Roller shutters are extremely sturdy, and in their construction

use high-grade materials that mean they last for many years and require very little maintenance. Nevertheless, some minimal maintenance and cleaning performed regularly can ensure optimum performance and longevity on your investment.

Maintenance of your roller shutters isn’t a laborious job, nor one that requires any particular expertise. Rather, it simply involves knowing what to look for so that any potential hazards can be recognised and dealt with quickly.

For instance, ensuring that the guides along which the shutters open and close are clean and free from debris is important, as smooth operation is important to ensure trouble-free use. Checking that the guides are clear, and sweeping away any dirt and debris that may have accumulated is a simple, but effective maintenance procedure. Similarly,

it’s a good idea to check the pelmet for any obstructions, such as twigs or leaves, that may have lodged there. Again, simply sweeping them away should be sufficient.

Using your shutters with some care can also form a part of the maintenance regime—for instance, if you have strap winder shutters, ensure that they’re not opened or closed with excessive vigour, which might cause the shutter to slam into the box. Also, always make sure that a shutter is firmly closed before attempting to lock it.

Lubrication of the roller can also help to preserve the life and efficient operation of your window shutters. Greasing the bearings on an annual basis should be often enough to make sure that the roller mechanism continues to work smoothly. It may be the case that you want to lubricate the guide rails at the same time as well, just to make sure that the shutter can travel up and down easily.

Most people use their roller shutters on a daily basis, and so ventilation is not a problem, but should it be the case that your

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Roller Shutters

shutters need to remain open for extended periods of time, it is wise nevertheless to take the time to lower them every now and again to ensure that they are ventilated and that there is no excessive build up of moisture.

Thankfully for most people, because roller shutters have a baked enamel finish that is fade and scratch resistant, there is no need to repaint your shutters as part of a maintenance programme.

Any good maintenance regimen will also include regular cleaning of the surfaces of your roller shutters, so as to avoid a build up of dirt that can affect their smooth operation by allowing grit and debris to build up in the guides (as well as detracting from their appearance). Roller shutters certainly don’t need frequent or repetitive cleaning, but every three months or so is probably ideal.

The first step to effective cleaning is to brush out the ventilation holes, and brush or vacuum away any leaves, twigs or light dirt attached to the surface. Do this by opening the shutter just sightly from its fully

closed position. The shutters can then be hosed down and washed, ideally with a sponge, warm water and a mild soap solution, such as you’d wash your car with. After this, you can hose your shutters down again and wipe them dry with an absorbent cloth.

It is important, however, that you don’t use any abrasive cleaners, solvents, methylated spirits, or anything that is likely to affect the enamel surface.

Likewise, when hosing your shutters down, don’t use a high pressure spray—a garden hose is sufficient—and take care not to spray water into the pelmet or headbox. It’s also vital that you don’t use a scrubbing brush, steel wool, scrapers or any other device that is likely to cause scratches or to chip the surface.

A final important tip is that when you are sponging clean your shutters, wipe from top to bottom, up and down, rather than from side to side.

If you maintain your shutters regularly, there should be little or no need for repairs. Roller shutters are extremely strong and able to stand up to a great deal of force, and so generally speaking a fairly calamitous event needs to occur before any significant repairs are

required. A good maintenance and cleaning routine should therefore ensure that your roller shutters give you trouble-free operation for many years.

www.directshutters.com.ausales@directshutters.com.au

33 Fifth StreetWingfield SA 5013Telephone: (08) 8244 4437Fax: (08) 8244 4458www.directshutters.com.ausales@directshutters.com.au

Direct Shutters in Adelaide, with over 25 years’ experience in manufacturing and installing roller window shutters, are experts in all aspects of the industry and can advise you on the maintenance and cleaning of your roller shutters.

This article was written and distributed by Cadogan and Hall, a team of freelance writers based in Adelaide, South Australia. We specialise in producing online content, websites, blogs, articles and press releases for small- and medium-sized buisnesses.www.cadoganandhall.comenquiries@cadoganandhall.com

For more information, contact us at:

Roller shutters for your windows and doors are extremely resilient and durable, and require very little in the way of

maintenance and cleaning. However, there are some very simple steps that homeowners can take to ensure that their shutters give them years of trouble-free security, protection

from the weather, and energy efficiency.