Parts identification · Rolling Shutter Guide
Who made my rolling shutter, and how can I tell from what I can see?
Start with the maker's sticker: current Roll-A-Shield shutters carry one on the bottom bar. Then check the shape of the box, the brand on the remote, the control on the wall and the slat profile. Without a sticker, send photos and the address: Roll-A-Shield can check its install records and review the photos.
Key facts
- Every current Roll-A-Shield shutter gets a branded sticker on its end slat (the bottom bar) during the final quality check. Roll-A-Shield data
- A Roll-A-Shield box has a 45-degree angled lower front and a square back; a square-cornered front is one of the signs service staff use to spot another maker's unit. Roll-A-Shield data
- Roll-A-Shield has built rolling shutters in Tempe, Arizona since 1979, and its service desk looks up every call by address; a shutter that is not in its records is usually not one of its own. Roll-A-Shield data
- Very old Roll-A-Shield shutters have a round axle tube; current ones are built on octagonal 40, 60 or 70 mm axles. Roll-A-Shield data
- The motor brand (Gaposa or Somfy on Roll-A-Shield units) is printed on the remote and on the motor head, so the remote is usually enough to identify it without opening the box.
Applies to: Roll-down (rolling) shutters of any make with a box above the opening, manual or motorized; Roll-A-Shield 38 mm and 55 mm insulated and 63 mm single-wall shutters specifically.
What should I check first?
Work from the outside in: most of these can be seen with the shutter closed and the box cover on.
| What you see | What it tells you | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| A maker's sticker | Who built the curtain; Roll-A-Shield's names Roll-A-Shield and Tempe, AZ | The bottom bar, at a lower corner; owners also report it at an upper corner |
| The box profile from the side | A 45-degree angled lower front with a square back is a Roll-A-Shield box; a square-cornered front points to another maker | The end cap, from the left or right |
| A brand on the remote or wall control | The motor maker, not the shutter maker | Front or back of the remote |
| The control itself | Switch motor, radio motor, battery or manual system (see below) | Inside, next to the opening |
| The slat face and fill | The slat profile | One slat, with the shutter closed |
| The axle shape | A round axle means a very old shutter | Inside the box (only with the cover off) |
The fastest route is the sticker. If it has worn off, the box profile and the slat profile together usually narrow it down.
Where is the Roll-A-Shield label?
On current shutters it is a branded sticker on the end slat, the heavier bottom bar of the curtain, put on during the final quality check before the shutter is packed. Owners usually find it at a lower or upper corner of the curtain, and it names Roll-A-Shield and Tempe, AZ.
A sticker alone is not the last word on an older unit: some shutters sold under the Roll-A-Shield name years ago were bought in from another manufacturer. When in doubt, the install record settles it, so give the address when you call.
What does the control on the wall tell me?
Roll-A-Shield's service desk sorts every motorized shutter into one of four control systems, and you can do the same at a glance:
- Switch. It looks like a light switch on the wall. The motor is wired to it and has no radio receiver.
- Remote. A handheld or on-wall remote with up, stop and down. The brand on it, usually Gaposa or Somfy, is the motor brand.
- OZRoll battery. A wall plate with a removable up/stop/down controller and a charger plugged into the bottom of the plate. See legacy battery shutters.
- BOS. An older battery-operated switchboard that is no longer manufactured.
A manual shutter has a crank box with a handle, a pull strap that comes out of the wall, or no operator at all if it is a spring (push-up) shutter. A slim panel mounted at the top of the shutter means a solar motor.
How do I tell which slats I have?
Look at the slat face and, if you can see one, a cut end.
- Foam-filled (insulated) or single-wall. Insulated slats are foam-filled aluminum; single-wall slats are solid extruded aluminum.
- Face height. On Roll-A-Shield shutters one slat shows about 1.5 in (38 mm insulated), 2.1875 in (55 mm insulated) or 2.5 in (63 mm single-wall).
- Slots or holes. A dashed line of small slots along each hinge is venting; holes across the face that you can see through with the shutter closed are perforation, which Roll-A-Shield offers only on the 63 mm single-wall slat.
- End retention. A small ball or screw head on the slat ends, riding in a slot inside a wider guide rail, is end retention.
The full measuring method is on matching replacement slats.
Is it a rolling shutter or a rolling screen?
Ask one question: if it were all the way down, could you see through it? If yes, it is a screen; if no, it is a shutter. Screens use fabric and different parts, so this guide does not cover them.
What should I send if I still cannot tell?
Photos settle most cases. Send:
- The whole shutter, closed, from the outside.
- One end of the box, side on, so the profile shows.
- The remote or wall control, front and back.
- The end of the bottom bar and one ordinary slat, close up.
- The address where it is installed.
Roll-A-Shield's service desk asks for exactly this before booking a visit, partly so a technician is not sent to a shutter that needs replacing rather than repairing. There is no need to open the box: the motor sits inside the roll tube, and the brand name is printed on the remote as well as on the motor head. Text or email the photos and call (480) 921-0200.
Watch it done
The Anatomy of a Roll-A-Shield Shutter
The written steps on this page are the reference; the video shows the same job.
Frequently asked questions
Can Roll-A-Shield look up my shutter by address?
Yes. The service desk enters the address and sees the job history: shutter type, size, operation, motor, install date and past service. If the address is not in the system, the shutter usually is not a Roll-A-Shield product.
Does Roll-A-Shield work on shutters it did not make?
Yes. Roll-A-Shield services rolling shutters regardless of who built them; send photos first so the technician arrives with the right parts, or so you learn up front if the shutter is past repair.
My shutters came with the house. Is the warranty still good?
The Roll-A-Shield warranty is not transferable to a new owner, and it runs from the date of installation. Parts and service are still available; see what the warranty covers.
Does the motor brand tell me who made the shutter?
No. Gaposa and Somfy motors also turn up in shutters other companies built, so the brand on the remote tells you which remote and programming steps you need, not who built the shutter.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Still not sure who made it? Text or email photos of the closed shutter, the box end, the remote or wall control and the end of a slat, with the address, and call (480) 921-0200. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.