FAQ: How can I clean my outdoor blinds & awnings?
A: Different cleaners are used for different fabrics.
- Clear/tinted PVC should be first rinsed with clean water then cleaned with ‘Vuplex’ (available from Country and most auto care stores) and a soft clean cloth
- Mesh fabric should be cleaned with warm soapy water (dish detergent is fine) on a soft cloth or soft broom then rinsed with clean water
Canvas fabric should be cleaned with warm soapy water (dish detergent is fine) on a soft cloth then rinsed with clean water. Once dry, the canvas should be treated with fabric water proofer (available from most camping and hardware stores)
FAQ: When I pull down my outdoor blinds there are ripples in the material – will these go away?
A: Depending on materials, some ripples will ‘drop out’ faster than others. Due to the nature of the woven fabrics, these develop a slight ripple when rolled up. However, when lowered this ripple will drop out given exposure to some warmth. It’s a process that can take between 15 minutes and several hours depending on the temperature of the day. Simply lower the outdoor blind evenly, give it some time and the ripples will fade
Rippling in clear or tinted PVC will reduce, but will never completely disappear. As the consultant advised, this condition does not constitute a product defect.
FAQ:How do I raise my new outdoor blinds or awnings?
A:: In most cases this is very simple. Either un-clip the outdoor blind from either side, or from the middle using the centre lock (if fitted) then raise the blind from the centre. Some may feature a crank handle, and using this is simple – fit the handle to the crank, and then wind it in an appropriate direction. Traditional window awnings require you to push the bottom bar down and towards the wall thus ‘unlocking’ them. With this done, keeping the bar pushed towards the wall means the window awning will remain free to travel up and down to the desired position.
FAQ: The operation ‘feel’ of my outdoor blinds varies slightly from one another – is this ok?
A: Yes, outdoor blinds of varying sizes and fitting will feel different to operate, due to their difference in weight. From time to time, the squareness of various support posts can affect the operation of the blinds. Even similar size blinds can feel different from one another, but these differences lessen over time as the blinds ‘bed in’
FAQ: When operating my Ziptrak blinds, from time to time when using the centre lock I have trouble releasing the locks – why is this?
A: The Ziptrak centre lock system is designed to operate when downward pressure is placed on the bottom bar before lifting the lock handle. The Ziptrak lock handle should be used to release the locks. Ziptrak blinds should never be raised or lowered using the centre lock handle. Hook the handle into the rail itself (rather than the small plastic handle) when pulling down.
FAQ: Can my outdoor blinds or awnings be used in strong winds?
A: No. We strongly recommend raising all outdoor blinds, and window awnings, pleated awnings and folding arm awnings during times when strong winds are present. All Country outdoor products are not warranted against storm damage.
FAQ: Sometimes when I raise my window awnings one side does not sit against the top stop – is this a problem?
A: No, this is due to the ‘splines’ on the window awning rolling on top of one another which is perfectly normal. To straighten your awning, gently pull the bottom bar down from the side that is high, then raise again, this time ensuring that when you lift the awning bar you are pushing up from the side that was sitting lower. This process may need to be repeated a few times to help level the bottom bar. Rest assured that it will level, and that the condition won’t affect the awning while it is not level. Note that the action of the spline can also sometimes cause the awning to appear ‘fatter’ in the middle, which can occasionally cause the awning to sag slightly when rolled up.
FAQ: My outdoor blinds look baggy when they are wound halfway down, is this normal?
A: Yes, most outdoor blinds have side splines or hems for strength on the edge. All outdoor blinds are designed to look their best once fully lowered.
FAQ:My outdoor blind doesn’t seem level at the top or bottom – there are gaps. Why
A: All Country outdoor blinds are installed level. Often we find customers’ floors, deck, pavers or concrete can be out of level, due to fall for drainage or even sunken pavers. Sometimes the top fascia can be on a slope due to posts dropping or due to movement in the soil. Because we need to fit our outdoor blinds level, this prevents us from following the sloping ground or sloping top lines. If the gap is severe we will let you know and possibly add a flap or top flashing at a subsidised cost to help conceal the issue