Aluminium Roller Shutters in Alicante: Maintenance and Buying Guide

If you live in Alicante, you already know: salt air, Saharan dust haze (calima), and the Levante wind. To keep your aluminum roller shutters from creaking or getting stuck, clean the outside with lukewarm water and pH‑neutral soap, from top to bottom, and dry them with a cloth. In beach areas, every month; inland, every 3 months. Use water and pH‑neutral soap, no abrasive cleaners or scouring pads. Apply silicone spray (not oil) to the tracks and the axle; avoid WD‑40 because it traps dust. Check the end stops, the pull tape or the cord: if they’re frayed, replace them before they snap. One example: in San Juan, after a storm, a slat jammed in the track because of sand; blowing air and lubricating with silicone solved it. If you have a motor, re‑adjust the limit switch if it goes up too far. Approximate costs: pull tape 30–60 €, end stops 10–15 €, hanger strap replacement 25–40 €. Do this check every 3–6 months and after storms. And a quick tip: lower the shutter to 90% and tap up once to let it seat; this prevents vibrations from salt air and wind.

When you go to buy, handle the materials and ask without hesitation. Ask to see the slat and the axle in your hand: for widths over 1.4 m, a 60 mm axle prevents sagging and noise. Better an aluminum slat injected with PU foam (45 mm) than PVC if you live in windy areas like Elche or Santa Pola. Make sure the guides have double brush seals and go for a thermal headbox to block thermal bridges. Security? Self-locking slats and side bolts work brilliantly on ground floors. If you're fitting a motor, brands like Somfy, Nice or A‑OK work well and support remote control, timer, or Wi‑Fi. Real examples: a 2.2 m large window in Elche calls for a 20–30 Nm motor; a 1.1 m bedroom in San Vicente is more than fine with a strap. Ask for an itemized quote: dismantling and removal of the old unit, trims/finishing, exterior sealing, motor, remote, and whether a one‑month adjustment is included. RAL colors and wood‑effect lacquer hold up well on the coast if the hardware is C4/C5.

Before ordering, measure it yourself too: width from guide to guide at three points and keep the smallest; height from the sill to the lintel. Leave 5‑8 mm of play and, if it's an external headbox, add the height of the box. Measuring at three points avoids surprises. Ask for tracks with brush pile and a bottom weatherstrip; noise drops and insulation improves. In summer, lower to 70% at 17:00 when the westerly comes in and you'll notice the home is 3‑4 °C cooler. If you're within 1 km of the sea, prioritize aluminum and stainless hardware. For Levante storms, don't raise them all the way: leave the last slat engaged and activate the anti‑lift lock if you have it. Quick test: place a coin on the windowsill and raise/lower; if it vibrates, it needs adjustment or lubrication. Express maintenance: a burst of air in the tracks, a damp cloth, and done. There are shops in central Alicante and in industrial areas like Babel or San Vicente; compare two workshops and keep the invoice with the motor warranty (minimum 3‑5 years). If you want more security, add self‑locking and tracks with brush pile.