Shutter Care and Screen Maintenance

Discover service intervals, warranty and important upkeep tips for your manual and motorized hurricane shutters and screens.

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User Guide for Electric Shutters and Screens

Safety is our top priority and always operate electric shutters or screens away from any person and clear from objects such as furniture. Follow these important guidelines below for safe operation. For information on manual crank, remote control, or switch operation, contact Storm Protection of South Florida LLC at 239-643-4670 or contact us here.

3 Second Rule: If your electric shutter or screen fails to operate after 3 seconds of activating a switch or remote, stop use immediately and contact our service team for prompt assistance. Do not operate a jammed or seized system since this may cause damage to the motor and drive components. An inspection is required for the root cause.

After Home Painting: Always inspect shutters immediately after your home has been painted. Check for overspray and verify slats or bottom bar are fully seated in track. Service should be scheduled immediately after painting and before usage.

Pressure Washing Precautions: Improper pressure washing may harm the electrical components for hurricane shutters and screens. Stay clear from the motor side during cleaning. Recommend this service be completed by our Storm Protection team.

How to Use a Shutter or Screen Remote Control

Understanding Your Remote Control Display Your motorized shutter remote control features a digital display or indicator lights that show the current channel selection. Here’s how to operate it effectively:

Channel Selection

Left and Right Buttons: Use these to change between different channels

Display showing “0” or All Lights On: This setting operates multiple shutters simultaneously – perfect for storm preparation when you need to deploy all your protection at once

Specific Channel Numbers: Select individual channels to operate single shutters or specific zones

Basic Operation

⏹️⏺️ (STOP):Press STOP to halt any shutter movement immediately.

Best Practice: Always press the STOP button after your shutter completes its full up ⬆️ or down ⬇️ cycle.

Up/Down Buttons: Raise or lower your selected shutter(s)

Manual Override Operation (If Equipped) When power is out or the motor fails, you can operate shutters manually by inserting the crank wand into the receiving shaft installed on the housing: IMPORTANT SAFETY RULE: When manually raising shutters, NEVER raise them all the way to the housing. Leave at least one foot of space between the bottom of the shutter and the top housing This prevents jamming when power is restored. Once power returns, use the remote to complete the final positioning

Maintenance Schedule for Hurricane Shutters & Screens

Proper maintenance is essential for hurricane shutters in Southwest Florida’s coastal environment. Additionally, we recommend roll down shutters and screens be serviced one to times annually to ensure optimal performance. Accordion style shutters should be serviced at a minimum once a year to prevent operational issues.
For everyday usage, a custom service plan may be required. Moreover, you should run your shutter or screen with a full down and up operation every two weeks. As a result, following our maintenance guide will help protect your investment and ensure reliable storm protection when you need it most.

Professional Hurricane Shutter Services

Storm Protection of South Florida LLC provides comprehensive maintenance services for all hurricane shutter types. Our certified technicians follow best practices for maintenance, proper service intervals and upkeep tips to prevent costly damage.

Shutter Inspection

A roll down shutter or screen should have a thorough part and component inspection completed during the scheduled service. Additionally, motor limit checkups ensure optimal performance and safety.

Shutter Cleaning & Care

For homeowners who prefer to clean their hurricane shutters themselves, follow these guidelines to protect your investment. Use a telescoping soft brush with wash & wax soap for best results. However, never use products containing chlorine or chemicals labeled unsafe for aluminum, as these can damage your shutters’ protective coating.
Gently clean only the exterior of the shutter or screen to avoid damage. Inside shutter cleaning should always be performed by our service department, as it requires specialized knowledge of the internal components.

Pressure washing: Stay clear from electrical components and apply mild pressure.

UV Protection: Spray or hand applied wax is allowed.

Hurricane Shutter Lubrication

Proper lubrication is vital for roll-type hurricane shutters in Southwest Florida’s coastal environment. Customers may apply lubrication to accordion shutter wheels, bushings, locking mechanisms, and blade interlocks between service visits to maintain smooth operation.

However, a thorough shutter lubrication requires professional service from our team. This process involves removing access covers to reach slat locks and bearings, which should only be performed by our certified service department for safety and warranty protection.

If your shutter is getting noisy, customers can apply lubrication into the track between scheduled service intervals. Keep in mind this DIY method does not oil the critical slat locks or idler bearings on roll-down shutters. Professional lubrication service remains essential for complete maintenance.

