Security shutters are the barriers you use to defend your property when you’re not around. Shops use them on their fronts. Warehouses use them on their loading bays. Homeowners use them on their garages and ground floor windows. While the types of buildings may differ, the issue remains the same – how to cover the opening when you leave.
What are Security Shutters?
Security shutters cover windows, doors, or openings, and are designed to roll into a housing above the opening when they are not in use, and then to roll down into guides on either side when they are. Safety and security shutters typically engage a floor bolt or channel when they make ground contact. This is the completeness of the safety mechanism, consisting of the housing, guides, and locking point.
Shutters can be of aluminum or steel construction. Aluminum will not rust and is well suited to shutters used frequently. Steel is more suitable for locations where the strength of the shutter is of greater importance. Security and safety shutters are most often used in conjunction with steel. Both aluminum and steel security shutters are available in solid, perforated, and polycarbonate versions. A shutter constructed of solid material blocks all light and views, and affords the most protection. A perforated shutter allows light and display visibility while closed. Polycarbonate shutters provide full visibility, with protection against smash and grab incidents.
Domestic Security Shutters
Roller shutters are the most common alternative for garage doors. They provide additional security and take up less space in the garage as there is no door swinging into the ceiling. Ground floor windows get shutters as well, especially on houses that are unoccupied for long periods or in areas that suffer from high rates of break-ins.
Residential shutters are usually aluminum and electrically operated. It is really convenient to use them as they can be opened or closed with a remote control or a wall switch. The guides and the shutter are sliding and run down the sides of the window. So for most windows, shutters do not diminish the exterior of the building, especially if the shutter is powder-coated to match the window frames.
If you have a conservatory, the main access door typically suffers from a standard lock deficiency. So shutters for the door are a quick and cheap solution as compared to the costs associated with upgrading the alarm.
Potential buyers should check with the local planning authority before fitting shutters on houses that are in a Conservation Area or In the possession of a listed building. Generally, external shutters do not need planning permission, but it’s always good to check before ordering.
Commercial Security Shutters
Shops without security shutters only have glass protection. Glass does not deter burglaries for very long. When shutters are installed, the burglars will have to consider the time it will take them to break through shutters. This, along with the additional noise they will have to make and the increased visibility of the burglary, will most likely move them to look for an easier target.
Solid shutters create perfect closure to give maximum protection and privacy. Perforated shutters allow window displays to remain visible and retain some visibility. For most shops, the security difference is small; however, the visibility difference is significant, so some shops opt for the displays to run 24 hours a day.
Security shutters are recognized by insurance assessors as serious and legitimate protective measures, and thus qualify for insurance premium reductions. The amount of the reduction is determined by the insurance company and the type of building. The maximum potential reduction is achieved by meeting all of the insurance company’s specific requirements; anything short of that results in a smaller reduction.
Commercial shutters endure more use than residential. Shutters can be widely opened and closed by multiple staff, imposing additional demands on the shutter mechanisms. Because of the daily opening and closing needs, electric operators are used to control the shutters. Backup power ensures that shutters are controlled even in a power failure; you wouldn’t want to have to open late because of a power failure.
Planning permission is necessary for many buildings that will house businesses. Having a town center or a conservation area adds specific restrictions to what is allowed. Some councils require the use of perforated shutters versus solid shutters and place restrictions on colors. Additionally, most commercial shutter installations fall within permitted development, but the local authority determines how the rules apply and the interpretation of the rules. It’s always better to check first rather than after the fact.
Security Shutters for Industry
The safety concerns for industrial openings compared to retail or residential use are more complex. The doorway for a factory loading bay may lead to the movement of forklifts and processing traffic, and have to withstand decades of cycle use.
By their nature, industrial shutters are usually built strong and from steel. Depending on site value, shutter testing performed by an independent organization may be justified to verify a resistance rating. These ratings correlate to the duration of time the shutter may be subjected to a forced entry assault, and are recommended by insurance companies and security consultants for the protection of valuable merchandise, stock, or equipment.
Certain shutters, including high speed models, minimize the loss of air when closed between cycles. One of the reasons these are so fast is because they can maintain security closure.
There are shutters that are triggered by fire detection systems to seal the opening and maintain containment of the fire and smoke. These shutters are needed by the building code in certain building configurations. Your fire risk assessor will indicate whether your building falls into this requirement, and if so, where these shutters need to be placed.
Choosing Once Size Does Not Fit All
The factors that determine correct specification are the size of opening, how frequently you expect it to be used on a daily basis and what your insurer requires. A shutter that is too small for industrial usage fails prematurely, while a shutter that is too large for a domestic window is also a waste of money. It is advisable to get the specification correct because money is saved in the long run as replacing a shutter will incur additional costs.
When an opening is used once or max twice a day, manual operation is advisable. For something that is used with greater frequency, automatic operation is advisable. A shutter can be fitted with different control options based on the site access control system such as a remote control, key switch, or even integrated access control.
Costs Associated with Selection and Operation
An important aspect of a shutter’s specification is the design of the mechanism around the fixed opening. Each guide, housing, and locking point is fixed to the building. A poorly fixed shutter will be only as secure as its fixed points. Therefore, the specification of shutter and the opening are closely related.
Guides and locking mechanisms are all subject to wear, but electric servo operators will require the most servicing, and therefore, the most attention. General servicing of shutters will require an annual servicing for most domestic and even light commercial installations. For shutters that are in greater demand, servicing shall be done in even shorter intervals.
Shutters are notorious for developing problems at the most inconvenient times, closing during the last few minutes of the night or opening during the first few minutes of the morning. Therefore, it is of significant importance that the installer be able to provide emergency callout services, which is something worth considering when choosing an installer.