Rolladen's attributes trumpeted

When he's at home, professional trumpet player Tony Scodwell counts on his Rolladen Rolling Shutters to keep the sound of his music inside.

He had the rolling aluminum-filled slats installed after purchasing a home in the northwestern valley.

"Most everyone appreciates trumpet playing of this caliber. However, the trumpet is a loud instrument and the requirements of my job are that I play loud and high," said Scodwell, who has performed with Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Band, as well as the big bands of Stan Kenton, Harry James, Buddy Rich and Tommy Dorsey. "But while I love to play at home, I also want to be considerate of my neighbors."

He also credited the shutters with enhancing the sound inside his home.

The shutters can be installed over windows and doors, including dog doors.

After a burglary at a previous residence, Scodwell said law enforcement officers informed him about the shutters' security features.

"They said the sliding glass door is the single-most entry by burglars in a home," he said. "Add that to the fact that Rolladens are a huge benefit for energy savings and you can see why we love our shutters. When we awake in the morning, we many times have the shutters in the vented position, which allows limited sunlight. That's a very neat effect because we can appreciate the view without losing our security."

Company representatives say the shutters can lower power use by as much as 64 percent.

Scodwell learned about rolling shutters while living and working in Cologne, Germany.

"I lived on the outside of town, and would walk into the village and notice that the shutters would come down on the shops," he said.

With the recent change in temperature, the company has become increasingly busy, according to Bianca Minnozzi, vice president.

"When the heat hits early, more people are concerned with putting shutters on as soon as possible. They don't want to wait until summertime. Right now, it takes from two to three weeks for installation, and it will be longer than that during the summer," she said.

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

Real Estate home