Often, homeowners find themselves with a broken water heater, damaged roof, or other critical element needing repair and find themselves improving their home only at that point. Shutters, too, are often only upgraded when one or more are damaged. But the truth is that shutter treatments can help refresh a home, enhance security, and improve its energy efficiency. If you’re looking for affordable and practical ways to renovate and revitalize your home, plantation shutters are a great option for you to consider. Weaver Shutters in Phoenix, Arizona, is here to help you understand how plantation shutters work and the benefits you can see from having a new pair installed in your home today.
How Do Plantation Shutters Work?
You may have seen pictures of plantation shutters online or in home improvement magazines.
Before discussing how to open shutters, it’s important to understand what they are. Plantation shutters are a form of window covering comprised of tilted slats within a frame of horizontal rails and vertical stiles. Made of the same material as the rails and stiles, these slats, known as louvers, may be horizontal or vertical and are controlled by a bar or rod.
Plantation shutters were named as such due to their popularity in the southern U.S., but they actually originated in ancient Greece. They were frequently used in many parts of the world when glass windows were still quite expensive to fabricate. Even now that windows can be easily mass-produced and affordably installed, plantation shutters remain popular in many regions known for warm and hot climates, where shutters that open and close are critical to comfort.
Plantation shutters are distinguished from other shutter styles’ use of rotational louvers. Other shutters may employ panels, inserts, glass, or stationary louvers. Plantation shutters may also come in multiple tiers, in which two or more frames are stacked on top of each other, and louvers in each may be operated independently. There are also full-height shutters partitioned with a divider rail and bars or rods at the top and bottom, allowing the top and bottom louvers to be operated independently.
Opening and Closing Plantation Shutter Panels
In a typical window with plantation shutters, you’ll find two shutter panels of equal size. These panels will consist of a frame, a knob, rotational louvers in the middle, and a louver control bar or rod. Each panel will be hinged at opposite sides of the window so that they can open towards you. When closed, the left and right panels will be flush against each other. The panels may have a latching mechanism that connects the two panels.
How to Open Shutters
When the latch is unfastened, pulling a knob will open and swing a panel towards you. You can close the panel simply by pushing it back in place. When it comes to the louvers, turning the rod will tilt the louvers up or down to your desired position. Open plantation shutters allow considerable light, sound, air, and heat inside. But with well-crafted plantation shutters that open and close, you can control just how much comes in. Consequently, plantation shutters can help you save energy, protect your home, furniture, and belongings from UV damage, and help you reduce noise that may seep inside.
Looking Into Getting Plantation Shutters? Contact Us Today
Beyond which shutter style to select, one of the most important decisions is choosing the company that will work with you to craft, install, and maintain them. And when it comes to homes in the Phoenix area, homeowners like you should choose Weaver Shutters for your new interior shutters. Crafting shutters that have handled Arizona’s hot climate since 1975, Weaver Shutters offers free in-home quotes, locally produced plantation, poly, and wood shutters, and a limited lifetime warranty covering the free repair or replacement of your defective shutters. Moreover, we custom design our shutters to fit your home’s structure and your specific aesthetic preferences.
At Weaver Shutters, we pride ourselves on beautifying homes like yours with high-quality shutters that offer you the insulation, privacy, and protection you deserve.
Contact us today for a free in-home quote.