Roller Shade Frequently Asked Questions

A: We offer 2 of the Phifer Sheerweave product lines. The 2000 series and the 3000 series. The most note-able differences in these fabrics is the light transmission. The Sheerweave 2000 will allow for 5% of the light to pass thru and the Sheerweave 3000 will allow 14% of the light to pass thru. The other difference is that the Sheerweave 3000 fabric is direction and must be hung in one direction only. This is why the 3000 fabric is not offered in the longer lengths like the Sheerweave 2000.

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Q: What is the difference between the Black-Out Fabrics?

A: We offer a Matte Black-Out Fabric and a Duplex Matte Black-Out Fabric. The primary difference is the Duplex is always white on one side and another color on the other side. Why is this done? Well, so you can attain a custom designer feel to you interior space will maintaining the reflective properties of the back (white) that faces the sun. The white will reflect more of the heat while the darker colors will absorb more heat.

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Q: Will I have privacy with the Sheerweave fabrics?

A: Yes and No - Outsiders looking in will have difficulty in when the lighting conditions are stronger on the outside. When the lighting is stronger the inside visibility from the outside will be pretty good. So if your concerned about privacy the blackout fabric is the way to go.

Q: Can I see through the Phifer Sheerweave 2000 and 3000 Fabrics?

A: Yes - The Visibility thru the Phifer 2000 and 3000 Sheerweave fabrics dominate toward the side that has more light. So if you are looking outside during the daytime you visibility is quite clear. The Phifer 3000 Sheerweave will always be easier to see through than the Phifer 2000.

View Picture This picture shows the Phifer 3000 fabric on the RIGHT and the 2000 fabric on the LEFT. You will notice a visibility difference. The lighting conditions are brighter on the outside than the inside.

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Q: Is the visibility the same from both sides of the Sheerweave Fabrics?

A: Yes - But this question is not that simple. The visibility always dominates to the side that is more well lit. You more easily see what is on the brighter side.

View Picture This picture shows the Phifer 3000 fabric on the LEFT and the 2000 fabric on the RIGHT. You will notice a visibility difference The lighting conditions are brighter on the outside than the inside.

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Q: What is the visibility difference between the Phifer 2000 and 3000 Fabrics?

A: The Sheerweave 3000 has an openness factor of 14% and will always be easier to see thru than the Phifer 2000 fabric.

View Picture - This picture shows the 2000 and 3000 fabrics looking from both directions (inside and out) during daylight. The 3000 fabric is on the RIGHT for the landscape picture and on the left for the Ladder picture.

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Q: Can people see in thru the Phifer 2000 and 3000 shades at night?

A: Yes - How well, depends on the lighting conditions.

View Picture - This picture shows the Phifer 2000 fabric when looking from the outside in at night.

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Q: How do I clean my Shades?

A: We recommend a mild, 5% soap solution and a soft cloth. We do not recommend the use of window cleaners.

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Q: Can people see thru the Essential Sheer Material?

A: NO, this is a translucent material. All that will be seen is shadows. This photo shows a shadow cast onto the shade from a tree in the background. This photo shows the background in focus and the Essential Sheer material in the foreground. You can not see through this material.

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Q: Can the Essential Sheer Material be used in a Bathroom?

A: Absolutely Yes. This polyester material will not absorb water and shrink like cotton.

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Q: Essential Sheer Material (Polyester) vs Competitor's Cotton, What is Better ?

A: Polyester will not shrink and cotton will. Polyester is difficult to rip and cotton is very easy to rip. Polyester hangs flatter, straighter and will not crease as easily cotton. Here is a photo showing a rip that was very easily created in cotton (Left) and the polyester (Right) only has minor damaged when much more force was exerted on the material in an attempt to rip it.

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Q: Can the Essential Sheer Material be used as a Black-out material?

A: No, While it does not clearly transmit light it does not completely block it either. When light hits the shade it will brighten up the shade.

