Still on the fence about purchasing shutters for your home? Check out this interactive image to learn five, surprising benefits of shutters from Eclipse.

Eclipse® Shutters is proud to announce their Best for Kids™ certification!

Child safety is important not only to Eclipse Shutters, but to the entire window covering industry.

The Best for Kids certification is a brand new safety program put forth by the WCMA (Window Covering Manufacturers Association). This is the industry’s first third party certification program designed to help consumers and retailers easily identify products that are safe to use in homes with young children.

The Best for Kids program requires manufacturers who want to be a part of the program to meet stringent criteria, and to submit those appropriate products to a third party testing facility laboratory recognized by the WCMA. The products go through multiple lab tests to guarantee they are not dangerous for children. Products certified under this program will be eligible to be listed and labeled, on packaging and merchandising materials, as “certified.” These products are easily identifiable for purchase by consumers, designers, landlords and child care facilities. This program will also allow retailers to easily promote these certified products.

The products that qualify either have no operating cords or have cords that are not accessible, as defined in Appendix C of ANSI/WCMA A100.1-2012.

In addition to being Best for Kids certified, Eclipse Shutters’ products are energy-efficient, GREENGUARD Gold certified and come with an industry leading 25-year warranty. For more information about this certification, please visit the WCMA website. Interested in purchasing Eclipse Shutters? Contact us today!

The personal and market value of your home is closely tied to aesthetics. If you want to spruce up your home and add value to it, there are simple upgrades you can do. If you want to maintain a budget while performing upgrades, you are in luck. The best value boosters are often the least expensive.

3 Easy Home Improvements That Won’t Break the Bank

New Paint

A new coat of paint instantly transforms a room into an inviting space. By carefully selecting your color palette, you can alter the atmosphere in each room of your home. For example, using a mix of blue and

Shutters can add function and style to a house, and they’re easy enough to install on your own with some preparation. The tricky part is deciding on the right mounting frame and style that you would like. Read on to learn more about choosing the right frame for your shutters.

Selecting Inside or Outside Mount

Shutters can be mounted two different ways, either inside the window frame or outside the window frame.

Inside Mount

Inside mount frames attach directly to the inside of the window opening. If you’d prefer your shutters to be mounted inside the window frame, you’ll need to check that the windows are square and that there will be sufficient clearance space between the window hardware and the shutters. Without enough clearance space, the shutters might not open and shut properly. Take a minute to carefully inspect all around your windows. Do you see an alarm system, cranks for tilt-in windows, handles, or latches? If so, this style isn’t right for you and you’ll need to choose an outside mount frame.

Outside Mount

Outside mount frames are mounted outside the window frame and are attached directly to the wall. Outside mount frames completely cover the window and frame.

Choosing the Right Frame

Once you’ve decided whether your new shutters will be mounted inside or outside of the window frame, it’s time to decide which frame would look best. Eclipse shutters are offered in 6 styles: Z Frame (inside mount): Decorative frame that blends well with all types of trim. Excellent for slightly out of square windows because the extended flange covers any imperfections. Deluxe Trim Frame (inside mount): The largest, most decorative frame that is used for inside mounts in openings with drywall returns and without trim. May be ordered with Sill Frame at bottom for openings with window sill. Trim Frame (inside mount): Decorative frame that is used for inside mounts in openings with drywall returns and without trim. May be ordered with Sill Frame at bottom for openings with a window sill.
L Frame (inside or outside mount): A functional frame that may be used for inside mounts if window openings are square, or outside mounts directly on top of trim or beside trim. The L frame can be used on an inside mount if you already have decorative trim that you do not wish to cover up. Casing Sill/Decorative L Frame (inside or outside mount): A smaller decorative frame that may also be used as a stand alone frame. Use the casing sill as an alternative to the L Frame in both inside and outside mount applications. Casing Frame (outside mount): A decorative frame that is used to cover existing trim. It is installed directly into the wall and is outside mount only.
shutters may lie very close to the window or extend further away. The clearance between window and shutter is important; too narrow and the shutters can’t rotate fully open. You can check this with a shutter sample kit, which includes inside and outside mount frames and a sample panel with tilt bar. If the sample panel you set up meets resistance when opening, you’ll need an outside mount frame or deeper projection.

Ready to Get Started?

The success of any home improvement project depends on the preparation of the installer and quality of materials used. Eclipse Shutters offers both inside and outside mount installation videos to ensure an seamless installation. At Eclipse Shutters, we provide quality and beautiful shutters that you and your family will enjoy for many years to come. We are the largest manufacturer of custom shutters with over 20 years of experience in this industry. Contact us and take the first step to improving your home.