2020 started by some of the worst storms to hit the UK since 2013. There was storm Brendan in January, at the beginning of February the UK and Ireland were under siege by Storm Dennis, then Ciara and at the end of February 2020 we were being hit by storm Jorge. These storms brought wind speeds up to 100mph and some of the wettest months since records began.
Our customers were affected by the storms, which usually results in Roller Shutters blown out of the guides. By purchasing the right product from the start, it can help reduce the risk of issues, when these storms hit the UK. Normally when people purchase roller shutters, they think about cost and security. It is important to think also about the winds in your location. You don't want to waste your money on a roller shutter that is isn't going to last long, as it's not suitable for your location.
A lot of our roller shutters are fitted externally and open to the elements. Some of the roller shutter doors are installed in very exposed and open areas for example Farm Buildings. We have roller shutters fitted in City Centres, that are subjected to strong gusts of winds from the wind tunnel effect caused by tall buildings. We also have customers that have roller shutters fitted on the coasts and regularly subjected to high winds.
Security Direct has a large range of roller shutters, which have been tested for wind loading. We have written an article on Wind Ratings and How they work - CLICK HERE. The majority of our Roller Shutters have been tested between Wind Loading Class 2 - 5.
The chances are, you won't know what wind speeds you experience in your location unless you have wind sensors fitted and have recorded data over several years. Also, you need to bear in mind about the gusts of wind. There could be a breeze of 15mph, but gusts of 50mph. If you are not sure, then we would advise going for roller shutter with the highest wind class that your budget will stretch too. A couple of things to bear in mind when buying a roller shutter for a windy location.
Size of the opening - The larger the size of the opening, the larger the surface area of the shutter. On wide roller shutter ie; 6m+ the curtain will push inwards. If you can, then reduce the width of the shutter ie; 2 x Smaller Shutters instead of one large shutter. I appreciate this is not always possible.
1. Size of the opening - The larger the size of the opening, the larger the surface area of the shutter. On wide roller shutter ie; 6m+ the curtain will push inwards. If you can, then reduce the width of the shutter ie; 2 x Smaller Shutters instead of one large shutter. I appreciate this is not always possible.
2. Slat Selection - If you are in a windy location, then ideally look for a Twin Walled slat, as it is double the thickness of a single skin slat, so will provide more strength. For example our 100mm Insulated Industrial Roller Shutter Doors has a Wind Class 5.
3. Avoid Vision Slats - Where possible reduce the amount of vision in the roller shutter. The more vision you put into a roller shutter curtain, the more strength you are taking out of the slat. When a product says 20% Vision or 50% Vision, this usually will give you an idea on how much material has been removed from the curtain, to provide this amount of vision.
4. Deep Guide Rails - The deeper the guide rail, usually the more curtain is within the guides. Ideally, you want as much of the curtain in the guides as possible. Some of our Roller Shutters, have the option of upgrading to deeper guides. For example the Solid Commercial Shutters come with a standard 50mm wide "U" channel guide. You can upgrade to 65mm or 100mm guide for not much more money.
5. Windlock Guides - A windlock guides have a separate compartment to the guide rail, which has an additional deeper/stronger curtain endlock. The special wind locks are not every slat. These wind endlocks are deeper than the normal endlocks and run in the special compartment at the back of the guide. Wind Locks are designed to provide additional strength and reduce the risk of the curtain blowing out of the guides.
6. Mechanical Supports - To help reduce the risk of the curtain blowing out of the guides, you could fit additional locks and supports across the shutters. Some of our customers have fitted mechanical locks to the roller shutters, others have fitted bars across the back of the shutter, so when the wind tries and pushes the curtain inwards, the bar behind provides additional support.
A couple of our Top Wind Rated Products;
100mm Insulated Industrial Roller Shutter Doors
If you have any queries or require more information then please Contact Us our Sales Team.
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