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Q: How do I measure for my shade width?

A: It is always best to measure the width of the opening starting at the 1" mark on a tape measure and then subtract 1" from the measurement. This will provide a better measure because the metal tab thickness will not interfere. For inside mount please provide measurements accurate to 1/16". This measurement must be made at the mounting location.

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Q: How do I determine the depth required for my shade?

A: The standard diameter of our shade tubes is 1.5" The amount of material thickness added to the shade can be calculated by getting the material thickness Material Selections. In this example we will use Sheerweave 7000 which has a thickness equal to 0.018". The length of the shade will be 90" (the width is irrelevant). the circumference of a circle (C) is equal to the Diameter (d) x Pi (app. 3.1415) C = d x 3.1415 So the circumference of a 1.5" tube is 4.71". This is the amount of material in one wrap around the tube. We can now take 90" and divide that by the circumference (4.71") which is equal to 19 full wraps of material. Now take the material thickness, in this case 0.018" and multiply it by the # of revolutions and multiply that by 2. 0.018" x 19 x 2 = 0.684" So the final diameter of the shade will be 1.5" (tube diameter) plus the thickness of the material .684". 1.5" + 0.684" = 2.184" is the approximate diameter of the final shade when it is rolled up. (It will actually be slightly less than this because as we add wraps the circumference get larger but this is a good approximation. We recommend at least a 0.25" gap between the shade and the window at its mounting point. So in this case we would recommend a minimum of 2.434" of depth available. If you have less depth than required the shade will protrude from the window area which may or may not be of concern. We can use a 1.25" roller tube for those customers that needing a smaller diameter assembly. We do not offer this as an option in our ordering area but it can be done at no additional charge but it will take us 3-5 days to get the motor made for a 1.25" tube.

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Q: What is Roll Over?

A: Roll Over, also known as Reverse Roll, has the fabric roll to the front of the shade and down in from of the roll tube. This provides a cleaner look but does typically offer more light leakage because the shade is further away from the window. View Picture

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Q: What is Roll Back?

A: Roll Back, also known as Regular Roll, is the standard way that most shades unroll. This method the roll tube is exposed which does not provide as clean look but this does however maximize the light blocking efficiency of the shade. View Picture

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Q: Can I change my shades from roll over to roll back after I receive my shades?

A: Yes, This is very easy to do.

Spring Drive - You do not have to do anything. Just turn it and mount the correct brackets on each side of the window.

Chain Drive - You do not have to do anything. Just turn it and mount the correct brackets on each side of the window. If you want to make sure that the chain is on the left or right you may have to pull the chain drive out of the tube and switch it with the opposing end. Please note there are grooves on the Chain drive that must line up with the ribs in the roll tube.

Motor Drive - This is a little more complex but again easily accomplished. Turn the shade around and mount the correct brackets on each side of the window. After you do this you will notice that the IR sensor is now facing the wrong direction. Well, this can be fixed.

Please refer to the Motor Install PDF for an illustration on turning the tear drop. Note: Steps a. and e. can be skipped.

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Q: Can I change my shades from a spring roller to a chain or motor drive?

A: Yes and No, This depends on the installation. First off, spring driven shade use different brackets than the chain and motor shades so the brackets must be changed. Outside mount shades can easily be changed along with the brackets. Inside mount shades we will need accurate measurements of the tube length without the ends pieces inserted and an accurate measure of the window mounting width. Typically this will not work as the chain and motor drives and ends protrude more from the end of the tube.

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Q: Can I change my chain drive to a motor driven shade?

A: Yes, If you have a 1.5 roll ease tube you can use one of our motors. You can also switch the chain drive on a 1.25" roll ease tube to a motor but this will be a special order since we make our shades at a 1.5" tube standard.

View our Chain and Motor Bracket PDF for a dimension drawing of the chain drive brackets and ends. The Motor is the same.

