External blinds are a great way to modernise your home functionally and efficiently. They extend outdoor living spaces & provide extra ventilation – but they need to be maintained. Following, louvre manufacturing and installation experts offer a few tips on how to look after them.
Keep Your Blinds Clean
Making sure that your external blinds are kept clean is the first step to consider when wanting to look after and maintain them properly. Because the shutters each have an individual roller and mechanism for opening and closing, they can get jammed with dirt and debris. Clean the louvres every few months, especially in between the seasons. Make sure that each louvre is wiped down, and spray water through the mechanisms. If there’s any stubborn dirt to get rid of, you can use a soapy sponge to remove it.
Don’t Use Sticky Lubricants
Because all louvre products, such as retractable roofs and external blinds have rolling mechanisms & gear boxes they need to be lubricated regularly. With proper lubrication, they’ll open and close smoothly and silently, without grinding the metal. However, although you can find lubricants at the average hardware store, make sure you do use the right one. Some – especially silicone-based – can become sticky so contact your installer and ask them for a lubricant that they can recommend for their product.
Clean The Shutters
Louvretec shutters are made from aluminium, but of course you can also get shutters in timber. Did you know Louvretec have a woodgrain finish they can apply to the top of the aluminium so the shutters look like real timber, but they have the durability of aluminium? Louvres should be cleaned with a mild household grade detergent to prevent a build up of dirt and grime. If you have Louvretec louvres enquire now to find out if your local Louvretec dealership has a Louvrecare division, where they will come and maintain & valet your louvre system for you. A no obligation quotation will be sent to you beforehand.
Use The External Blinds Often
Your external blinds cleverly open up your outdoor living spaces and also let you to control how much sunlight comes through into your outdoor room area. However, even if you’ve found the perfect position for the louvres make sure you do regularly open and close your outdoor blinds or louvres (at least once a week). Just like a car, good regular maintenance and safe use can keep them in optimium function. Operate them once a week, and check the lubricant regularly to keep them running smoothly.
When the seasons change, remember to wipe them down and check the lubricant. It’s a quick and easy task, with long lasting benefits.