Having trouble closing your accordion shutters? Accordion shutters are a great option for storm protection if you live in Florida. But if they are not maintained they can get a little stubborn to close. However, there is no reason to worry or fret. You can have your accordion shutters opening and closing smoothly again with just a few steps. Below we provide some helpful tips on how to close stubborn accordion shutters.
And if you need help maintaining your accordion shutters you can check out our guide called How Do You Maintain Accordion Shutters? 4 Tips.
Why accordion shutters become hard to close
When regularly maintained Accordion shutters are very easy to use. But like with most things they do need to be maintained in order to operate smoothly. Accordions will typically become stubborn (hard to open/close) due to a few reasons. There may be other causes, such as damage from a hurricane, but the two issues below are the most common causes.
First, dirt and debris can prevent your accordions from opening and closing smoothly. You may have dirt or other junk in your accordion’s tracks, hinges/joints. This will prevent the slats from moving freely or even fully opening or closing. This, of course, will make it hard to open and close your shutters.
Second, accordion shutters need to be lubricated in order to operate smoothly. Your accordions require proper lubrication. If they are not properly lubricated they will either not move smoothly or they may not move at all.
How to remedy stubborn accordion shutters
In order to fix your stubborn accordions you should address these two issues.
Inspect and clean your accordion shutters if necessary
Your accordions may have dirt or other “junk” in them preventing them from moving like they should.
Even if you recently cleaned your accordions they may still be dirty. Heavy rain storms or other factors can quickly make your shutters dirty. This happens because of rain run off and heavy rain kicking up dirt towards your house.
Inspect your accordion shutters’ to see if they are dirty. Look over the tracks as well as the hinges/joints. Look for dirt, debris or other “junk” that may be preventing them from operating smoothly.
In terms of the tracks, insect nests or other debris may be preventing your accordions from sliding freely. You want to make sure you clean any contaminants out of your tracks.
If your accordions are dirty in any of these areas it is a good idea to clean them.
After cleaning them you should lubricate your accordion shutters with the proper spray lubricant. This will replenish the lubricant you may have washed off and provide proper lubrication for them to move freely.
Lubricate your accordions to help them move smoother
Part of your accordions’ scheduled maintenance includes lubricating them. But you may need to lubricate them in between scheduled maintenance as well. You can lubricate your accordions any time they become difficult to close. Lubricating your accordion shutters will help reduce friction and allow them move smoother. So if you find that your accordions are stubborn to open/close then lubricating them is a helpful trick.
We highly recommend you first clean any dirt and contaminants from your tracks, slats and joints/hinges before lubricating them. Lubricating clean tracks and hinges/joints will leave you with better results.
FAQS
How often should accordion shutters be maintained?
Open and close your accordion shutters on a monthly basis and clean any dirt and debris out of the tracks when you do this. Clean your accordions at least 1-2 times per year. You will also want to lubricate your shutters and locks after you wash them. Lastly, clean and lubricate your shutters as needed in between washing them.
How to clean accordion shutters?
Clean the slats and hinges/joints of your accordion shutters at least 1-2 times per year. To do so use a combination of warm water and a mild dish soap in combination with a soft scrub brush or cleaning sponge. You can also spray them with a hose to loosen up big dirt. Do not use any harsh chemical cleaners or hard scrubbing brushes. This may damage your shutters. Once you have washed your shutters you want to lubricate them to ensure they move smoothly.
NEED ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR SHUTTER MAINTENANCE?
Don’t wait until a hurricane is approaching to find out that your accordion shutters don’t work. Maintaining your accordion shutters are a great way to ensure they are operating correctly. With that being said, we know not everyone has the time or desire to clean and lubricate their shutters regularly. So if you prefer to have the pros do it, we can help. We offer a full-range of hurricane shutter repair and maintenance services throughout Southwest Florida.
From cleaning and maintaining your shutters to replacing broken shutters our service professionals do it all. We’ll keep your shutters operating like new.
