We love shutters.
Sturdy, beautiful AND energy efficient; what’s not to like? We love them so much, we named our company after them. And we provide a 5-year warranty because we know how well they perform.
But you know what? Nothing is invincible. High-quality shutters rarely falter, but it can happen, and it’s good to know what to watch out for to limit the damage.
Here are some things that could go wrong with shutters.
Loose Louvres
The louvresof your shutters can be tilted for superb light and privacy control.
Want to prevent passersby from looking in whilst retaining the delicious glow of the afternoon sun? Need to redirect the light so that you can see your TV or computer screen? Ready to fully close your shutters and turn on a cosy lamp or two in the evening? Let the louvres work their magic.
By adjusting the louvres using the tilt wand, you can disturb the view from the outside, filter light perfectly and flex the feel of your inside spaces as the sun moves throughout the day.
Shutters have loads of louvres. And moving parts like louvres can, on occasion, begin to loosen with frequent use. It’s not common, but loose louvres are something that could go wrong with your shutters. You’ll notice it happening when they find it hard to stay lifted when you’ve angled them upwards, and they’ll often slide back down to a closed position.
The good news is that this tends to be an easy fix with a simple screwdriver. However, it’s always best to call the professionals first, just in case.
Crooked Louvres
Of all the things that could go wrong with your shutters, this diagnosis is the most common. Bouncy pets? Busy kids? Bustling home life? Even just general daily wear and tear can cause this issue.
Wonky louvres.
The louvres in your shutters are held in place with small plastic pins. If the shutters get knocked, this can dislodge the plastic pins so that they fall to the floor. These missing pins cause the misalignment in the louvres because they are no longer anchored in place.
And small though they are, missing pins can cause serious frustration. There’s nothing worse than a sudden glare on the TV at a crucial movie moment or being blinded partway through a Zoom call when the summer sun starts to sink in the sky.
If you suspect missing pins to be what’s wrong with your shutters, get down on all fours and hunt around on the floor nearby. Sliding the springloaded pins back into place is easy, simply pop them into the hole and compress them whilst you align the correct louvre.
And if you don’t find them, well, that’s what our 5-year warranty is for! We’ll have your shutters back up and running in no time.
Moisture Damage
As window coverings go, shutters are fairly water-resistant. But if anything goes wrong with your shutters over time, it could be a build-up of moisture in the frame. Exposure to excessive moisture can cause cracks to form or the frame to expand.
The more individual parts that were used to construct the shutters, the more likely this is to happen. That’s because there are more potential access points where separate parts were fixed together, and that’s where the moisture can creep in.
Now, this is rare. A reputable, professional shutter company like us will always advise our customers not to install certain shutters in typically humid rooms. High humidity levels are the enemy of wooden shutters, for example. Instead, there are specially designed shutters that are perfect for bathrooms and kitchens that look fantastic, like the S-Craft Java Range which is 100% waterproof.
However, unfortunately, if moisture-related symptoms do cause things to go wrong with your shutters, it might require a complete replacement.
Broken Magnets
You might not have realised this, but magnets play a very important role in the operation of your shutters. The magnets, which sit on the frame, help to keep the panel tight against the frame, maximising energy efficiency, heat retention and their ability to completely shade your home.
So how exactly do magnets go wrong? With your shutters sat soaking up the sun day in, day out, they’re constantly on the receiving end of loads of UV, and this can cause the magnets to weaken and stop working as effectively.
To solve this issue, the magnets simply need replacing. But don’t just reach for any old souvenir sitting on your fridge! Talk to an expert shutter company about a replacement; it’s an easy fix, but you need the right magnet for the job, and they’ll know exactly how to help.
Cracked Frames
If you start to notice cracks appearing in the frames of your shutters, this could be down to either water or heat damage.
Any item sat in the hot sun or direct light for long periods of time is subject to warping because it changes the composition of the materials themselves, and shutters are, unfortunately, no different.
They’re unsightly, but leave them alone. Whilst you can repair small cracks with wood glue, this never ends well. Trying to DIY a fix often causes the cracked area to look worse than it did originally! Instead, talk to your shutter installer, who will be able to advise you on the next steps to getting your shutters looking stunning once more.
Things CAN Go Wrong With Your Shutters (But They Probably Won’t)
We can’t emphasise this enough. Something going wrong is an extremely rare occurrence. However, knowing what might go wrong means, you can spot a problem before it develops further.
The most common thing to go wrong with your shutters? A small knock to the frame from over-excited kids or hyper pets. And thankfully, crooked louvres due to missing pins are easy to sort out.
Are you suffering from a case of wonky shutters? Are the louvres refusing to stay open, even when fully tilted? Contact us today for expert advice about existing shutters. We know our stuff.
