parts but the blinds are over 10 years old. I remember having slat blinds in my house growing up in the 50's and 60's. The cords they used in those blinds never broke. They used thick cord that lasted forever.
Hi Greg- so glad you found value in the video. I too struggled with finding relevant instructions. In fact, that’s what compelled us to make the video. Did you subscribe to the channel? We have several similar videos posted, and quite a few in the queue (still editing). North Phoenix suburbanstead
TY trikerjon. This is our most popular video. We're currently working on more topics like this... "things they don't tell you". Did you subscribe & choose 'all' notification bell? We would love to get your feedback on forthcoming similar videos.
Hi Roamer - thanks for watching! We've received very kind comments about the episode, which is out most popular video by far. As as result, we've got a few more 'things they don't tell you' videos in the queue. Did you subscribe to the channel? If yes, consider choosing the 'all' notification bell... it will automatically prompt you when the next video drops.
Hi Cherene, thanks for reaching-out. I’ve only worked on HD corded blinds. My gut tells me the your Home Decorators cordless blinds work similarly… difference however, is it might be a little tougher to string a new line, given it’s all enclosed, and the clutch assembly has an auto stop and start mechanism. Meaning, is it possible to get inside to the clutch assembly? Another thought… if memory serves me Home Decorators brand is via Home Depot. Do you get yours from them? My experience Is that Home Depot is super customer service oriented… I’d like to think they’d guide you to a solution to repair. Let us know!
I’m going to lose my mind trying to get my blind put back up. It’s on 3 brackets and I tried for three hours sweating to death trying to rehang the Hunter Douglas blind that I’ve had for 2months. One bracket would attach and no others ….so I’d have to undo the one and try again…then every time you take it down again you risk breaking the bracket. I’m seriously unhappy.
Just posted this new Hunter Douglas Shade repair video… includes 3-bracket removal and install. Hope this helps: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ICmQNzz9dos.html
These directions for re-install are nothing like the ones Hunter Douglas sent us. They say to slid in the top tab and then push down and back …. It doesn’t work when you are hanging a long blind.
Hi Auggie Doggie's Mommy - thx for commenting. Sorry to learn about your challenges. I know HD has several types of brackets; depending on blind style and age. As a result, the tricks-n-tips to install/de-install are different. I too had to learn the hard way... HD's directions and even other RU-vid videos don't always apply to my challenges. I think the best advise I can give you is to hang in their... no pun intended. I'm a big fan of HD... it's typically just a matter of knowhow. Hope that helps. North Phoenix Suburbanstead
Hi, I'm wondering if you can help me with a vertical blind problem? I've installed two used split draw vertical blinds and they don't close in the middle. I'm looking to get them together somehow. Is there an adjustment somewhere? Thanks, Lee
Hi Lee, thanks for engaging the North Phx Suburbanstead to help with your challenge. I’ve refreshed vertical blinds, but they were covering sliding glass doors that open from 1 side… not in the middle / center split. I’ve seen center split blinds as 1 unit… not 2 separate units. I recall the vertical slats looked wider at the split. Might wider slats where the 2 blinds meet, solve the ‘close in the middle’ challenge? NPSS
I followed the video, but there was no information regarding restringing the spools. I re strung them and rehung the blind and when I raise it, one side raises and lowers faster than the other. Any suggestions ?
Hi trkerjon - thx for reaching-out again! I'm not professionally trained... just a guy with a desire to fix it myself... to date, I've done 18 of these. Hmmm... if one side raises and lowers faster then the other, perhaps the tape is not seated correctly in the spool assembly? Perhaps, the the spool assembly is slipping on the clutch rod? Are both spool assemblies brand new? Are the tapes (rope, string) exactly the same type? Would you let us know of that works for you?
Hi Diane. Thx for reaching out. I'm not sure i'm a good source to assist, as I haven't experienced slats bowing. Nor am I familiar with 'level lore'. If however, they are honeycomb fabrics-based blinds, perhaps the top rail needs and additional support mount to the wall above the window. If it's the fabric itself, perhaps there is a way to tighten them? Hope this helps BTW - did you subscribe to the channel? We have many more 'fixing things' videos already posted, and several more in the queue. North Phoenix Suburbanstead.
Hi 4homeail... thanks for commenting... did you subscribe? 'Broken Tape' refers to the cord, string, rope, tape (whatever you want to call it), that is inside the honeycomb fabric. It is this 'tape' that enables the blind to move up or down. In the video, I explain the Broken Tape/Cord from the 1:50 minute mark to the 3:06 minute mark.
