Roller shutters have been around for a long time, and that’s not surprising considering what a good job they do for enhancing the security of a building. Using roller shutters can seal all vulnerable entry and exit points, providing the strongest possible (legal) protection against intruders.
An overlooked potential of roller shutters, however, is that they can also help to insulate your home. This includes both thermal insulation and audio insulation.
These are not the roller shutters your grandparents used
Old-time roller shutters were much simpler devices than what exists today. The modern roller shutter is lighter, thicker, stronger, and quieter than the older models. Different materials are used, and the designers actually thought about the insulation factors, because this is an issue of much greater importance in the modern world than at any other time in history.
Another major difference is in the way they are operated. The earliest models of roller shutters had to be manually opened and closed individually. A time-consuming and difficult job that had to be performed every time you wanted your home or business to be effectively secured.
After this, electric roller shutters were invented, and switching systems allowed multiple roller shutters to be opened and closed from a single point. This was a major step forward because it made the process of closing an opening a much quicker and easier task.
Then came the invention of the remote control, which not only improved convenience but also safety. You no longer had to leave your vehicle to operate the device, so if it was raining you could avoid getting soaked, and you didn’t have to worry about lurkers lying in wait, ready to ambush you as you approached your door.
As good as this was, there were still flaws in the design that could allow for the remote signal to be blocked or hijacked (this is a process of duplicating the signal so it can be used to gain unauthorized access).
The very latest systems use an encrypted access code that is virtually impossible to crack, and instead of operating through a line-of-sight remote control, they are now IoT devices that can be accessed through an Internet connection. This means you can use your phone to control it, and the whole process has end-to-end encryption, so there is no chance of the signal being hijacked or blocked.
How modern roller shutters achieve better thermal insulation
These products are constructed from multiple layers of material, arranged in a way that helps reflect heat instead of absorbing it. When materials absorb heat, that heat builds up and is released into the building adding to the internal temperature (it can also work the other way, absorbing heat from inside the building and taking it outside). This is called “heat transference”.
The worst sources of heat transference in your home are the windows. Fully transparent windows allow light to pass straight through, and the different wavelengths of light (especially UV light) create heat inside the glass as they pass through it. During the day, sunlight hits the glass and rapidly heats it up, and that heat energy is transferred to the air inside. This is exactly why the interior of your car gets so hot on a sunny day. Using roller shutters can reduce the amount of money you need to spend.
At night, the cold air outside pulls heat energy back out through the glass, which becomes very cold to the touch. Using barriers such as curtains and reflective solar shields, you can limit the effect of heat transference to some extent.
If you use even thicker and more opaque barriers such as roller shutters, the heat transference is almost completely blocked. Most of the heat energy is reflected back, and only a small amount is able to warm the interior layers of the shutter material.
Heat transference still occurs (it is an unbreakable law of physics), but it is slowed down enormously.
Shutters also help with noise insulation
The arrangement of the materials also helps to dampen noise. It is a similar principle, but this time instead of blocking light waves, the material is blocking sound waves. Sound waves travel straight through thin, single-layer materials, as many who have stayed in cheap hotels can attest. Each layer of material weakens part of the sound wave, slowing it down and reducing its intensity.
The good thing about this is that it works both ways. You will be less troubled by sounds coming from outside, and you’ll also have better privacy.
Reduces energy costs and environmental impact in a single step
Better insulation means less energy gets wasted for heating and cooling. This obviously will help to lower your overall energy costs and also is better for the environment. Today roller shutters are so inexpensive that the energy savings they can provide mean the shutters practically pay for themselves over time.
Find out more by contacting Rollersmart
For smart roller shutters that work perfectly and are easy to operate, the best place you can find them is Rollersmart. Our residential and commercial roller shutters come with free technology upgrades that allow you to operate your shutters over an internet connection using your phone or another internet-capable device.
Our products are safe, simple, effective, and strong. Your home or business will be more secure and you’ll enjoy the benefit that comes from improving your insulation by installing shutters.
