The Ultimate Guide to Smart Window Shades

Why should I buy a smart window blinds?

Like many homeowners who are considering smart window coverings — but aren’t quite sure if it warrants the investment — let us briefly run through why many of our customers make the leap:

• Motorized Smart Blinds Ensure a Higher Level of Convenience. If you have quite a few windows in your home, manually closing and opening your window shades can be a real hassle in the long run! Automatic roller blinds can be controlled with an electric remote, Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT.

• Motorized Smart Blinds Enhance Home Security. Motorizing your window shades can be an effective way to increase the appearance of someone being at home: When something about your home changes, be it a light or the position of your shades, it may make it appear as if someone has recently been in the home.

• Motorized Smart Blinds Are A Perfect Option To Control The Blackout Level. If you need shades with advanced heat blocking and blackout capabilities, remote control blinds are just for you. They can be fully opened to enjoy the view from your window or promptly closed for the full blackout.

• Motorized Smart Blinds Save Energy. If you are interested in maximizing your home’s energy efficiency, motorized blinds may be just what you’ve been looking for. Opening and shutting your blinds is about much more than simply blocking or letting light into a room. Put your automated blinds to work for you, and you can realize real savings when your energy bill arrives.

• Motorized Smart Blinds Increase Your Home’s Value. Home automation is becoming increasingly popular, which means installing motorized window treatments will not only help you save on your bills and make your life easier, it will also make your home more valuable when you are ready to sell. Many modern buyers adore smart devices, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and will readily pay more for an automated house.

How Do Automatic Electric Blinds Work?

Electric shades that can be opened with remote or smart devices? Sounds like the automated future is coming! Now you can control blackout shades from anywhere in your room. But how do these automatic roman shades work? Generally, there are four types of remote control shades: battery-powered, hardwired, solar power, and electric blinds with a DC power adaptor.

Battery-powered automatic blinds are the most popular option. Such automatic blinds are manufactured with a top tube that opens or closes them and a battery connected to a motor. The system powers remote control blinds with simple AA or lithium batteries. This type of automatic blinds is commonly used for the windows located far from an outlet. Hardwired remote control blinds can be produced with different motors and work on different voltages. They are usually more cost-effective than battery-powered automatic blinds and work only from a wall outlet. Electric shades with a DC power adaptor are quite similar to hardwired blinds – they are also powered from an outlet. Yet, unlike hardwired electric blinds, window treatments based on a DC adaptor are very easy to install.

People who care about ecology can opt for solar window shades powered by the sun. To use such remote blackout shades, you will need a solar panel system mounted on the back of the blind. It will catch sunlight and use this energy to start the motor. Note that solar remote blinds are more suitable for windows facing the sunny side, including southern and westward windows. Also, make sure no obstacles are covering the panel system from sunlight (e.g., a tree or awning).

 

Tell me more about Battery Powered Smart Window Shades By Alva

Battery-powered shades are the no-brainer choice if you are absolutely opposed to anything going on the wall or don’t have a nearby outlet. Alva IQ is powered by a rechargeable built-in Li-ion battery. It’s no-hassle, super strong, reliable operations are quickly becoming the industry standard.

How do I choose the best automatic smart shades?

The question shouldn’t necessarily be, “What is the best smart window covering option?” but instead, “What is the best smart window covering option for ME?”

Each kind of electric blinds has its pros and its cons. What fits one person’s specific situation may not reflect the needs of the next household. Today, classic Venetian blinds give their way to automated and motorized solutions controlled with electric remote and smart devices.

In this guide, we hope to help educate readers on what automatic options they have at their disposal so that they can make an informed decision on what will fit their specific needs.

As you begin to read up on all the automatic options available, you’re sure to encounter many common issues. There is a dizzying number of options, styles, fabrics, & upgrades which significantly complicate the selection of motorized roller blinds.

When we launched Alva IQ™, we started with a fundamental question: Why are high-end smart shades so complicated to install, are why aren’t their affordable DIY options to make your space look great. Now that you know you’re interested in smart window shades, it’s time to get to the nitty-gritty details. To make a smart decision, use our Comparison Graphic to help guide your next steps.

How much do smart window shades cost?

Alva adheres to a Direct-to-Consumer business model — eliminating the middlemen of stores & salespeople, translates into direct cost savings to our customers and the ability to re-invest in high-quality materials. Many alternative motorized shade companies are peddled through countless Retail Stores, being marked up extensively along the way. Once you factor in shipping costs & installation charges — even with promotions being offered are — your out the door cost is certainly not inexpensive. 

A common misconception: the more you pay for an automatic solution, the more you get. But the truth is you’re paying for more markup. Not better-motorized window coverings with advanced automated functions. Alva has fixed that with our electric window shades. We trimmed the fat from smart window blinds. So you get award-winning window treatments, at fair and honest prices.

Can I integrate other smart-home devices (e.g., Alexa or Google Assistant) with my automatic window shades?

The short answer is yes! Alva’s automated electric shades support the most popular integrations. If you’re already utilizing a smart-home system, that might influence which automated window shades you select. With Alva IQ, you’ll need to grab our wireless hub, which is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. The Alva IQ Hub can be paired with the selected smart home technologies, bringing voice control to your automatic shades.  You can schedule the electric shades to close when you leave home, or every evening at sunset (and since they’re smart, they can adjust to the time of year). 

What should I consider when choosing my smart window shades?

While there is no shortage of costly motorized window shades in the market, there are a few options that are ready out of the box.

However, what if we tell you that buying smart window shades could be fun? Curated fabric options. Painless process. High-quality motorized controls. All shipped to your door. Choosing electric window shades, make sure you understand your needs and expectations. You should know what functionality your future automatic roller shades must have, measure the window, and estimate the location of electric shades. Automatic roller shades are the best option for hard-to-reach windows and smart homes.

Smart Window ShadesBlinds give you the ultimate in convenience you would never have with traditional Venetian Blinds Venetian shades. Consider them for a media room or bedroom to eliminate unwanted glare or sunlight without having to manually reach the shades.

Can I install the smart window shades myself?

Put simply, not all smart window coverings are DIY. In fact, most electric and automated options require custom installation. Should you choose to embark on the installation of motorized shades alone, you’re likely to face certain problems. Connecting automatic motorized shades to your Wi-Fi can be a strenuous activity, requiring the patience of Mother Theresa. Not to mention that after all your sufferings, you may need to integrate these automatic blinds with Alexa or Google Assistant.

The Alva IQ™ line with Smart Bridge may be the best automated option if you want to handle the installation yourself and still have a powerful mobile app with grouping, scene, and automation functions. Our exclusive Euro cassette and bracket designs make for easy and quick battery charging without removing the shade.

The installation of automated motorized blinds varies greatly from system to system. Make sure you know what you are signing up for—including any fees—before you make a purchase. Some companies may charge an additional fee for the installation of motorized and automated solutions.

The bottom line.

Outfitting your home with smart window coverings does not need to be daunting or relegated to only a select few who can afford it. On the contrary, the barrier to entry has never been lower. Today’s technology, like Alva IQ, puts an emphasis on ease of use. Competition & innovation is bringing prices down. In sum, it’s a fabulous time to give motorized window shades a shot.

With a little research, you can outfit your home with beautifully designed, simple to install, and easy to operate smart blinds. For many folks, that sort of simple, scaled-back approach makes far more sense than a larger, more elaborate setup. Understand your functional needs, find the window coverings that meet them, and you'll have window coverings that enhance your lifestyle!
Play with natural light and create your own moods and enjoy the silence!