Wear and Tear Components

Weather stripping and track felt may wear overtime from long term exposure to heat, usage or when lowered on floors such as pavers for long durations. These are maintenance items checked during service.

Slat Hangers

The roll shutter type slat hanger connects the roll curtain to the drive reel (axle). Over time these hangers wear with the amount of usage. These are maintenance items and should be checked during service.

Accordion Shutter Maintenance

If your shutters are hard to open and close or do not lock easily, lack of maintenance may be the culprit. Note: an accordion shutter will not fully close with the lock engaged. Always make sure the shutter is unlocked prior placing the center mates together.

Solution: Cleaning and lubrication of accordion shutter bushings, locks and wheels are vital for optimum performance.

FAQ

Why are my rolling shutters noisy and squeaky?

Insufficient maintenance, including inadequate lubrication or worn slat hangers, commonly leads to operational issues. Typically, shutters emit some noise during operation, particularly when the motor engages and the roll curtain experiences metal-to-metal contact.

Excessive sounds such as squeaking, banging, humming, or grinding should be addressed promptly.

Do hurricane screens need service?

Yes, hurricane screens necessitate regular cleaning of the fabric and periodic tuning of the motors for electric models. Additionally, the expansion and contraction of the screens in relation to the metal components may require thorough inspections and adjustments to ensure optimal functionality and a seamless rolling operation.

Are service plans offered for hurricane shutters and screens?

Yes, comprehensive service plans are essential for protecting your hurricane shutter investment in Southwest Florida. Ensuring that your shutters are finely tuned and well-maintained provides reliable storm protection for many years to come.

Additionally, in Florida’s coastal environment, any operable exterior product requires regular maintenance to function optimally. Therefore, we recommend annual service for most hurricane shutters and screens. However, biannual maintenance may be warranted for frequently used systems or properties with heavy salt air exposure.

Technical Information

Wi-Fi Hub for Motorized Shutters and Screens

At Storm Protection we program hubs to remotely operate shutters and screens through a phone app. One time programming is included with our add on remote Wi-Fi shutter and screen packages. Contact us to upgrade.

Remote Control Maintenance

Most handheld transmitters use battery 2430. Wall mount use battery 2032. Carefully remove battery from holder and check model #. All remote transmitter programming to each shutter shall be performed by our technicians.

Storm Protection Warranty

Warranty information for Storm Protection of South Florida LLC located in Naples, FL. A strong product warranty that outperforms all others.

Warranty

Storm Protection Warranty

Aluminum Roll Down and Accordion Hurricane Shutters Manufactured by Storm Protection of South Florida LLC. 2007.

Product: 10 Year Shutter Warranty for defective materials. 5 Year Warranty on tubular shutter motors.

Labor: 5-year warranty on aluminum shutter installation defects. High reach fees applied for shutters over 12 feet from ground.

Electronic Controls: One year warranty. Handheld remote control and receivers.

Exclusions: Physical damage, acts of God, neglect, misuse, unapproved cleaning products, overspray by painters, normal wear and tear, lack of or improper maintenance and third-party service companies.

Other Products

Warranty for Hurricane Screens and Motorized Storm Shades.

Polypropylene Fabric Screen: 10-year manufacturer’s product warranty. Prorated after 5 Years.

Aramid/Kevlar Fabric Screen: 10-year manufacturer’s product warranty.

Labor Warranty for Installation Defects. 5 Years. If your hurricane screens were installed by Storm Protection of South Florida LLC and the sealant and fasteners are found to be defective, we will correct the installation at no cost to you. Installation warranty exclusions: Using harsh and corrosive chemicals, improper maintenance, paint preparation, remodeling/restoration, changes in structural integrity of the building that required product removal and re installation or improper pressure washing that caused the defect and certain labor that the manufacture does not provide.

Warranty for Impact Windows and Doors

Product: Lifetime Manufacturer’s Warranty or Up to 25 years depending on product type.

Labor Warranty for Installation Defects. 5 Years. If your windows were installed by Storm Protection of South Florida LLC and the sealant and fasteners are found to be defective, we will correct the installation at no cost to you. Installation warranty exclusions: Using harsh and corrosive chemicals, improper maintenance, paint preparation, remodeling/restoration, changes in structural integrity of the building that required product removal, improper pressure washing that caused the defect and certain labor that the manufacture does not provide.

Labor for Defective Products: Replacement shall be performed under the manufacturer’s warranty labor terms.