Accordion shutter won't close or lock

What people call about

• The shutter moves part of the way and then stops dead in the track.
• The two halves close but do not meet, so the lock pin or thumb latch cannot engage.
• The lock pin is bent, seized or missing, or the key turns without locking.
• Blades that have come off their hinge pins and hang crooked.
• A shutter that was forced during the last storm and has not moved properly since.

What happens on the visit

• The top and bottom tracks are checked for bends, dents, sand and debris, and straightened or cleared.
• Blades are checked on their pins; a blade off its pin or hinge is reseated or replaced.
• Wheels and rollers along the top track are checked for wear and replaced where they drag.
• The lock pin, thumb latch or key cylinder is repaired or replaced so the shutter locks from inside and, where fitted, from outside.
• The shutter is closed and locked, then opened and stacked, to show you it runs end to end.

Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach

Across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach the usual culprits are wind-blown sand in the bottom track, salt-air corrosion on lock pins near the coast, and blades knocked out of line by patio furniture or a mower. Shutters that stay closed for months on vacant or seasonal homes seize more often than ones that get used.

Questions people ask

Can a jammed accordion shutter be repaired or does it need replacing?

Usually repaired. A bent track section, a worn wheel or a blade off its pin can be fixed or replaced individually. Replacement is for shutters where many blades or long runs of track are damaged, or where the product itself is too old to get parts for.

Why won't the lock pin drop in?

Either the two halves are not meeting because something is stopping one side, or the pin and its hole are out of line because the shutter has shifted or the pin is bent. Both are diagnosed on the visit.

The shutter closes but will not lock from outside. Is that normal?

Many accordion shutters lock only from inside, with a thumb latch or pin. Keyed outside locks are an option on some models. The installer tells you what your shutter has and what can be added.

Should I spray lubricant in the track?

A dry silicone spray on the hinges and pins is fine. Oils and grease in the track attract sand and make the jam worse. If it is already jammed, leave it for the visit.

A storm is forecast and the shutter will not close. What do I do?

Send the request with the opening and the problem, and say a storm is forecast. The installer who takes the job tells you when they can come and, if that is after the weather, what else you can do for that opening.

Can the installer fix shutters from a different company?

Generally yes. Accordion shutters from the main Florida makers share similar tracks, blades and locks, and independent installers service most of them. Very old or unusual products may need parts that are no longer made.

Other shutter services

• New accordion shutters
• Panels stuck in the track
• Lost key or broken lock
• Close them before a storm
• Bent, cracked or missing blades
• Replace rusted or old shutters
• Condo and balcony shutters
• Storefront and business shutters
• Yearly tune-up

One Call Accordion Shutters arranges the visit; the installer does the work and gives you the price.