The Most Popular Window Treatments for Pet Owners in Orlando
There’s a scenario pet owners in Orlando probably know too well: leaving your home only to look back and see your pet’s face peeking through the window as you walk away. For pet owners with certain window treatments, frequent trips to the window might mean trouble, as pets can cause some of the worst harm to your window treatments.
So how can you avoid pet damage? The simplest way is to install a pet-friendly window treatment that can handle even the most excitable pets. We’ve rounded up some of the best (and worst) window treatments for pet owners across Florida.
Non Pet-Friendly Window Treatments
First, let’s take a look at what window treatments pet owners should avoid.
Corded Window Treatments
As is the case with window safety for children, cords can be one of the biggest issues for pet owners. Dogs and cats alike are known to play with dangling cords, which can mean damage to your window covering or in some cases, injury to your pet.
Opt instead for window treatments without cords, such as shutters that attach to the window frame or other window coverings that feature a top-down bottom-up configuration or are motorized.
Metal Blinds
Photo courtesy Carlos Castro via Flickr (Creative Commons).
Metal blinds are possibly the absolute worst window treatment for pet owners. Not only do the blinds usually operate by cord, but they’re incredibly vulnerable to damage from even the smallest of animals. Dogs or cats looking through aluminum blinds can bend, warp, and even snap the thin slats, which means you’ll need to replace the entire window treatment.
Fabric Window Coverings
Depending on your pet and the style of window treatment, fabrics might or might not be something to stay away from. Lengthy fabrics like drapes can “pool” on the ground, making them easy for dirty paws to stain. Fabric window treatments also have a tendency to collect pet hair which nullifies any style value they might add. Lastly, fabrics can tear, something cat owners know all too well.
Pet-Friendly Window Treatments
Now that you’ve seen which window coverings don’t mix well with pets, let’s dive into the more pet-friendly window coverings.
Wood and Faux-Wood Blinds
All of the issues aluminum blinds have, wood and faux-wood blinds solve for pet owners. No matter if your pet likes to look through the window, sturdier wood blinds can stand up to more abuse than their aluminum counterparts. Plus, their wide slats make it more difficult for pets to get tangled in them.
But, be sure that if you opt for wood or faux-wood blinds that you go with ones that are cordless.
Plantation Shutters - The Best Window Treatment for Pets
If you’re concerned about damage to your window treatments or injury to your pet caused by window treatments, plantation shutters may assuage those concerns. Because they mount directly onto the window, there are no hanging cords or fabric that can cause trouble. And, even if your dog or cat is able to climb up, Polywood® plantation shutters are scratch resistant and sturdy so damage is almost never an issue.
Plantation shutters keep your pets happy too. Own a pooch that wants to look out the window as you head out? Shutters can make it easy without much risk of damage. Does your cat like to have a patch of sunlight to sleep in? You can easily adjust the louvers to let the sunbeams come through without losing any privacy.
In short, plantation shutters are the perfect window treatment for homes with pets.
