Choosing protective roller shutters for windows - 7 tips

Home security It excites absolutely everyone, but if the entrance to the apartment can be equipped sturdy door from reliable locks, then with window openings everything is somewhat more complicated. The issue of protecting windows is especially relevant for owners of apartments on the first floors and owners of summer cottages. Previously, this problem was solved using gratingsbut they take away the light and often become an obstacle during the evacuation. Today, a more reliable, thoughtful and modern solution is the roller shutter, which can decorate the facade of the house, protect from the sun, prying eyes and even keep warm. How to choose the protective roller shutters for windows, what are they and how best to install them?

No. 1. Roller shutter construction

Roller shutters are often called shutters and protective shutters, and they the design includes such elements:

• canvasmade of lamellas. The latter can be aluminum, steel or plastic;
• shaft, on which the web is wound due to its not monolithic, but lamella design;
• box, which closes the shaft with a cloth wound around it, makes the overall appearance more aesthetic and protects all elements from the negative effects of the environment;
• guides, which provide the canvas up and down.

Roller shutters are driven by mechanical forces or by electric drive. Externally, the shutters look quite simple, but aesthetically pleasing, reliably close the window opening and prevent unauthorized access. Color can be absolutely any, like size. Today it is also possible to make roller shutters for windows of non-standard shapes, for example, on an arched opening.

Slightly departing from the topic, we note that the roller shutters have found application for protection garage door, trading floors and offices. Naturally, for garages, shutters are available with thicker and wider slats. There are even plumbing toilet shuttersthat allow you to hide not very nice communications. They do not have protective functions, therefore, their design is lightweight.

No. 2. Rolling shutter material

When choosing a roller shutter on a window, material of their manufacture:

• aluminum. The vast majority of shutters are made of aluminum. This is a fairly lightweight material that allows you to make the entire structure as compact as possible and use with it a manual drive or the simplest electric one. Aluminum rolling shutters look great, are presented in a huge variety, protect well from the sun and are cheaper than a steel counterpart. Such shutters do well with protective functions, although they are inferior to steel;
• steel. Such shutters can be called a model in terms of strength and reliability. If maximum protection is needed, then you can safely choose them. On the other hand, steel shutters weigh decently, they can hardly be called compact, and they are inferior to aluminum in aesthetics, but they are more expensive;
• plastic shutters They are not installed to protect windows from intruders, but only to reduce the intensity of sunlight in the room, to protect themselves from prying eyes. Such systems look great, amaze with variety and can become a decoration of the facade;
• wooden roller shutters They are also designed not to block the way for an attacker, but to protect them from sunlight, which is especially true in the summer for windows facing the south side. The construction made of natural material looks great, provides a decent level of heat and sound insulation.

No. 3. Type of Roller Shutter Profile

Despite the fact that steel shutters are able to provide maximum protection, today aluminum blinds, which can be made of various types of profiles:

• foam rolling profile - The easiest and cheapest option. Thin sheets of aluminum are used for rolling, so even a foam filler does not save from possible deformations under severe mechanical loads. Such shutters have good indicators of heat and sound insulation, but they are not particularly resistant to breaking. If you use them with the protection function, then only together with other means, for example, alarm;
• reinforced seamless profile much more durable than the previous version, can be a great obstacle to attackers. It is more expensive than a rolling profile, but if your goal is reliable protection of window openings, then it is better to choose it. Well, such roller shutters are suitable for giving;
• seamless lattice or perforated profile it also has excellent reliability and durability, it is good at hacking and is used mainly for installation on commercial premises, because with the proper level of protection, such blinds provide an acceptable view of the window, even when it is closed. Sometimes they put houses so that even with closed roller shutters, a little light penetrates inside.

Separately, you can select armored roller shutters, they can be made of both aluminum and steel, but are not used in private construction - they are so powerful and massive that they can become reliable protection for financial institutions.

Number 4. Types of Roller Shutter Management

Window shutters can be controlled in two ways:

• mechanically, i.e. through the physical efforts of man. This is a budget option, suitable when the weight of the structure and the number of windows with shutters is small;
• automatically by electric drive. A more expensive, but also more comfortable way to control. It is worth pressing a button on the wall or on the remote control, as the roller shutters will move.

No. 5. Mechanical control of roller shutters

Mechanical control wins in terms of practicality, because it does not depend on electrical power and does not suffer from voltage drops or lack electricity. Depending on the weight of the structure, it is used for manual control several drive options:

• tape drive Suitable for roller shutters up to 15 kg. The name of the system suggests that its key element is a tape, which is attached to the belt stacker at one end and to the shaft on the other. To set the structure in motion, simply pull on the tape. A common option for small window openings, one of the most budget;
• cardan drive suitable for structures weighing up to 36 kg, allows you to control roller shutters by rotating the cardan handle. It is also inexpensive, reliable in operation, and its design allows you to install a top automatic lock on it;
• cable drive can lift roller shutters weighing up to 100 kg, it works by changing the degree of tension of the cable, which is attached to the driveshaft. Management is carried out using the handle, the system is quite reliable and relatively inexpensive;
• spring-inertial Today it is the most common, can withstand a maximum weight of 80 kg, and you can close and open the shutters using special handles that are located on the lower guide. For guarantee, it is better to equip such shutters with a lower lock.

No. 6. Automatic roller shutter control

The electric drive allows you to set the roller shutter in motion with a single click of a button, it is convenient, but it costs additional financial investments. The motor integrates into the octagonal shaft, does not increase the design. The electric drive allows you to calmly raise and lower the roller shutters weighing up to 200 kg, use the upper automatic lock for reliability, but there are also limitations: it cannot be used with shutters with a width of less than 60 cm.

There are two ways to control roller shutters automatically:

• radio controlwhen the design is set in motion by a button on the remote control, and the command is broadcast over the air;
• wire management with the help of keyboard, lock and rotary switches.

A significant advantage of automatic control is the ability to combine several shutters into groups. This allows you to operate several roller shutters at once by pressing one button, usually up to 4.

Number 7. Installation options for roller shutters on a window

Roller shutters can be mounted in different ways, it all depends on the features of the window opening and personal wishes. There are several basic ways of installing roller shutters on a window:

• built-in installation outward involves installation in the opening. Externally, this option looks aesthetically pleasing, since nothing protrudes beyond the facade, but the box in the opening takes a little light and reduces the viewing angle;
• built-in box installation from the side of the facade it looks even more aesthetically pleasing, but with such an installation light is taken away, and the canvas is located at a small distance from window;
• surface mounting involves attaching the box directly to the facade of the building above the window opening. Thus, it is possible to achieve maximum visibility and complete invisibility of the structure from the window, but the box will stick out a little relative to the facade;
• combined installation involves installing the box in a specially prepared niche above the window. It combines the advantages of all other installation options, but it is better to provide such a niche at the stage of building a house.

The color of the roller shutter is preferably chosen so that it is combined with facade and color window frames. You can do the installation of the simplest systems yourself, but when using an electric drive and radio control it is better to contact specialists.