Accordion shutter stuck in the track
When the blades will not slide at all, the bottom track is the first place to look: sand, salt corrosion and small dents stop the blade pins dead. The track is cleared, straightened or replaced in sections.
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What people call about
- Blades that will not move in either direction, or move with a grinding noise.
- A bottom track full of sand, dirt, leaves or mulch after landscaping or a storm.
- White or grey corrosion inside the track on a house near the water.
- A dent or kink in the track where something hit it.
- Wheels at the top that have flattened or seized, so the shutter drags.
What happens on the visit
- The bottom track is cleared and flushed and the drainage slots are opened so water and sand run out.
- Dents and kinks are straightened where the aluminium allows; damaged track sections are cut out and replaced.
- Corroded blade pins and guides are cleaned or replaced.
- Top-track wheels and rollers are replaced where worn.
- Hinges and pins get a dry lubricant, and the shutter is run end to end before the installer leaves.
What to have ready
- Do not pry the blades out of the track with a screwdriver; the pins bend and the blade then needs replacing.
- Keep sprinklers, mulch and sand away from the bottom track where you can; tell the installer if the track sits at ground level.
- Mention whether the shutter has been stuck since a storm or since yard work; it points to the cause.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach
Tracks on ground-floor openings in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach fill with sand and mulch from the yard, and homes within a few miles of the ocean see corrosion on pins and tracks much sooner. A seasonal home that sits closed from May to November is the classic stuck-track call in November.
Questions people ask
- Can I clean the bottom track myself?
- If the blades still move, yes: open the shutter, brush and vacuum the track, rinse it with a hose and let it dry. If the blades are stuck solid, leave it for the installer so nothing gets bent.
- Why does the track corrode?
- Salt in the air and water settles in the track, and the aluminium oxidises where it sits wet. Near the coast it happens faster. Keeping the drainage slots clear and rinsing the tracks a few times a year slows it down.
- Can a bent track be straightened?
- Small dents often can. A kinked or crushed section is cut out and a new section fitted, which is cheaper than a new shutter. The installer tells you which on the visit.
- The shutter is stuck half open. Is it still protecting the window?
- No. A shutter only protects the opening when it is fully closed and locked. Have it repaired before the next storm, and send the request now rather than in the week a storm is named.
- How often should the tracks be cleaned?
- A rinse and brush once or twice a year, and after any yard work that throws dirt around, keeps most tracks running. The yearly tune-up service does this for every shutter on the house.
- Do you replace whole shutters that are too far gone?
- Yes. If the track and most blades are corroded through, the installer quotes a replacement unit with a current product approval instead of patching the old one.
Get an installer out
Free estimate. The price is agreed before the work starts.
Other shutter services
- New accordion shutters
- Shutter won't close or lock
- 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.