Do you find yourself opening and closing certain window coverings the same way, at the same times, everyday? Imagine not having to worry about that anymore and having it done seamlessly for you, day in and day out. That is the beauty of motorization and the automation possibilities it empowers.
Motorized blinds and shades have a built-in motor and are predominantly powered by long-lasting rechargeable battery. They have no cords, or any of the traditional controls, that you are accustomed to seeing, making them completely child and animal safe while being effortless to operate. This is a game changer for window coverings that are large, and heavy, or ones that are in hard-to-reach places.
Once installed, operation is a simple button click on a remote; move the shade up and down and stop it at any position or click a “My Button” to set the shade to a pre-programmed, intermediate, position. Automation is achieved with the addition of a smart gateway. It is a device that connects to your Wi-Fi network and is controlled by a smartphone or tablet. All the motorized products can be programmed to this device and then, subsequently, controlled by the smartphone or tablet which becomes a remote that can be used anywhere in the world. Schedules can be created to raise and lower shades at specific times and days. Best of all, it becomes possible to integrate the devices into a smart ecosystem and link them to digital assistance such as Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa; giving you the ability to control your window coverings with voice commands or smart sensors.
We utilize Somfy for our motorization solutions and are well-versed in working with them, from factory reset to completely automated, and have installed all types of motors that have utilized all types of power options: external battery, internal battery, and hard-wired.
Somfy offers end product suppliers a 5 year warranty on all motors and controls. Specifically, Somfy warrants its motors and controls to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal and proper use for a period of 5 years commencing with the date stamped on each product. If the Somfy product fails within this 5 year period, we will repair or replace it free of charge through your end product supplier.
This California room gets a lot of afternoon sun throughout the year. To protect the floor rugs inside, the slider is covered on the inside by two roller shades, sharing one fascia, and an outdoor roller screen. These shades are automated to lower at specific times and to raise 15 minutes before sunset. Here you can see them raise as the sun sets.
Time-lapse video of the California room outdoor and indoor shades being raised, by automation, 15 minutes before sunset.
Motorized Woven Wood shades in Manhattan Beach being operated by a remote control (they were not automated yet).
Here is a brief look at a Somfy MyLink app, and another third-party app we sometimes use, configured for a home and its integration with Google Home.
