Window shutters dictate how good your windows look from the outside and how well they protect your home’s privacy from the inside. They might seem inconsequential, but when you give some serious thought to their function, you realize that they are a lot more important than you make them out to be. They keep your family safe from peeking eyes, fill your house with light during the day, and offer you privacy when you need it the most.
However, if these shutters get old beyond their lifetime or break from excessive use, then instead of raising the standards of the aesthetic of your home, they will bring them down. According to Diamond Window Shutters of Kent, having proper and quality shutters by professional artisans will serve you well for a long time. If you have them for a long time, though, or don’t have excellent quality shutters, they will soon start showing signs that you need to replace them as quickly as possible.
The thing is these signs can often be bland or not visible at all. As such, you can be stuck with bad shutters for a long time without notice and trust us when we say that nothing brings the beauty of a home down like broken window shutters. Even if everything else in your home is perfect, broken shutters are bound to stick out the most, and you need to fix them quickly. In this article, we’ll tell you various signs you might not be noticing that tell you your window shutters need replacement.
Your shutter slats are bent, broken, or tattered
These are the most obvious signs that your window shutters need replacement, but even they can sometimes slip by unnoticed once we get used to a piece of furniture for too long. However, when you do notice them or your guests finally point it out (which we hope doesn’t happen!), ensure that you don’t ignore it and get them changed soon.
Bent slats often cause heat damage or humidity, depending on the type of slats you have. A few slats can be changed, but if the entire shutter is out of place, it’s at the end of its lifetime and needs a severe replacement. If you live in an area that is frequented by rain, then we recommend you don’t get pure wood plantation shutters as they can break apart from humidity easily, and if you live in sweltering conditions, then you should avoid faux wood shutters as they can often get bent or wrapped.
Your shutters have stopped working properly
Many times, shutters can look as fine as the day you bought them, but physically, they don’t function properly. For example, when you try to push the shutters, they don’t budge even after you apply considerable force or move, but you always get this dangerous noise that they can fall apart anytime. If you have faced these two problems, chances are your shutters are fragile and can break anytime.
After seeing these problems, you should replace your shutters with new ones. If you continue keeping them on, there is a huge chance that one day they will completely break apart and ricochet back at you. Worst case scenario: You or a family member will get seriously injured just because you didn’t buy replacements for your shutters in time.
Your shutters aren’t the right size or shape
The most disorienting and unsatisfying thing for your guests or anyone passing in front of your house is having windows of one size and shutters that are completely another size—too overgrown for your windows or too small for them. This single thing can bring down the beauty of your home. This often happens when you build new window frames but keep the same shutters for the old windows.
We heavily recommend not doing this and buying new shutters for your window frames if you change their size. If your frame is a different size, consider ordering custom shutters for your windows. The same applies if your windows are one shape and your shutters the other. For example, if you have circular windows, it doesn’t make sense to have square or rectangular shutters. Always make sure your shutters fit your window in shape and size and you’ll start getting compliments in no time.
Your shutters are outdated
Nothing is more disheartening than when your guests look at your home, stop to look at your shutters, and give this judge mental look that says, “Boy, that looks bad.” If you bought your shutters a long while ago when they were in fashion, chances are, after 2-3 years, they are very ‘out of fashion’ and not relevant in style anymore. If you don’t want your guests to get all judge mental about your shutters, we recommend you change them when they go out of style, so your home doesn’t stand out as the odd man out in the neighborhood.
Shutters can also become physically outdated. If you bought your shutters 10 years ago, look at them and check if they have aged well. If they did, congratulations—you have unique shutters that will keep making your home look glorious for a few more years. If they don’t, take them down, as they will only cause more harm than good.
Your shutters are attached to the wrong part
The most unambiguous indication of lazy installation work is when carpenters attach the shutters outside the window instead of the hinges on the frame. It’s instantly visible when someone passes by your home and leaves them thinking that you didn’t hire a good enough carpenter to do it. When you are fitting your shutters from local carpenters or by yourself, ensure that the shutters are fixed in their proper spot, so they look like they complement your windows and are not a hindrance to them.