How to Look After Your Roller Shutters

When you have roller shutters added to your home, you know you are adding, not only safety to your home but a valuable investment as well. Roller shutters reduce noise, increase privacy, provide security and protection against burglary, prevent hot air coming in or out and cold air coming in or out – depending on the season, they also give you the ability to control how much, or how little light enters you home. That is perfect for those on night shift or who have young babies or children they need to pop down for a nap.

Best commercial roller shutters come in a range of styles and colours that will compliment your home’s overall appearance, but to keep those shutters looking great and in good working order, there are a few things you should know to keep them working well all year round.

Keep your shutters clean – one of the main reasons technicians are called out to a home to *fix* shutters that are jamming or aren’t closing properly is a simple build-up of dirt and dust. If your home or windows are prone to dust and dirt that is carried by the wind, it’s a good idea to wash your roller shutters every 4 months. Simply move your shutters into the vented position, spray with a hose, and wipe down with a soapy sponge – in much the same way you would do with your car.
Avoid any sticky lubricants – try NOT to spray any silicone or sticky based products on the tracks as this will only attract dirt. There are lubricant sprays you can buy that carry an anti-static which is a much better option. Spray a small amount up and down the guides and onto the clips at the tops of the tracks on any existing shutters once a year to keep them running smoothly – generally this is only for shutters that are at least ten or more years older.
Polish – if you find you have any scratches or blemishes on the paint work – give them a gentle rub with some mentholated spirits. It won’t hurt the paint, but it will remove grime and dirt and give your roller shutter a nice shine.
Avoid leaving items on your window sills or under the shutters – this can cause the shutter to *gather* on itself which will cause the up and down limits to move out of place, or worse still cause the slats to bend, dent or get damaged. It’s important that after a storm or strong winds you check around your yard to make sure nothing has been blown by strong winds, into or under your shutters.
Check the batteries – if you have an electric model with a receiver and a remote handset, then these remote shutters contain a small battery that sends signals to the motors, if the light stops working on your handset, then it’s likely that your battery has gone flat.
Use your shutters – as strange as that might sound…… shutters are just like a car, if they sit around for too long not being used they can cease up. It’s recommended you use them at least once a week to keep them in good working order. Manual shutters are prone to wear and tear, so call your provider or technician if you have a broken strap or a jammed manual winder, don’t attempt to fix any damage, or problems yourself. If you have had enough of manually winding your shutters, or they have broken, you can always look at converting your existing manual roller shutter into an electric roller shutter. This is a better option for someone older, that has perhaps moved into a home with existing manual shutters and they are finding them difficult to use.