Which shade motorization option is the right one for you ?

You've decided to motorize your window treatments, but you don't know which motors and control systems are right for you?

When thinking about shade and drapery motors, there are two factors to think about. How will you power the motors, and how will you control them. The answer to these questions will determine the best brand and type of motor for your project.

Power Types

First, lets talk about power options. Motors need electricity to both move the shade, and receive commands from a controller. There are options available whether you just moved into a finished space, or if you are building/renovating a home. There are three types of motors when it comes to the power type they use to function: Line voltage (120V), Low Voltage, and Battery.

Line voltage motors are powerful and can handle very large sized shades, but each motor requires either an outlet or a junction box with 120V current at the location of each motor. If you already have outlets in the windows, or you are planning a renovation or new construction where you can easily add junction boxes at the windows, these motors will allow you to power motors for very large shades to cover large spans with a single shade. Keep in mind that outlets take up some space in the windows, so this option can be bulky in shallow windows, and may require a cover or valance to fully conceal.

Low voltage motors operate by connecting to home-run low voltage wiring from each window to a central location in a closet, garage or attic, where the motors are powered by a transformer panel. Ideal for new builds or renovations where the walls are open, these motors can lift medium to large shades with a much smaller visual footprint in the windows, as this system does not require bulky outlets at the window.

Battery powered motors can lift small to medium sized shades and while they can be used in windows with no power source, they need to be recharged every 9-12 months depending on the motor, window size, and frequency of use. These motors store power in an insulated internal lithium-ion battery, and they can be recharged by plugging into an outlet for 6-8 hours, or recharged supplementally with solar panels.

Control Types

Now lets talk about control options for shade motors. Putting a motor in a window treatment is just the beginning. You can now enable your window treatments to operate independently to protect your home from UV exposure and heat gain, as well as optimize your privacy and security. Not all motors are created equal in this respect, and there are many options available depending on your accessibility preferences and the size/layout of your home.

RF or Radio Frequency motors communicate wirelessly in a linear way with a controller and/or Wifi hub. These types of motors have limited range between controller and motor, and this range is affected by factors such as environmental interference, reinforced concrete, and large metal objects/structures. Because of these limitations, RF motors are best suited for small homes or local control, where you directly control your shades with a controller that is located in the same room as the shades.

Zigbee motors communicate wirelessly through a mesh network of other Zigbee devices. This is a more reliable means of wireless communications, and becomes even more reliable with the number of Zigbee devices present on your network. A Zigbee network also makes battery motors more power efficient, needing to be recharged less often, making them well suited to a retrofit project where no wiring is run to the windows, and no opportunity to run new wiring. Zigbee networks are ideal for small to medium sized homes with other Zigbee devices already on the network, where you want more options to control and monitor your shading system.

Wired motors communicate via low voltage wires back to a main controller. This ensures optimal reliability for spaces of all sizes and construction types, and is ideal when you plan to use a professional level home automation system (Control4, Savant, Crestron, Lutron) to control your shades alongside your other smart home devices.

In conclusion

As a user, you have many ways to control your smart devices, and this now also true for your shading as well. You can choose any number of control schemes to work in concert with each other to achieve your ideal balance of direct and autonomous control of your shades. Remote controls and keypads in each room are the most basic option. To this you can add app control, motion sensor control, wind sensor control (for exterior), basic timers, dynamic sunlight/weather timers, or integration into a larger home automation system for more complex control options.

At Intelligent Shading and Light, we specialize in navigating these options to design the best system, tailored to you and your home, and ensure you have years of reliable and convenient shading. We handle the specification and programming so you don't have to.