Roller blind coming down on its own, what to do?

The roller blind is a very practical element for protecting rooms from light and heat while decorating the interior. However, it can sometimes cause problems when, for no apparent reason, it starts to go down alone. This problem can quickly become a source of inconvenience. It is then necessary to know why it occurs. In this article, we will explain possible causes of this problem as well as the solutions that can fix it.

Why does the roller blind go down by itself?

Note: We are talking here about a roller blind which is placed inside the housing and not a roller shutter which is placed outside. If the problem you are having is with a roller shutter, we invite you to read the following article: Roller shutter that lowers by itself, what to do?

There is a large number of roller blinds in trade. And each has different features and operating systems. Moreover, several causes may be the cause of this malfunction.

Why is the roller blind coming down on its own?

So he is difficult to make a diagnosis remotely, and even more to find a suitable solution. However, here are some potential factors which may be the cause of your problem and which may help to identify the fault:

1. Mechanical fault on manual or electric roller blinds :

  • Cords or chain damaged or coming out of fasteners : The cords or chain are the elements that allow the roller blind to be raised and lowered. If one of them is broken or off its axis, the awning can no longer be controlled and goes down on its own.
  • Defective fasteners : If the fasteners that hold the cords in place are deformed or broken, the fabric will not be able to hang on and will then eventually come down.
  • Defective winding mechanism : It can be the tension spring or the winding shaft. Most of the time, the problem comes from the tension spring, because it is this element that keeps the roller blind in the up and down position. L'winding axis is the element on which the canvas wraps. If it is defective, it is possible that the canvas does not roll up correctly and that it then comes down all the way.

2. Electrical problem on an electric roller blind :

  • Faulty remote control or switch : If the switch that controls the movement of the blind is defective, it can cause problems with untimely lowering.
  • Deprogramming of limit switches : If the awning has been deprogrammed for any reason (power cut, electrical bug, incorrect programming), the awning may start to lower on its own because it does not locate the upper limit switch.
  • Engine brake problem : When the motor brake is worn, it cannot lock the blind in the up position and it will come down on its own. Usually, this happens suddenly.

How do you fix a roller blind that goes down on its own?

To repair a roller blind, most solutions require mechanical or electrical skills. In addition, each roller blind being different, it is difficult to go into the details. It is therefore preferable to call a professional to do it efficiently and safely.

In general, here how to fix a roller blind that goes down on its own :

1 – Check the cords

When your roller blind starts to come down on its own, the problem may be its cords or its winding chain (depending on the device on your awning model).

Check that they are in good condition, correctly hooked to the upper and lower attachments of the awning and that the chain is correctly positioned in the winding axis. If not, put them back. If the chain and the cords are too damaged, replace them.

Since these parts are consumables, they are generally easily found on merchant websites specializing in carpentry. You can also contact your awning manufacturer's customer service department to see if they can provide it for you.

2 – Check the awning fasteners

It could quite simply be that your awning lowers on its own because it is not not held by fasteners. Check that the upper and lower attachments of the cords and the blind are in good condition.

If they seem to you damaged (hollowed, deformed, broken), they must be replaced by identical parts. Once again, you should easily find them on specialized merchant sites.

3 – Check the roller blind's winding mechanism

Another extremely common cause of a roller blind's automatic lowering problem concerns its tension spring. The latter ensures the maintenance of the fabric in all its positions (high, low, but also in the middle, etc.).

It may happen that he relax, that he dislodges or if breakage. And in these cases, the blind goes either to wrinkle and not roll up in the trunk, or to go up but not to maintain its position and therefore to go down again. In your case, there is a good chance that the spring is broken. In this case, it will have to be replaced. If it is too relaxed, it will have to be tightened so that it can hold the roller blind in the up position.

At the same time, it will take check the general condition of the winding mechanism (pulley, axis, bearings, etc). If one of these elements appears damaged, it will be necessary to replace the entire mechanism, and therefore very often the roller blind in its entirety.

4 – Check the remote control and the switch

If you roller blind that goes down by itself is electric, it will be necessary to test its remote control or its switch. This, especially if the problem occurs unexpectedly. It may indeed be that there is a bad contact on the down button of the control.

5 – Reprogram the end of runs

Again, if the faulty roller blind is electric, consider check that its end of runs are well programmed. It happens that the latter are deprogrammed following a power outage or an electrical crash. If the failure occurs during installation, it may have been programmed incorrectly.

To reprogram the limit switches of an electric roller blind, several procedures exist. Refer to the awning's user manual. If you no longer have it, you can certainly find it on the manufacturer's website.

6 – Replace the motor of the electric blind which lowers by itself

Finally, it may be that your electric roller blind goes down on its own because the motor brake is faulty. In this case, only one solution exists: replace the entire motor.

7 – Contact a professional

If the problem of the roller blind descending unexpectedly persists or if you are not able to identify or repair the problem, then we recommend that you contact a professional.

Roller blind coming down on its own, what to do?

As a first step, we can only advise you to seek the assistance of the manufacturer of your blind. An adviser will then be able to help you identify the origin of the breakdown depending on your situation and your awning model. In the best case, he will be able to find you an advantageous repair solution. If your blind has the guarantee, repairing or replacing the blind should cost you nothing.

If the warranty has expired, you can contact an independent professional repairer. Note, however, that the price of the intervention and repair is often unfortunately more expensive than the purchase of a new blind.

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