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Q: Can I move my motor from the left side to the right after I receive my shades?

A: Yes, You have to pull the motor out and switch it with the opposite end. Please note there are grooves on the rubber motor drive that must line up with the ribs in the roll tube. After you do this you will notice that the IR sensor is now facing the wrong direction. Well, this can be fixed. Please refer to the Motor Install PDF for an illustration on turning the tear drop. Note: Steps a. and e. can be skipped.

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Q: Do all shades use the same mounting brackets?

A: No, The spring rollers use a different type than the Motor and Chain drive shades. Use this link to View Roller Shade Components

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Q: How much of a gap will I have on the sides of my shades?

A: Spring Roller Shades will have approximately a 0.5" Gap on both side of the shade.

Chain and Motor shades will have approximately a 0.6875" on the drive side and a 0.6875" gap on the opposite end.

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Q: What is the Diameter of the Roll Ease Tube?

A: Currently all of our shades use 1.5" tubes. We do offer a 1" and 1.25" tube on the spring roller shades on special request. Eventually we will also offer a 2" roll ease tube for the longer shades.

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Q: How many shades can I control with 1 remote?

A: One remote can control an infinite number if motors. The limits for the motor are stored within the motor making the remote universal to any number of shade motors.

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Q: What kind of batteries do I need for my motor?

A: The mfg recommends the use of Lithium AA batteries. These batteries will last longer and will provide enough energy to run the motor smoothly. Each motor requires 6 AA batteries.

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Q: How long will my batteries last in my electric shades?

A: The mfg specifies that Lithium AA batteries will last app. 5yrs. The usable life of std batteries varies greatly depending on the battery of choice. We recommend the use of Lithium AA batteries.

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Q: Can I return my shades for a refund if I decide I do not want them?

A: We guarantee that our shades meet strict quality standards. If there is an issue with your order please notify us so we can resolve it. We are not able to accept shade returns for a refund if you simply decide that you don't want the shades because you decided that you didn't like the color or for a similar reason. We can however accept a return on the electronic portion of your order assuming they are in good condition.

Q: Do my shades need to be level or parallel to my window?

A: Your shades do not need to be perfectly level. You goal however is to install them level. Do not install them parallel to your window sill unless you know your window sill is level or close to level. If you install your shade out of level you may notice that the material will walk off to the side on the roller.

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Q: How do I determine the spacing for installing my roller shades?

A: Vertical Spacing - We do not provide an absolute number for this because the shade spacing from the top will vary depending on your shade diameter.. The best way to determine the spacing is to measure the diameter of the shade on the roller by measuring the end of the shade. Take this measurement and then divide it by 2. Then add .25" for an additional gap. Example: Shade Diameter = 2.5, 2.5 divided by 2 = 1.25, 1.25 + .25 = 1.5"

Horizontal spacing - Typically we would just measure the width of the mounting location and divide that by 2. To be safe you should follow the procedure above for calculating the horizontal spacing.

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Q: How do install my shades so that they are level?

A: 1) Take you Vertical and Horizontal spacing calculations (See above) and make a cross in the mounting location where these 2 measurements intersect.

2) Place your brackets so that the mounting holes are vertical and the center bracket is over the cross.

3) Mark the center of the mounting hole that is slotted vertically and pre-drill this location with a bit that is half the diameter of the screw to be used.

When you do this make sure you are using the appropriate bracket for each end of the shade.

Note: We are only doing one hole per bracket at this time so that we can make sure the installation is level.

4) Mount the brackets vertically using only 1 screw in the vertically slotted holes of each bracket and again make sure you mount the brackets on the correct sides.

5) Install your shade.

NOTE: Motor and Chain driven shades. Make sure that you use the V-Groove on top of the bracket rather than the one on the bottom. If you use the bottom V-Groove the shade may fall.

