Smart blinds and shading

Shutters are the cheapest air conditioner. If they go down in time in the summer, the heat doesn't even get into the apartment; if they go up on a sunny morning in the winter, they provide free heat. That means a few degrees — but no one has time to close the shutters four times a day.

Automatic shutter control takes care of this. Not according to a timer, but based on the position of the sun, the outside temperature and the inside temperature — and it also knows whether you are at home.

When should the shutter move?

• On a summer morning, when the sun hits the southwest windows, it goes down — before the room warms up.
• In the winter sun, it goes up and lets in the heat; on a cloudy day, it stays down because it insulates.
• It closes at sunset — no one can see in from the street.
• In windy weather, external shades (pergola, screen) are automatically raised before they are damaged.

Security, not just shielding

The shutters are one of the most visible signs in your home that someone is home. If they are down for a week during your vacation, it says more than a sign. But with a realistic, changing schedule, it looks like you are there. And when connected to door sensors, it also sounds an alarm if the shutters move without authorization.

What can be connected?

Motorized roller shutters, venetian blinds, screens, pergolas, even garage doors. Most existing motorized roller shutters remain controllable — no need to replace them, just put a switch behind the switch Shelly roller shutter module (Shelly Plus 2PM), which also holds the wall switch. The location decides between the radio (more flexible) and wired (more stable) solutions.

What you should know before you get started

• Is the roller shutter motorized? A motor must be added to a belt roller blind; this is the larger item, not the control.
• End position detection. Older motors don't always indicate where they are — this affects how finely you can position them.
• Orientation. Automation is only as good as knowing exactly which window faces which direction. We record this in the survey.
• Manual control remains. The wall switch and remote control work the same way — automation doesn't take anything away.

Why is external shading better than internal?

The internal blind comes into operation when the sun's rays have already penetrated the glass — from then on, it only delays the heat, not keeps it out. The external blind or screen, on the other hand, catches the rays in front of the window, so the heat doesn't even get in. The difference is most noticeable in summer: in the same southern room, there can be several degrees difference between the two.

This does not mean that internal shading is unnecessary — it is perfect for preventing prying eyes and softening light. It is just that thermal protection is not its task.

Together with heating and cooling

The shading works best when it doesn't work on its own. If the system knows that the air conditioner is cooling, it will send the blinds down first. If the heating is turned on in winter, but the sun is shining, it will try for free first: it will pull up the shading on the southern windows and only heat them if that is not enough. This kind of coordination is something that no blind remote control can do.

What we work with

• Shelly — roller shutter modules (Shelly Plus 2PM, Pro 2PM) for motorized roller shutters, venetian blinds, screens and garage doors; with end-position learning and consumption measurement.
• Marketcom — Shelly's domestic distributor, we purchase the devices from there.
• Radio motors (Somfy, Motionblinds and others) — connect them through their own bridge if the wired route is not possible.