What are the advantages of sliding shutters?
Sun and privacy protection for your home
Sliding shutters are now widely used as modern sun protection and are beyond the reputation of being an “architectural fashion”. But what is the appeal of a sliding shutter? What are the advantages of sliding shutters?
First of all, some advantages are inherent in every window shutter.
When closed, shutters offer protection from unwanted glances, protect against the weather, especially exposure to the sun and light, protect to a certain extent against burglars and can serve as additional thermal insulation for the window. They are available in numerous shapes, colours and designs.
A significant advantage of shutters compared to many other types of sun protection is the convenient possibility of ventilation that sliding shutters offer. Depending on the design of the sliding shutters, for example, with slats, a relatively large amount of air can enter the room when the window is open, and the sliding shutter is closed, without dispense on sun protection. This is why shutters are very popular in southern regions, where the aim is to keep the rooms cool and well ventilated.
This Mediterranean and also modern architectural style is what makes shutters a popular design element.
Roller shutters are often unable to achieve this, as they have to be opened entirely in some cases, and the sun protection effect is thus lost during ventilation. In the case of Venetian blinds and external Venetian blinds, there is a risk of solid draughts or wind damaging the system when the window is open.
One of the significant advantages of sliding shutters is certainly their design possibilities. It is possible to design very large areas. In this case, for example, there are limits to what can be done with folding shutters. With the ever-increasing glass surfaces on buildings, sun protection systems are also required that can keep up. Sliding shutters can be manufactured in almost any dimension.
An essential aspect in this context is that new construction methods for buildings, especially when using thermal insulation systems, require that critical weak points from inside to outside, so-called thermal bridges, be avoided.
Sun protection that is detached from the window rests on the façade and is not integrated above or into the window, or the masonry presents fewer problems here.
Unlike folding shutters, sliding shutters can be automated very simply and elegantly. The drive technology for linear movements is much more sophisticated and less error-prone than for rotary motions. Sliding shutters with the electric operation have integrated drives to such an extent that they are hardly distinguishable from manual sliding shutters – except, of course, in terms of ease of operation. Manual sliding shutters are also easier to operate than manual-folding shutters because you do not have to lean out of the window as much to operate them. Likewise, there is no need to open the shutter locks as is usual with folding shutters.
There is no protective position against the wind for sliding shutters. This means that it does not matter whether the sliding shutter is closed in front of the window or open in front of the wall. In both cases, it is designed to withstand the forces that occur. Whereas external Venetian blinds, awnings and similar sun protection systems are often coupled to a wind monitor, it makes no difference to sliding shutters whether they keep them open or closed in strong winds. Especially on sunny but windy days, sliding shutters are superior to other sun protection systems because they are always ready for use.