Rolling shutters, also called roller shutters or roll down shutters, are custom aluminum covers that close over a window, door, or patio opening. The slats roll up into a compact box above the opening and run back down along guide rails on each side when you want coverage. Roll-A-Shield builds every rolling shutter for Surprise homes and businesses at our Tempe, Arizona facility, sized to the exact opening it protects.

Rolling steel shutters are most often used where a business needs the most physical security: storefronts, warehouses, restaurants, and service counters that open and close every day. Our standard shutter is extruded aluminum, built in-house, which gives most homes and businesses the right mix of security and easy operation, and we source steel shutters for openings that need even more. Storefronts that want to keep their displays visible after hours often choose perforated slats, while warehouses usually choose solid slats for full cover.

For many homeowners, yes. A closed rolling security shutter is a strong physical barrier over the window or door it covers, and it makes forced entry slower and harder than glass alone. The same shutter also blocks afternoon sun and gives you full privacy, so one product covers several jobs. Security shutters work alongside your alarm, cameras, and lighting rather than replacing them, and Roll-A-Shield provides the shutter layer, not alarm monitoring.

Rolling shutter and roller shutter pricing is set by the width and height of each opening, the slat you choose, and whether the shutter is manual or motorized, with installation priced as its own line. Steel security shutters cost more than equivalent aluminum ones, so we usually recommend steel only where an opening needs it. Our rolling shutter cost guide explains the price drivers, and we give you an exact price for every opening during a free on-site estimate in Surprise.

Yes, they are the same product under different names. Motorized patio screens are also sold as motorized exterior shades, exterior roller shades, outdoor patio shades, sun screens, and rolling screens. Each one is a mesh fabric screen that lowers from a slim housing over a patio, porch, or outdoor room and rolls back out of sight when you do not need it. Roll-A-Shield supplies premium motorized screens from established screen manufacturers and fits each one to your exact opening.

Yes. Our own local crews install motorized retractable patio screens across Surprise, measuring each patio opening, mounting the housing and side tracks, and programming and testing the motor before we leave. Qualifying motorized patio screens are covered by our 4-week install guarantee: place your deposit and we install within 4 weeks, or you get $500 back.

How much motorized screens cost depends on the width and height of each opening, the screen fabric, the motor type, and any added controls, so there is no single number that fits every patio. Retractable screens for patio openings on a small porch cost less than a wide screen across a large covered patio. Our screen cost guide walks through the price factors, and we give you an exact quote for each opening during a free on-site estimate.

Yes. Used as sun shades for patio spaces, they make a real difference. The performance mesh used in our motorized patio screens is rated by the manufacturer to block up to 95 percent of heat and UV rays, which is a big part of what makes a shaded patio usable through the hottest months. Because the mesh is woven rather than solid, air still moves through while the screen is down.

Yes. The mesh on outdoor privacy screens is woven to cut what people outside can see in while you still see out and keep the breeze, so a lowered screen adds daytime privacy to a patio or porch. A screen does not black out a space the way a closed shutter does, so for full privacy on a window or sliding glass door, a rolling shutter is the better fit.

Yes. When a motorized outdoor screen is lowered, the fabric runs down side tracks on each edge and the mesh forms a barrier that keeps insects off the patio while air still moves through. Raise the screen and the space is fully open again, so you decide when you want the insect barrier in place.

Usually not. Motorized porch screens are available with solar-powered wireless motors, so there is no wiring to run and no electrician needed. That lets a screen go on a porch, pergola, or detached patio nowhere near an outlet, and the solar panel keeps the motor charged in the Arizona sun. Your specialist confirms which motor fits each opening.

However you like. Motorized retractable outdoor screens and rolling shutters can run from a handheld remote, an on-wall control that looks like a light switch, or a key fob, and multichannel remotes let you run one opening or a whole group at once. An optional Wi-Fi hub adds phone app control, schedules, and operation from anywhere, which is handy if you spend part of the year away.

No, raise them when strong wind is on the way. Retractable patio screens are not built to stay down in high wind, and wind damage is excluded from the screen warranty, so retract your roll down patio shades when a monsoon storm is forecast and lower them again once it passes. Rolling shutters are the opposite: close them over windows and sliding glass doors ahead of the wind and blowing dust.

It depends on the job. Motorized screens give a covered patio shade, airflow, and insect control while you keep the view, which makes them the usual choice for the patio itself. For the sliding glass door, a rolling shutter adds full privacy, blocks the sun completely, and adds a physical security layer when it is closed. Many Surprise homes use both, and one specialist can plan them together.

Yes. Closed rolling shutters block direct sunlight before it reaches the glass, and the foam-filled slats plus the air gap between the shutter and the window slow heat transfer into the room, which helps reduce your cooling load through the Surprise summer. We describe it as helping reduce cooling load rather than promising a fixed percentage, because the real difference depends on each opening, its sun exposure, and how you use the shutters.

Usually, with the right mount and approval. Exterior-mounted shutters give you the most security and storm protection, while interior-mounted shutters install entirely within the window reveal and keep the outside of your home unchanged, which is a common choice where an HOA restricts exterior changes. Check your HOA’s design guidelines before you order, since the association, not the City of Surprise, has the final word on CC&Rs.

Rolling shutters typically last 20 years or more, and their warranty covers 5 years on shutter parts, 5 years on motors, 2 years on electronics, and 1 year on installation labor. Motorized screens carry 10 years on fabric fading, 5 years on the motor and on extrusions and parts, 2 years on electronics, and 1 year on labor, with wind damage excluded. A hose-down and a dry silicone lubricant on the tracks a couple of times a year keeps both running smoothly.

The installation visit itself is usually a matter of hours. For patio roller shades, our crew mounts the housing, anchors the side tracks, programs the motor, tests the screen, and walks you through the controls, and most homes with one to four screens finish in one visit. Rolling shutters are custom-built after your measure, and your specialist confirms the install timeline for your project when you order.

There is no single rule that covers every project, so confirm with the City of Surprise before work begins. The city’s Community Development Department issues building permits, and its patio cover guidance says attached patio covers over 200 square feet need one, which matters if you are building a new cover for your motorized patio shades. Your specialist can help you work out what to ask.

Roll-A-Shield does, with our own local crews. Founded in 1979, we are the longest-established rolling shutter manufacturer in the Valley, with more than 10,000 properties protected under ROC 342265. We serve homes and businesses across Surprise, including Sun City Grand, Marley Park, Surprise Farms, Asante, Prasada, Sierra Montana, Greer Ranch, Kingswood Parke, Sierra Verde, Rancho Gabriela, Legacy Parc, Veramonte, Ashton Ranch, Royal Ranch, Bell West Ranch, Arizona Traditions, Surprise City Center, and the Original Town Site, plus the rest of Metro Phoenix.