Native of Germany applauds Rolladens

Christine Morgan never gave a second thought to seeing rolling shutters on homes in her native Bayreuth, Germany.

"We didn't even think about them. They were a part of life there," said Morgan, office manager for the local Rolladen Rolling Shutters franchise.

In fact, the company's recent statistics show more people in Europe have the shutters than driver's licenses.

Morgan said the rolling shutters were crucial to controlling the temperature inside a home.

"We don't have air conditioning in Europe. Therefore, there have to be solutions to offset unexpected heat waves during hot summers," she said. "The shutters are even more valuable in the winter than they are during the short summer. Winters are very long. It's cold there from September through April. We don't have natural resources there, so we have to import our oil. Most Germans heat with oil, which is very expensive."

Morgan had shutters on her home for more than two decades before moving to Texas in the late 1980s.

"It never really occurred to me that there were no Rolladens," she said. "I never had any idea that Rolladens were available in the United States until I moved to Las Vegas. The shutters make so much sense."

The retractable, foam-filled aluminum slats are used to cover doors, including dog doors, and windows. They help decrease a home's energy use, reduce noise, prevent dust and protect against burglary.

They can be operated electrically or manually.

Shutters are custom-made to fit each home and are generally installed two weeks after measurements have been taken.

Morgan said she misses her shutters and will have them installed when her next home is built. She also touted their privacy benefits.

Rolladens were introduced to Southern Nevada by Fran Minnozzi in 1984.

Free remote controls are currently being offered with each purchase.

The company's showroom at 6168 W. Charleston Blvd. is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment on Saturday.

Real Estate home