Rolling Shutter Guide
Slats, materials and performance
- Do rolling shutters black out a room completely?Yes, when fully closed. On insulated slats, small vent slots let light and air through while the curtain hangs partway down, but once it reaches the bottom the slats close up on each other for total blackout. For darkness at every position, order the non-vented 38 mm slat; the perforated slat never blacks out.Read the guide →
- Do rolling shutters keep heat out, or make the house hotter?Closed, rolling shutters keep heat out. The curtain stops direct sun before it reaches the glass, and insulated slats plus the air trapped between curtain and window slow heat moving into the room. Foam-filled slats do this best; extruded slats block sun but insulate less. Savings depend on the house and how the shutters are used.Read the guide →
- What is end retention on a rolling shutter, and when do you need it?End retention puts a screw at the slat joints whose head runs in its own channel inside a special guide rail, so high wind, storm debris or a break-in attempt cannot easily push the curtain out of its tracks. It suits wide, exposed or high-security openings; Roll-A-Shield fits it on every 63 mm single-wall extruded shutter.Read the guide →
- How long do rolling shutters last?Roll-A-Shield tells owners that a well-maintained aluminum rolling shutter typically lasts about 20 to 30 years; that is service experience, not a lab figure. The parts that wear out first are the cheap ones: straps, remote batteries and solar battery packs. Motors and shutter parts carry a 5-year warranty.Read the guide →
- Foam-filled (insulated) or extruded aluminum rolling shutter slats: what’s the difference?Foam-filled (insulated) slats are thin aluminum roll-formed around a polyurethane foam core: lighter, better for heat, noise and blackout, and the usual choice for homes. Extruded slats are solid aluminum pushed through a die: heavier and stronger, they lock into end-retention rails and suit storefronts, wide spans and storm-exposed openings.Read the guide →
- Can I paint my rolling shutters?You should not. Paint on the slat curtain can glue the slats together so the shutter cannot roll, and the guide rails cannot be stripped and recoated, because their rubber seal is ruined once removed. To change color, replace the curtain in a standard factory color, and cover the shutters when the house is painted.Read the guide →
- What are rolladen? European roller shutters vs American rolling shuttersRolladen is German for roller shutters. A European roller shutter and an American rolling shutter are the same machine: a slat curtain that rolls onto an axle in a box above the opening and runs in side rails. The differences are in the slat, the standards it is tested to, and the motor's supply voltage.Read the guide →
- How do rolling shutters stop break-ins, and how do they lock?A rolling shutter puts a locked aluminum curtain over the glass, so getting in takes time, tools and noise. Motorized shutters are held down by the motor; manual shutters use slide, key or thumb-turn locks that engage the guide rails; the extruded slat runs in end-retention rails so the curtain cannot be pushed out of them.Read the guide →
- What colors do rolling shutters come in, and what is the finish?Roll-A-Shield's insulated slats come in 7 colors (White, Grey, Metallic, Bronze, Black, Beige, Sand) and its 63 mm single-wall slats in 5 (White, Metallic, Bronze, Black, Beige). The aluminum is finished at the factory, not painted on site. Box, rails and slats can match or be two-tone, and every color costs the same.Read the guide →
- Do rolling shutters insulate? R-value and heatYes, when closed. Roll-A-Shield's insulated slats carry a tested thermal insulation value, Delta R, of 0.19 (38 mm slat) and 0.20 (55 mm slat) under DIN EN 13125. The spec sheets give no unit, so there is no published US R-value. A closed shutter also shades the glass, stopping direct sun before it reaches the window.Read the guide →
- What are rolling shutters made of: aluminum, steel or PVC?Rolling shutters are made of aluminum, steel or PVC. Every shutter Roll-A-Shield builds is aluminum: foam-filled roll-formed slats or solid extruded slats, in aluminum guide rails under an aluminum box, with steel in parts such as some axles and the springs. For maximum-security jobs it sources steel shutters; it does not make PVC.Read the guide →
- Do rolling shutters reduce noise, and by how many decibels?Yes, while they are closed. The tested figure for Roll-A-Shield's 38 mm and 55 mm insulated slats is up to 10 dB of extra sound insulation, measured with a 100 mm (about 4 in) air gap between the curtain and an insulating-glass window. The 63 mm single-wall slat has no published noise figure.Read the guide →
- What are the specifications of 38 mm, 55 mm and 63 mm rolling shutter slats?Roll-A-Shield builds three slats: a 38 mm insulated slat (1 1/2 in face, 3/8 in thick, up to 159 in wide), a 55 mm insulated slat (2 3/16 in face, 9/16 in thick, up to 224 in wide) and a 63 mm single-wall extruded slat (2 1/2 in face, up to 222 in wide). All reach 216 in tall.Read the guide →
- Are rolling shutters bulletproof?No. Roll-A-Shield's rolling shutters are not bullet-resistant, carry no ballistic rating, and Roll-A-Shield offers no bullet-resistant shutter. A closed shutter is a physical barrier against forced entry and smashed glass: getting through one takes time, tools and noise. If a plan or insurer specifies a ballistic level, a rolling security shutter does not meet it.Read the guide →
- Will rolling shutters rust near the ocean?The aluminum slats, rails and box do not rust the way steel does, but nothing is rust-proof in salt air: the hidden steel parts are the weak point. Near the coast, Roll-A-Shield recommends a motorized or single-wall shutter, advises against spring-operated units, and offers a rust-mitigation option that swaps steel internal parts for aluminum.Read the guide →
- Are rolling shutters hail resistant?Yes, when they are closed. Roll-A-Shield's insulated slats carry Swiss VKF hail resistance classes: Class 4 for the 38 mm slat (hailstones up to 40 mm, about 1.6 in) and Class 5 for the 55 mm slat (up to 50 mm, about 2 in). Severe hail can still cause minor damage, and a raised shutter protects nothing.Read the guide →
- Do rolling shutters work in snow and ice?Yes, within the motor makers' limits. Somfy rates its Altus RTS motor to -20 C (-4 F) and Gaposa rates its XQ5 tubular motors and Autonomo solar motor to -10 C (14 F); Roll-A-Shield has no cold-weather test data of its own. Ice between closed slats can jam a shutter, so never force one that will not move.Read the guide →
- What is the difference between vented, non-vented and perforated rolling shutter slats?Vented slats have a row of small slots in each hinge, so a partly lowered shutter lets light and a breeze through, but fully closed the slats press together for blackout. Non-vented slats have no slots and stay dark at any height. Perforated slats are punched with holes you can see through even when the shutter is fully closed.Read the guide →
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.