Replace the Cord Stop on Your Cell Shade
Are you tired of looking at that broken cord stop wrapped with masking tape?
Broken or missing cord stops and tassels are a common problem in almost every home. Sometimes they have been damaged by a pet. More often they just get brittle with age and break.
When this happens it is always unsightly and it can prevent the shade from working properly.
The repair is inexpensive and something you can easily do for yourself.
Each brand of shade uses a slightly different style of stop, but they are all intended to connect the individual lift cords at one single tie-off point so that the shade goes up and down evenly and hangs level.
The stop also prevents the small cords from being accidentally pulled back up inside the top rail.
How to disassemble the old parts.
Unless the old parts are so brittle as to be broken and useless, you may be able to take the old cord stop assembly apart and reuse whatever is salvageable.
This isn’t always as easy as you might think. After a few years in the sun, the old parts will often seem to be welded together. In theory, you should be able to pull them apart by holding the cover in one hand and pulling the heavy cord with the other hand.
If that isn’t working for you, then you will need to pry them apart. You can do that by inserting a small screwdriver into the slot and prying the pieces apart with a gentle levering action. Just be careful and don’t stab yourself with the screwdriver.
Tips for when you reassemble the cord stop.
The narrow end of the equalizer goes towards the shade.
The wedge has a small ridge on one side. The side with the ridge goes against the lift cords and pinches them to keep them from slipping.
Trim the heavier pull cord close to the knot before you insert it into the housing. If you leave too much excess cord, you will have trouble getting the cover to fit tightly on the housing.
Adjust the shade to hang even and level before you assemble the cord stop housing.
Tie the tassel onto the other end of the fat pull cord and you’re done.
