First: don’t force it
Pulling hard on the strap or pushing the slats usually turns a small fault into a bigger one: the strap snaps, the winder comes away from the wall or the slats bend and no longer fit the side tracks.
If the shutter is stuck halfway, keep your hands and anything else out from underneath it. A shutter that has come loose can drop suddenly. If it is electric, stop pressing the switch: the motor has a safety cut-out that stops it when it overheats.
If the strap (cinta) has snapped or won’t wind back
On a manual shutter, the strap (cinta) runs from the box above the window down to the recogedor, a small winder box set into the wall beside the window. A spring inside it winds the strap up.
- If the strap is frayed or broken, it needs replacing. A worn strap tends to break when the shutter is up, and then it drops in one go.
- If the strap comes out slack and doesn’t wind back, the spring in the winder has most likely broken or come loose. The whole winder is replaced.
- If the strap is fine but pulling is very heavy, the problem is usually in the side tracks or the roller, not the strap.
If it is crooked or has come out of the tracks
The side tracks (guías) are the channels the slats (lamas) run in. When a slat breaks, shifts or slips out of a track, the shutter comes down at an angle or jams on one side.
- Look at the tracks from inside and outside: leaves, built-up dust or a loose stop are enough to catch it.
- Clean them with a brush and a damp cloth. If they still rub, a little silicone spray helps; avoid oil and grease, which trap dust.
- If a slat is broken or sitting across the track, don’t push it back in. The shutter has to be taken out through the box to replace it.
If it has dropped or rattles inside the box
The top slat is fixed to the roller in the box (cajón) with short straps or metal clips. If they come loose, the whole shutter drops: the strap moves but the shutter doesn’t rise, or it falls all the way down.
A clicking or scraping noise as it goes up usually means a worn bearing or pulley on the roller. Both need the box opened from inside, often standing on a ladder by the window. If you aren’t comfortable working at height, leave it to a professional.
If it is electric and won’t respond
- Check the power: try another shutter or a socket in the same room, and look for a tripped switch on the fuse board.
- If it uses a remote, change the batteries and stand closer to the window.
- If the motor hums but the shutter doesn’t move, or it stopped after going up and down several times, wait about twenty minutes for it to cool and try again.
- If it rises but doesn’t reach the top, or doesn’t stop where it should, the motor’s limit settings are out. They are adjusted with the shutter dismantled or with the manufacturer’s setting remote.
When to call someone, and who pays in a rental
Replacing a strap or winder, swapping slats, re-hanging the shutter on the roller, changing a bearing or checking a motor are small jobs we usually do in one visit. Send us photos of the shutter, the winder and, if you can, the open box, and we’ll quote in English with no obligation.
If you rent, tell your landlord in writing before booking anything. Whether you or the landlord pays depends on whether the fault comes from everyday use or from the shutter wearing out; our guide Who pays for repairs? explains how it usually works. Some Spanish home insurance policies also include a handyman service, so check yours first.