Shutters are a very popular window treatment in Reno NV and Lake Tahoe. There are many manufacturers of shutters, and they have different ways of building them. One of these companies is Norman Window Fashions, also known as Norman Shutters. Shutters from Norman are built with an adjustment tool. It is called a tension screw. If you watch the embedded video, you will see where it is located and how to use it.
The tension screw is designed to give you the ability to control how easy or hard it is to open and close the shutter louvers. The less the tightness or tension of the screw, the easier it is to open or close the shutters. You might ask why you would want any tension at all in your shutters. The answer is multi-fold.
In the case of this Reno client, they called because when they closed the louvers on their shutters, a few of them were falling open. So, they needed to have tension added. Another potential reason is that the wind would be forcing the louvers to open from the closed position.
What causes louvers to need adjustment? Depending on what type
Wood Shutters
of shutters you have, the materials continue to rub against one another causing friction and over time this loosens the tension. Thankfully, most shutter manufacturers include a way of increasing tension over time. I personally find the tension screw to be the easiest to work with.
The tension screw is found on each section of attached louvers. Caution needs to be taken to adjust BOTH SIDES of the louver. I’ve seen people do all the tension on one side of the louver and it tweaks the panel. This causes the louvers to jam and not function properly. So, do a little on one side and then a little on the opposite side. This is the proven method.
If your shutter panel does not open completely, you may have have a hard time reaching the tension screw on the hinge side of the panel. One way to make the adjustment on this panel may be to take the hinge pins out and remove the panel from the window.
I hope this tutorial was helpful to you.
About Us
Kempler Design is located in Reno NV and serves the northern Nevada and Lake Tahoe regions with a mobile design showroom. Paul Kempler, its founder is considered a window fashions expert. Kempler Design has been featured in many prestigious projects, including the HGTV dream home in Lake Tahoe. Kempler Design works with homeowners as well as interior design firms looking for a local contact in the Reno/Tahoe area or is available for travel.