*Installing Shutters in High Humidity Areas*
Are you concerned about the effect high humidity in your wet room or swimming pool would have on window shutters?
Did you realise that there are window shutters specially designed to cope with these challenging environments?
We get asked a lot of questions here at the Scottish Shutter Company about the suitability of window shutters in high humidity situations, and so we’ve put together some guidelines which will help you choose the right shutters for your particular situation.
There’s no doubt a room with high humidity causes challenges for a lot of the items installed in it. Of course, traditional timber window shutters struggle when water or moisture is present. Let’s be clear, though, there is a common misconception, even in our industry that regular window shutters should not be used in a bathroom. Unless your shower room is constantly steamy – day in day out then regular timber shutters are an excellent solution. We’ve had shutters fitted in our bathroom at home for over fifteen years that are still looking great and functioning well.
The challenge comes when there is a constant level of humidity such as in a wet room or swimming pool.
We have a product in our range which is made entirely from uPVC, which, on the face of it would appear to be ideal for high humidity situations. However, the big misunderstanding here, even amongst other shutters suppliers is that, while the vinyl material is, in itself inherently waterproof, the shutter panel assembly is not.
Vinyl shutters are primarily made up of lots of hollow, extruded components, which are then capped to give the appearance of a solid item. The trouble is that when the component, let's take a louvre, for example, is exposed to moisture the vinyl repels moisture. But around the capping points there is the possibility that, by capillary action, the moisture is sucked inside the component and creates mould which you don’t notice until it starts to smell. Vinyl shutters are best in kitchens where their easy-wipe surface is beneficial.
However, in domestic situations where high humidity is the greatest challenge, a shutter and frame assembly made entirely of ABS – a very sturdy, yet lightweight plastic, is the answer. We call this range Java. This range is manufactured from high-grade ABS and is the only type of window shutter guaranteed to be 100% water resistant. In fact, this product can be completely immersed in water for extended periods with no ill effects.
ABS produces a superior and more robust shutter compared to vinyl shutters and can be easily moulded which means that, unlike vinyl shutters, the profiles of the frames are far more refined which gives a much higher quality look and finish to the shutter. Indeed, to the naked eye, it’s hard to tell the shutters are made of ABS due to the high-quality materials we use.
Interestingly, due to the hard wearing nature of ABS, our Java range also finds itself in demand for high traffic and high impact areas in the home such as children’s playrooms. Of course, as with all interior shutters, our Java range is entirely child safe with no dangerous cords or chains so no ligature hazards. Interior shutters are the most child safe window covering product available.
Java shutters are available in many panel and louvre sizes from the ever popular 47mm up to the largest 114mm louvre. The larger louvre sizes and panels are ideal and practical for covering large expanses such as swimming pools and home gyms and let more light into the room than smaller louvres and panels. It’s worth noting that just like all of our plantation shutters, our Java shutter panels can be hinged open to allow easy access to the glass and are great at providing privacy and ventilation at the same time.
Because of its waterproof nature, ABS can be easily wiped clean and therefore is ideal for rooms where high levels of cleanliness are required. Our Java shutters are also perfect for dust allergy sufferers.
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