One of the worst places to work is in an uncovered skylight window.  PowerRise for Skylights takes a lot of the pain away, because it is completely assembled and tested on the ground as we showed in our last tip.  Installation is easy, too, but you do have to get into the window a bit.  So it's wise to plan your installation appointment according to the location of the window.  For South and West facing skylight windows, plan your installation either for the morning, or for after sunset.  Even on a cold winter day, you'll be surprised at how hot and uncomfortable it can be within a skylight frame.   Schedule installation for East facing windows in the afternoon. Windows facing North should be tolerable at any time of day.  You may not always be able to adjust to these times, but you'll be a lot more comfortable when you can.  In this tip, we'll be looking at a typical inside mount installation.

Brackets
Brackets for the  PowerRise for Skylights are placed about six inches each from the top and bottom.  For inside mount applications you will have two brackets for each side.  Always use two screws per bracket. Be sure that the screws are going into a stud or framing.  If not, you may need to use wall anchors.  To install flush with the ceiling, place the front of the bracket in a quarter of an inch from the front edge.  

Out of Square? Space It Off.
Spacer blocks are used on the bottom rail to position the shade evenly within the frame.  The spacer block has a breakaway design.  Tabs may be broken at a quarter-inch, three-eighths of an inch or a half-inch to give you the flexibility you need for skylight windows which are often considerably out-of-square.  Just insert each spacer into the channel on the bottom rail and move them so that each is about a quarter of the way from the left and right sides.

Flexible Hinge
The edges of PowerRise for Skylight shades are a flexible v-shaped "hinge" that allow you to easily make up for windows that are out-of- square.  The hinge is in a channel, but as you move the shade to the window it can slide out.  So put a little piece of tape to hold the hinge to the rail as you move the shade.  Once it's in the window, it can't slip anymore.  Another thing to keep in mind about the hinge is that it can flatten out a bit during shipping.  Pull it out away from the shade to make sure it will fit into the installation brackets.

Install the Shade
Install the shade into the opening by positioning the bottom rail into the opening. then push the shade in just far enough to go beyond the bracket hooks on all four side brackets.  This holds the shade in place temporarily.

Get Hooked
Make sure the shade is secure in each of the four brackets before you release it.  If you push the shade too far into the opening, the flexible hinge edge may get caught on the screws holding the brackets in place.  To get it back over the screw heads, just use a flat blade screwdriver to flex the hinge slightly while gently pulling the shade towards the room until it catches in the bracket hooks.

Screw In The Side Rails
The side rails have pre-drilled holes so they can be screwed to the frame.  When you screw the side rails in, be sure not to over tighten them.  The shade itself needs to be a good rectangle in order to operate, over tightening the screws can distort the shape.  Use the screws to adjust the position of the rails to be parallel.

Once the shade is fixed into a rectangular position, check the operation again.  You may need to make adjustments to the cords to level the moving rail.  

Take a few minutes to demonstrate the shade and its features to the owner.