With almost 40 years of experience under our belt, at Plantation Shutters there is very little that surprises us when it comes to shutters. It’s with this amount of experience that we can be confident that when it comes to all things shutter, we are the team you need.
There are certain questions about shutters and their upkeep that we are asked on a semi-regular basis which have slightly more technical answers or require a little more guidance than those on our FAQ page. To cover some of these queries and make guidance easily accessible we are launching our ‘how to’ series.
Once a month we will introduce a new ‘How To’ guide which will give you easily accessible information on your shutters as required that may come in useful.
In our first instalment of the ‘How To’ guides, we explore how to adjust a tension screw.
A tension screw is a small screw that is found on inner side of each of shutter panels and controls the movement tension of the slats.
Our custom shutters are exceptionally well built by expert craftspeople who undertake every step of the labor intensive manufacturing process with care and detail which makes this premium window dressings fantastically long lasting. However, as is the nature with any products that require regular movement of any mechanisms, regular use can make some parts very slightly adjust and in some instances a little tightening is needed.
If over time you notice that your slats have loosened then a slight adjustment of your tension screw will do the trick. This is also a useful adjustment if post-installation of the shutters you would prefer your shutter slats to be a little looser however if our teams are still on site then they will be able to do this for you.
For the very simple adjustment, simply open the panel and locate the tension screw on the inside edge of the panel. Using a Phillips head screw driver, very gently twist the screw in whatever direction you require (left to loosen and right to tighten). Continue to check the slats and readjust until they are the right moveability for what you are looking for.
You can adjust your tension screws as much as you like however they should only need to be adjusted very infrequently. More regular adjustments might indicate a heavy-handed approach to the use of the slats which is worth keeping in mind.
Try to avoid over-tightening the tension screw as tight moving slats can be more subject to breakages if you are forcing movement.
You can tighten the tension screw on shutters both with and without a tilt rod as although without a tilt rod has an extra mechanism built into the panel, both tilt possibilities have their tightness controlled by this screw.
If you are having any difficulties adjusting your tension screw then the team at Plantation Shutters are here to help you by guiding you through by phone or facetime. Once a Plantation Shutters customer, you will always have the support and advise of our team whenever you need so never hesitate to reach out and get in touch. We will be more than happy to help.