I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve had more headaches with smart blinds than I ever expected. The motors always seem to get stuck at the worst possible time, and finding the right replacement part can be just as frustrating as tracking down a custom window bit. At least with the tint windows, there aren’t cords or hardware to break off, and you don’t have to clean slats every week. Not saying they’re perfect, but the “set it and forget it” factor is kinda appealing if you’re willing to risk the tech.
That’s a good point about the motors—I had a set of smart blinds in our old place and they always seemed to freeze up right when I needed them to work (like, every time we had guests over). The tint windows do seem lower maintenance, but I keep wondering how they hold up over time. Like, do they get scratched or cloudy? Also, if the power goes out, do they just stay where they are? Kind of makes me nervous to put all my eggs in one high-tech basket, you know? But yeah, not having to dust slats is honestly tempting...
The tint windows do seem lower maintenance, but I keep wondering how they hold up over time. Like, do they get scratched or cloudy? Also, if the power goes out, do they just stay where they are?
I’ve had electrochromic windows for about three years now and, honestly, I haven’t noticed any clouding or major scratches, but I’m also not a cat owner—so maybe that helps. When the power’s out, mine just stay at whatever tint they were set to, which is fine unless you’re suddenly sitting in the dark. I totally get the “all eggs in one basket” worry, though. I do miss the satisfying click of old-school blinds sometimes... but not the dust.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing—less dusting is a win, but sometimes I do miss just yanking a cord to fix the light. The electrochromic windows in my place have held up fine so far, even with a couple of rowdy nephews visiting (no scratches, surprisingly). The cloudiness thing worried me too, but I haven’t seen it yet. Maybe it depends on the brand or how much direct sun you get? I’m in a pretty mild climate, so maybe that helps.
The power outage bit is kind of annoying, honestly. If you forget and leave them super dark, you’re just stuck until things come back on. Not the end of the world, but worth thinking about if you lose power a lot. Still, I’d take that trade over dealing with busted blind strings or those plastic slats that always end up bent.
Energy-wise, I’ve noticed my place stays cooler in summer, which is probably saving me some AC money. But yeah, sometimes I wonder if I should’ve just gone with smart blinds and called it a day...
I get what you mean about the busted blind strings—those things drove me nuts in my old place. But honestly, I kinda miss being able to just open a window or pop the blinds up when the power’s out, especially during storms. The electrochromic windows sound cool, but I’d worry about getting stuck in the dark if we lost power for a while. I guess it depends on how often that happens where you live. For me, smart blinds seem like less of a gamble, even if they’re not quite as sleek.
I hear you on the power outage thing, but honestly, my old smart blinds were just as useless when the power or wifi went out—they’d freeze halfway up and just mock me. At least with the electrochromic windows, you don’t have to deal with tangled cords or dusting slats every week. And if you really want fresh air, can’t you just crack the window open anyway? Maybe it’s just me, but I’d trade a little tech risk for not fighting with blinds every morning.
That’s a fair point on the maintenance side—traditional blinds (smart or not) are dust magnets, and the cords seem to tangle themselves if you so much as look at them the wrong way. I swapped out my old motorized shades last winter for electrochromic film on a couple south-facing windows. Not having to mess with slats or deal with the little remote is definitely less hassle, and my allergies have thanked me for it.
Electrochromic tech has its own quirks though. I’ve noticed there’s a slight delay when changing tint, especially on cold mornings—nothing major, but it’s not instant. And if your power goes out mid-transition, you can get stuck with a weirdly half-tinted window until things come back online. Still beats wrestling with a jammed blind at 6am.
I do miss being able to block out light completely sometimes. Even at their darkest, these windows don’t get as opaque as blackout shades. If you’re someone who needs total darkness to sleep (like my spouse), you might end up layering solutions anyway.
On airflow—yeah, opening the window is still an option, but in my place the windows are old wood frames and they don’t always seal well after being opened and closed a bunch. The fewer times I have to open them up, the better.
Overall, I’d say if you want set-and-forget, and you’re okay with some upfront cost and electrical work, electrochromic makes life easier day-to-day. If you like total control over privacy or need blackout levels, blinds (even manual) might still win out. Either way, nothing’s perfect... just gotta pick which headaches you’re willing to deal with.
I do miss being able to block out light completely sometimes. Even at their darkest, these windows don’t get as opaque as blackout shades. If you’re someone who needs total darkness to sleep (like my spouse), you might end up layering solutions anyway.
That’s the exact thing that kept me from going all-in on electrochromic for our bedroom. I’m one of those “if there’s even a sliver of streetlight, I’m up” types. Tried blackout curtains over the smart tint, but then it kind of defeats the whole point of having fancy windows… just feels like a lot of tech for something I still have to cover up at night.
On the maintenance side, though, I get what you mean about the dust and cords with blinds. My workaround was switching to roller shades with a chain drive—still manual, but way less likely to tangle, and easier to wipe down. Not as cool as tinting glass with an app, but honestly, I’m not sure I trust the tech long-term. My neighbor had a power surge last summer and his electrochromic panels went haywire—half tinted, half clear for like two days until he got an electrician out.
One thing I do like about blinds (even the old-school kind) is how much control you have over airflow and privacy. With the slats, you can angle them just right to let in a breeze without giving your neighbors a front-row seat. Electrochromic film is either on or off (well, technically variable, but you know what I mean), so sometimes it’s a little “all or nothing.”
Upfront cost is another thing that gave me pause. The quotes I got for smart glass were wild compared to even high-end smart blinds or shades. Maybe prices will come down eventually, but right now it’s a big investment for something that’s still got a few quirks.
Guess it depends on what annoys you more—dusting slats or dealing with potential tech hiccups. For me, I’ll stick with my “dumb” shades for now… but I’ll admit that not having to clean blinds sounds pretty great some days.
That’s exactly why I haven’t made the jump either—total blackout is a must for me, and no smart glass I’ve seen gets there. It’s wild how much you pay for something that still needs backup shades. Out of curiosity, anyone tried integrating smart blinds with home automation? Wondering if that’s more reliable than the glass tech long-term...
You nailed it—full blackout is still the main weakness with smart glass. I’ve seen a few luxury projects try to mix both, but it always ends up with backup shades anyway. On the automation side, I’ve worked with a few smart blind setups tied into home systems. They’re definitely more reliable for blackout, though sometimes you run into hiccups if Wi-Fi drops or the motors get finicky. Did you have a specific brand in mind, or are you just looking for general reliability?