6) Using a level check your shade installation. CAREFULLY operate the shade to ensure satisfaction in mounting. Remember you only have 1 screw in per bracket. If the installation is off a little you can adjust your brackets so that installation is to you liking or level. Once alignment is OK you can pre-drill the second mounting holes in each bracket, fasten the screws and install your shades.

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Q: My spring roller shades will not stop at the same levels or at the bottom of my window. How do I fix this?

A: Remove the shade from its mounting location. Using a pair of pliers pull out the spring loaded end of the shade. You will see that the spring mechanism has several vanes and the tube has a ribs. Slightly rotate the mechanism so that the next set of vanes sit in the roll tube ribs and retest you shade. See our Spring Roller Adjustment Picture to see the vanes and the ribs.

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Q: Is Somfy's IR Remote learnable to other IR remotes?

A: Unfortunately Somfy's IR Remote for the battery operated shades is NOT learnable. We do however have an IR shade automation solution. See our Universal Automation Interfaces page for more info on automation controls for shades as well our Somfy IR to Learnable IR solution.

Q: How can I interface my motorized Shades with my automation control panel?

A: Automation control systems vary quite a bit in the way they interface. We have a way for 99% of the systems out there. Most systems will use one or more of the following methods: IR Control, Dry Contact Closures (These are Relays) or RS232. See our Somfy Shade Automation page for more info on automation controls for motorized shades.

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Q: How can I control my shades with my advanced home theater remote?

A: If you are considering automation with your motorized shades with an IR you will either need to us Somfy's 6300554 Multi-channel Interface, the 16 Channel X10 Interface or our Universal Interface. Each of these devices will allow reception of an IR signal and send out an RF RTS signal to control the shades virtually anywhere in the building. We think our universal interface is the best way to go based on cost to benefit ratio but the X10 and Somfy Multi-channel Interfaces do also work quite well. Our Universal Interface is the only method currently available if you want to control Somfy IR Shades with anything other than the Somfy IR Remote. See our Somfy Shade Automation page for more info on automation controls for motorized shades.

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Q: Can I control my Somfy RTS Shades with X10 Controllers or X10 type devices?

A: Somfy recently introduced (early 2007) an X10 to RTS Interface. This interface can be used with RS232 or your typical X10 controller. The nice thing about the X10 controller is the options you have for control. Using the CM15A Active Home Pro software and interface you can set up timers for your shade automation. Using the X10 IR543 you can use an IR remote to control the X10 to RTS interface. There are also numerous hard wired and RF X10 controllers that can also control the shades

See our Somfy X10 to RTS Automation page for more info X10 to RTS Interface or See our X10 Automation Page for info X10 devices.

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Q: I am planning on automating my shades. Which type of system do you recommend?

We recommend using Somfy's RTS motorized shades when planning for automation. The RTS motors will allow for simultaneous or individual control of the shades without the line of sight issues that come with IR controlled shades. If you only want automate the shades in one room the IR Motors will work fine but we do recommend the use of an IR blaster to send an amplified IR signal in many directions. When automation IR shades keep in mind that you will likely have to accept that the shades in the same room will likely have to operate at the same time.

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Q: What kind Warranty do I get when I purchase shades?

A: We offer a 1/5/10 year warranty on our shades including: 5yr Motors, 1yr Remote Controls, 10yr Spring Mechanisms, 10yr Crowns, 10yr Drives and 10yr workmanship. If the shade fails with in 10yrs we will replace the parts necessary to repair the shade. If the motor fails within 5 yrs we will replace it. The warranty does not cover damages resulting from accidents, alterations, misuse, mishandling, abuse, fading or discoloration over time. The customer is responsible for any installation fees imposed by hiring personnel for installation and for shipping the product back to us for repair.

We use only high quality heavy duty parts in our shades. The tubes are 1.5" Diameter Aluminum tubes they will not warp and our Heavy Duty spring mechanisms are of much higher quality than you will find used by most of our competitors.

We provide photos so you can see what goes into your shades. Do our competitors?