Genius inventions that turn your home curtains into smart curtains for little money and almost no installation

Housing in Europe is one of the most important issues for millions of Spaniards. Whether it is because of access to it, the increasing cost of mortgages or the fear of thieves, this question is always on everyone’s lips.

In recent years, thanks to social networks, they have become popular renovation strategies that go far beyond aesthetic changeachieving, for example, great energy savings and even changing the distribution of rooms in houses. Another increasingly popular aspect is that of smart home.

Home automation cannot be considered strictly speaking a new technology, it has been present in our country for decades, but it is It has become popular thanks to very comfortable and simple solutions like Alexa or Google Assistant. One of the most useful functions is controlling elements of the house, such as blinds.

But in addition to being able to upload or download them from anywhere using your mobile, it is also possible to automate at home another element that does not always receive the attention it requires: the curtains. These pieces of fabric are often thought of as decorative elements, but they can be much more than that if the right ones are chosen. A curtain can serve as a thermal or acoustic wall if it is made with a specific fabric, this will help to make the interior temperature more pleasant, while ensuring that there will not be too much noise from outside inside.

But home automation does not affect the type of curtain, nor its functionality. What it does is give us control of elements that were not previously integrated into our mobile. Or in our voice assistant. With blinds the system is simple provided you have motorized them. You just have to change the switch for another one that integrates a WiFi connection.

In the case of the curtains the system is different because there are usually no motorized curtains in homes. Yes, there are some in other buildings, normally public or private facilities such as conference rooms, theaters, etc. But in the case of homes, the movement is manual. Despite this, there are devices that can be installed that work on batteries, moving the curtains to open or close them.

Isolated system

But the motorized rail is not the only way to make curtains smart. There are motors that run on batteries and can be installed on any curtain rod.even those with eyelets. This piece moves along the bar, carrying the curtain itself with it.

The price of these products is around 100 dollars, and you need one on each rod, two if we have two feet on each curtain. The installation is very simple, but you have to keep in mind that you have to recharge the battery when it runs out, for which they have a USB-C charging port like any smartphone. The 4,000 mAh battery allows continuous use for 6 hours, which is more or less 6 months of autonomy for normal use.

Like the previous system, it can be controlled from the Tuya app, from a voice assistant, either from your mobile phone, from a smart speaker, or from the remote control included in the sales package. It operates at a speed of up to 10 cm/s and supports a Quiet mode with noise levels below 25 dBin case we install it in a room where someone usually sleeps.

The most striking thing in This device has a light sensor and a temperature sensorwhich allows the system to be activated only when certain parameters are reached, making its operation automatic, without having to give it orders.

Motorized rail, level raising

The first of the systems involves a change in the support you have at home for the curtainsNormally, a bar on which the curtain rings or the curtains themselves slide. It is installed like any other anchor, with screws, both on the wall and on the ceiling.

The price of this product varies depending on the length of the rail we need, from 165 dollars for the 2 meter model to 205 dollars for the 6 meter model. It is compatible with all curtains except eyelet curtains, that is, those whose rings are integrated into the fabric itself and which are crossed by the rod. For them, there are other systems.

The rail engine has WiFi connection and It can be controlled via Alexa, Google Home or Tuya mobile app.which is used in a multitude of systems, working in exactly the same way as Smart Life. In addition, it includes a remote control in case we want to use it from the same room where the curtains are. As an accessory, a second 16-channel remote control is sold, capable of controlling several curtains at the same time.

Abalon home automation curtains

Alvarez del Vayo

The movement speed is 12 cm/s and generates less than 30 dB in motion. In addition, It is possible to install a control button like the one for motorized blinds. Of course, they can be moved manually by simply pulling the curtain a little, which will make the motor move them without using any more force.

Both systems allow you to program routines so that the curtains open and close whenever you want, as well as being able to control them from several devices simultaneously, in case the person who configured them is not at home and you want to use them. Also can be integrated into more complex actionsfor example by closing them when the television is on.