Ownership: care, warranty, shipping and lead time · Rolling Shutter Guide
Can I put rolling shutters on bedroom windows, and what about egress?
They can be, with planning. Roll-A-Shield's guidance for bedroom windows: check local egress rules before you order; override or solar/battery motors keep the shutter operable in an outage. A wired or remote motor without manual override is held by its brake where it stopped until the power returns.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield's guidance for bedrooms: check local egress rules; an override, solar or battery motor keeps the shutter operable in a power outage. Roll-A-Shield data
- Manual override is available on Roll-A-Shield's wired and remote motors, not on solar or battery motors, which run on their own stored charge instead. Roll-A-Shield data
- A wired or remote motor without override has a brake that holds the shutter where it stopped when the power fails. Roll-A-Shield data
- Manual-override motors do not have obstacle detection. It is found on Gaposa Sense motors, 10-50 Nm (model codes XQ5E wired and XQ5EZ radio), and the Gaposa Autonomo solar motors; go by the model code on the motor label. Roll-A-Shield data
- A solar battery that has run completely flat will not recover on sunlight alone; it needs the wall charger. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Rolling shutters on bedroom and other sleeping-room windows, and on any window or door used as an emergency exit; manual, wired, remote, solar and battery operation, any make.
Rolling shutters are popular on bedroom windows: they darken the room, cut heat and noise, and secure a ground-floor window at night. The one thing to plan for is escape. A bedroom window can be an escape route, so plan for how a shutter on it opens when the power is out. This page explains how each type of shutter behaves in that situation and what to check before you order.
Are rolling shutters allowed on bedroom windows?
That is a question for your local building code. Egress rules (which windows must open, and how easily) are set and enforced locally, so check them with your building department for the specific window. Roll-A-Shield's guidance is to check local egress rules and to fit an operator that keeps the shutter operable in a power outage.
Stop: Roll-A-Shield does not decide whether a particular window meets egress code. Confirm with your local building department before you put any shutter on a window that is a required escape route.
Which shutters still open when the power is out?
It depends on the operator.
| Operator | Opens in a power outage? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Pull strap or crank | Not affected: there is no motor | Operated by hand from inside |
| Wired or remote motor with manual override | Yes | A removable wand turns the motor's gear by hand |
| Solar motor | Yes, while the battery has charge | Runs on its own battery; no override |
| Battery motor | Yes, while the battery has charge | Runs on its own battery; no override |
| Wired or remote motor without override | No | Its brake holds the shutter where it stopped until power returns |
The last row is the one to avoid on an escape window. A plain motor has an electromagnetic brake that gives full braking on power failure, so the curtain cannot be pushed up. Do not try to force it.
Manual override, solar or battery: which is better for a bedroom?
Each keeps the shutter working in an outage; they differ in what else they give up.
- Manual override (wired or remote motor). Works with no battery to keep charged. It is available on wired and remote motors only. There are two wand fittings: a universal joint that hangs out of the box for the wand to hook onto, and a hole in the box that the wand has to be fished into, which is harder to use in an emergency. Its limits are set at the motor head rather than from the remote, and override motors do not have obstacle detection. The wand is removable, so keep it where it can be found in the dark. Details are on what a manual override is.
- Solar motor. Needs no house wiring and runs through an outage on its own battery. The Gaposa Autonomo solar motors also have obstacle detection. The catch is the battery: the panel charges only in direct sun, and a battery that has run completely flat will not recover on sunlight alone; it needs the wall charger. See how solar shutters work.
- Battery motor. Also runs on stored charge with no override, so it depends on the battery being kept charged.
Whichever you choose, check it works before you rely on it: crank the override, or run a solar or battery shutter, during a test. A full comparison of operators is on wired, remote, override, solar or battery.
What if my bedroom shutter already has a motor without override?
The override is part of the motor, so it cannot be bolted on. The fix is to replace the motor with an override version, plus any work on the box end to give the wand a way in. The swap itself is covered in replacing a rolling shutter motor. Following a published Roll-A-Shield guide does not void the warranty. Mains wiring must be done by a licensed electrician.
What about doors that people use to get in and out?
If a shutter will cover a door that people use to get in and out, ask your building department what that door needs, and tell us when you request a quote.
What next
When you request a quote, say which windows are bedrooms or escape routes so the operator can be chosen for them, or call (480) 921-0200. For what to do when the power is already out, see rolling shutters in a power outage.
Frequently asked questions
Is it against code to put a rolling shutter on a bedroom window?
Egress requirements are set by your local building code and enforced by your local building department, so ask them about your window. Roll-A-Shield's guidance is to check local egress rules and to use an operator that still opens in a power outage.
My motorized bedroom shutter has no manual override. Can one be added?
Not as a separate part. The override is built into the motor, so adding one means replacing the motor with an override version, plus any changes to the box to give the wand a way in.
Will a solar shutter open if the power goes out?
Yes. A solar shutter runs on its own battery, so a power cut does not affect it, as long as the battery has charge. Keep the panel clean and in direct sun.
What should I do if a plain motorized shutter is stuck closed in an outage?
Do not force the curtain. A wired motor without override is held by its brake until power returns, so this is the case to avoid on an escape window.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Replacement motors, remotes, straps, slats and hardware ship from our Tempe, Arizona factory. Phoenix-area owners can book a service visit; everywhere else, our technicians help by phone. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.