Three-quarters of the Dutch close the curtains partially or completely when they are away from home. But for a longer period, such as a holiday, 61 percent leave the curtains partially or even fully open. Is that smart and are there smart solutions?
Do you leave the curtains open or do you close them when you are not at home and want the house to look inhabited? According to research by independent research agency DirectResearch, 61 percent leave the curtains partially or even fully open. In addition, two-thirds of those surveyed say they take several other precautions to make the house appear occupied, such as leaving lights on or turning on the television or radio.
During a night out, 46 percent of the surveyed Dutch people close the curtains completely and 28 percent partially. When the absence lasts longer than just one evening, such as on a holiday, 16 percent of those surveyed decide to leave the curtains completely closed, 26 percent keep them partially open and 22 percent ask friends, family or neighbors for a helping hand.
Open or closed?
Opening and closing the curtains is an important measure to make a house appear inhabited during a holiday, for example. Closing the curtains prevents burglars from looking inside. But curtains that are closed during the day give a house an uninhabited impression, as can be read in the burglary prevention tips of the National Police. Opening the curtains again during the day is therefore just as important as closing the curtains at night. A combination of open and closed curtains therefore seems to be the best solution to make a house look habitable.
It is striking that no less than 78 percent in the survey indicate that they would be happy to help their neighbors if they asked to open and close the curtains in their absence. The Dutch therefore ask for help much less than they are willing to help. “For example, people may feel embarrassed to ask someone else to do this or they may not like someone coming into their home during their absence,” says Kaj Beetstra, founder of Slide. The aforementioned research was commissioned by Slide, developer and producer of the smart home system that makes (existing) curtains smart.
The research shows that only 22 percent of the respondents therefore enlist the help of friends, family or neighbors. For those who do not, the National Police advises to take the middle ground and to leave the curtains open ‘a bit’. In this way, according to the tips, you ensure that the burglar is visible from the outside when he is in your house: something that most burglars do not like.
Timer or app
Fortunately, there are more options to make a house look habitable. For example, more than half of the respondents who say they take extra measures say they leave the lights on and 48 percent say they have timers for lighting or other devices. 15 percent have a smart home solution and receive a notification on their phone when something happens.
“Using a timer or app to control lights and appliances is a well-known method of making a house appear inhabited. But when it comes to curtains, many people feel they have to make a choice before leaving home: open or closed?” says Beetstra. “I think that many people are not aware that it is also very possible to have your curtains open and close automatically these days. You are no longer dependent on friends, family or neighbors. Ideal if you’re away from home – whether it’s for one night or for a longer period of time and whether it’s planned or a spontaneous outing. With a smart home system for curtains, you can control the curtains remotely with an app and set the times to your liking. You can choose fixed or changing times, but you can also adjust it to the times for sunrise and sunset. This way you can always leave the house with peace of mind without having to worry about whether your house looks uninhabited.”
About slide
Slide is an Amsterdam company and has an innovative system with patented mechanics that makes an ordinary curtain smart. A curtain that contributes to a kick-start of the day by opening when the sun rises, giving a natural awakening. A curtain that can close remotely via the app, thus contributing to the security and insulation of a home. And a curtain that gives a wonderfully luxurious feeling, by opening or closing automatically when someone wants to, regardless of where he or she is. Slide is easy to install and can pull up to six meters of curtain on straight rails, even in the case of heavy, double curtains.
A review of this product will soon appear on pcactive.nl
The research was conducted in December 2022 in the Netherlands by DirectResearch on behalf of Slide. 1029 respondents participated in the survey.
