Most businesses and even residential buildings use roller shutters as a security feature that controls access to an entry point, be it a front door, window, or garage. They protect against the weather and help to deter vandals and thieves.
However, as with any kind of mechanical door, roller shutters will experience wear and tear over time, which can eventually lead to them breaking down if the shutter and operating systems aren’t maintained properly.
As an essential security feature, a faulty shutter is more than just an inconvenience – it can leave your building and its contents vulnerable and cause financial and productivity losses due to the unexpected downtime.
It’s therefore crucial to identify the cause of the issue and fix it right away. To help you do this, we explain some of the most common problems with roller shutters below and how to fix them with roller shutter repairs.
Malfunctioning motor
Many shutter systems are motorised, but if there are electrical issues or mechanical faults, the motor can fail. As the powerhouse that allows the shutter to operate smoothly, a malfunctioning shutter can lead to slow or jerky movement, unusual noises, or failure to move at all.
Motor problems can often be a result of overuse. If your shutters are opened and closed frequently in a relatively short space of time, especially if the environment is already warm, the motor can overheat and stop working until it’s cooled down again.
If overheating isn’t the problem, parts of the motor may have worn out completely, meaning you’ll need to call a professional to check it over and assess whether it can be repaired or needs replacing in its entirety.
Damaged slats
While diminishing the aesthetic of the door, minor scuffs and scratches shouldn’t affect its functionality. However, shutters in high-traffic areas may frequently experience accidental knocks, especially in commercial and industrial environments.
Depending on where they are, small dents may not affect the alignment of the slats, but the more severe the dents or damage from greater impacts, the more likely it is that even a single slat can disrupt the workings of the entire roller shutter door.
Deeper dents can cause buckling and gaps, but attempting to pop the slats back into place yourself and remove dents with suction could actually make things worse. To maintain the shutter’s integrity, you’ll need to contact a professional to replace the affected slats.
Shutter sticking
If your shutter isn’t gliding up or down smoothly, but is difficult to move or is making a loud noise, there could be something obstructing it, such as a build-up of dirt, debris, or rust inside the tracks or between the slats.
When you don’t clean your shutters regularly, it’s easy for grime to accumulate and for detritus like leaves or rubbish to get trapped within the mechanism components. You should turn the power off, inspect the rails and moving parts, and remove any blockages using a brush, vacuum, or compressed air.
Should it still be moving slowly or stiffly, or making unpleasant noises, a lack of lubrication could be the problem. If applying lubricant like WD-40 doesn’t resolve this, do not try to force the door to move – call an engineer to inspect it professionally.
Track misalignment
Another reason for noisy and uneven movement when opening and closing shutters is that the curtain is out of alignment on one or both sides. This can happen after an external impact or from applying too much force during manual operation.
Damage to the slats, the tracks themselves, or the building structure around the door can all contribute to the curtain being unable to move smoothly through the guides. If this happens, continuing to use the doors can cause further damage and lead to them becoming jammed.
To resolve this problem as quickly as possible, you should contact a trained engineer to identify the cause of the misalignment. They can adjust loose components to repair the system or replace parts as needed if the damage is too severe.
Power source failure
When it comes to electric motorised shutters, one of the most obvious causes for the roller shutter failing to open or close is a loss of power. In this case, the first step should be to check the power source and look for lights indicating the power status.
As with many devices, switching the power supply off then back on again can reboot the system and get things running as normal again. However, if this doesn’t work, or the power won’t turn back on, there may be a loose connection or blown fuse at fault.
Beyond resetting the circuit breaker and replacing any blown fuses, nobody should mess around with electrical systems unless they have sufficient training. In any case, all electric shutters should have a manual backup that you can use while waiting for an electrician.
Door code mix-ups
When electric shutters are controlled with entry codes, if there are multiple electric shutters within range that use the same code system, this can cause a clash between shutters in the vicinity that prevents one or all of them from functioning.
If you definitely have the right door code but it’s not working, check with any neighbouring property owners with shutters to see if they’ve been experiencing a similar issue. If so, you’ll need to contact the shutter provider to fix this installation problem.
Otherwise, if you use a remote control to open and close your roller shutters, but they aren’t responding to it – even at close range with no signal interference and after replacing the batteries – then you should also call the provider so a technician can check the receiver.
Proximity sensor problems
Maybe there’s no noise or physical resistance apparent, but your electric motorised roller shutters are only opening or closing partially instead of going all the way up or down. If there’s no evidence of obstruction or misalignment, then there may be a sensor problem.
Most roller shutters will have a proximity sensor at the bottom which controls how far the shutter moves and when it needs to stop. If they become blocked by dirt or debris, or damaged from impacts, the sensors won’t be able to detect obstructions accurately.
If the sensors are visually undamaged and clean but still not functioning, they may be damaged internally, requiring repairs or replacement sensors. Contact the installation provider and they should be able to inspect and recalibrate them or discuss replacements.
Worn components
While they could theoretically last for decades, depending on use, all mechanical devices have a limited lifespan. If you don’t maintain roller shutters properly, this will reduce their lifespan, causing parts to wear out much sooner.
Aside from the slats, tracks, motor, and sensors, there are plenty of components making up the shutter system that could malfunction or stop working altogether from cumulative wear and tear – for example, weather seals, cables, or springs.
Your roller shutter provider should be able to assist you with replacing worn-out parts that aren’t suitable for repair. You shouldn’t attempt DIY fixes, though, especially where broken tension springs are concerned – as shutters dropping too fast can be very dangerous.
Roller shutter maintenance and repairs
Troubleshooting problems with roller shutters takes time, requiring patience and attention to detail as well as mechanical knowledge. If you don’t have these at your disposal, it’s best to call on experts who do – usually the company who provided and/or installed your shutters.
Without professional guidance, DIY maintenance and repairs can end up causing further issues, from misdiagnoses and safety hazards to incompatible parts and warranty invalidation. Not only is this a drain on time and money, but you’ve also got legal compliance to consider – as you should be maintaining your roller shutters according to health and safety laws.
Fortunately, here at Roller Shutter Services, we offer round-the-clock roller shutter repairs to help resolve all kinds of issues ASAP. We pride ourselves on being fast, efficient, and cost-effective, completing most jobs in 1 working day for competitive rates.
So, if you find yourself facing any of the causes of shutter stress discussed above, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0800 328 9356.
Not only do we offer emergency repairs, but we also provide ongoing roller shutter servicing and maintenance – or, if you need a new shutter entirely, we can also supply and install a custom design. Simply email us at info@rollershutterservices.co.uk to learn more.