Security shutters remain the top choice on the market for commercial and residential protection. While many products have been developed over the years, very few stand the test of time for durability and reliability. One such product is the Rollshutter. If you’re looking for the ultimate solution for security, and vandalism protection – with an energy-efficient component – rollshutters by Talius are the way to go. At Natural Light Edmonton, we ensure that our customers have the best security solutions for their property, and today’s post gives an in-depth look at Rollshutters.
Why Security Shutters?
Even as technology brings new ways to monitor your property for security reasons, security shutters continue to add the physical protection needed for peace of mind. Whether you’re making an investment for your home, business, or institution, security shutters:
- Increase Security Levels
- Enhance Professional Appearance
- Offer amazing weather protection
- Offer Sun Protection
- Provide easy operation and handling
- Lower Heat Costs
- Protect against vandalism
- Provide peace of mind
What is a Rollshutter?
The Rollshutter – also known as rolling shutters or roller shutters – is an umbrella term describing all window and door coverings, comprising multiple horizontal slats made of aluminum or steel that are hinged together, and can be opened or closed on demand. External rollshutters have earned the reputation of being the ultimate solution, giving their vast security features like locks and strong profile filing alongside a central control system that makes life easy for operators.
What makes Rollshutters so unique?
Rollshutters are made of aluminum that can be customized to give owners peace of mind knowing their properties and contents are safe. Aluminium is known for its strength, power, and resilience; qualities that are best suited for security. It is highly resistant to breakage or destruction, and possesses many qualities which make it best suited as the primary material for security shutters:
- Aluminum is lightweight – with a specific mass of 2700 kg/m3, making it the lightest of all the ordinary metals, except alloy. Aluminium is three times lighter than steel while maintaining its exceptional strength. Having such a lightweight material reduces the carbon footprint significantly, as less energy is involved in the operation. This is especially important as homeowners look for ways to be more energy efficient.
- Aluminum is highly corrosion-resistant which means maintenance costs will be low. This extends the aesthetic value of your property and the longevity of your rollshutters.
- A variety of surface treatments can be used on aluminum, from anodization to painting. Anodization is great for increased corrosion – and stress- resistance. Different surface treatments also allow for easy customization, which is amazing for maintaining the décor of your residential or commercial property. Business owners often use the space for their logos or for perennial advertisements.
- Aluminium is ductile and malleable, this means that roll shutters can be manufactured in different ways depending on the application required.
- Aluminum is highly recyclable which is another amazing benefit for those on a mission to be more sustainable. Aluminum can be recycled indefinitely without losing any of its intrinsic properties. Over the last two decades, the percentage of metal used and recycled has had a steady upward climb and is projected to continue.
Why should I invest in Rollshutters?
- Security: Rollshutters are the perfect solution for any security need. Think beyond protecting your home or business, what about your summer cabin or even school protection? Protection against crime and vandalism can save you recovery costs in the long run.
- Weather protection is another selling point for rollshutters, especially from hurricanes and storms. However, this also extends to seasonal protection. Rollshutters are insulated to absorb heat and this feature will be essential as winters get colder. When you’re looking to protect your summer cabin, rollshutters can be useful in retaining heat while you’re away.
- Sun protection: The sun’s UV rays are especially harmful to furniture and decor leading to discolouration over time. Rollshutters block out the sun and intense summer heat to preserve the contents of your property, while creating a cooler environment
- Energy efficiency: Given that rollshutters can keep your property both warm and cool, they reduce the reliance on heating or cooling systems. Eventually, you will not only reduce your carbon footprint but your energy bill too!
What security features should I look for when investing in Rollshutters?
The features of Rollshutters make them what they are, an industry leader in security. When purchasing your rollshutter, here are some key features to ask about:
Two Piece Rail System: The two-piece rail system is an important security feature, as it actively hides the fasteners from outside access when the installation process is complete. Rollshutters have a central control system that will open and close them automatically on a schedule. This prevents tampering with the rails and gaining entry by removal.
Deeper Rail Channel: A shallow rail channel increases the chance that the curtain may be forced out of the rail channel by a very persistent, and tenacious person. Having a deeper guide rail channel decreases this chance significantly. The industry standard for guide rail channels is 25mm, at Talius, our SAFE-40 Rail has a 40mm channel.
Edge Retention System: This rail system is one of the most secure on the market. It has grooves on the inside of the rail and hooks on the ends of the curtain. If force is exerted against the curtain the hooks grip onto the grooves further securing the curtain into the rail channel. This feature is an additional cost and is highly recommended for properties in high-risk areas, or properties that have had many break-ins, despite conventional security measures. Originally, the edge retention system was designed for hurricane protection but we found that it also has great benefits for high-security applications.
Splitting the Curtain: The wider the curtain is, the less strong it will be in the center. In that vein, splitting the curtain is a good and inexpensive way to increase the lifespan of rollshutters. During the installation process, rollshutters are split into 2 or more sections, where each section is still run by the same operator.
Curtain Profile Filling: Many rollshutters are foam filled and the density of the foam affects the strength of the curtain. Here are the various foam densities and their corresponding strengths:
- Low Strength: Less than 100kg/m3
- Medium Strength: Between 100kg/m3 – 300kg/m3
- High Strength: Up to 660kg/m3
Mini Safe Curtain with Polyurethane and Hard Resin is recommended.
Use a U-Sill: Rollshutters need a flat surface to be properly secured, adding a ‘U’ shaped channel sill is a good idea to deter intruders from prying the security shutters up from the ground.
Manual Locks vs. Automatic Locks: Automatic locks are usually found inside the panel box or along the curtain of the rollshutter. The immediate benefit of this is that the lock is out of sight and can’t be tampered with. Manual locks are likely located on the bottom profile or somewhere along the curtain of the rollshutter unit. These locks are visible from the outside. Automatic locks are more secure and hidden to avoid tampering, as they unlock with the movement of the operator.
Manual Override Motors: A manual override motor is a regular motor with a gear mechanism that allows the unit to be cranked upwards in case of a power outage or motor failure. This motor is recommended for security, as it allows you to crank your security roller shutters down and secure your building if there is a power or motor failure and you are not able to stay on the premises.
High-Security Key Switches/Digital Key Pad/Card Swipe: When securing a main entrance, security switches allow access from the building’s exterior. These include high-security key switches, and digital keypads, which enable you to punch a code in to open the rollshutter, wireless RF systems or card swipe options are the most popular.
Flush Mount Control Options: Preventing thieves or vandals from accessing the wiring to the control options above ranks up there when securing your property. Ensuring that the control option is flush against the building prevents easy access to the wires in the switch.
Connect Your Security Shutters to Alarm System: Connecting your shutter to your alarm system alerts you and the alarm company if anyone was trying to tamper with the unit. An added benefit is when the alarm sounds it usually scares away the vandal.
