Behold the return of louvres

Just like windows, louvres are designed to allow in fresh air and light. However, the best thing about them is that an individual decides on how much light and air they should let in. Irene Kajubi, an interior designer and decorator, says louvres are used in places where there is direct sunlight so that the house can get enough light and air at the same time.
She says the angle at which you open the louvres determines how much sunshine or air gets into the house.

Material
If you are to go for glass material, she says, it should be durable, made of heavy material and the edges should be fine and blunt so that the user does not get harmed. She says you can find them in shops around Nakasero, Kampala that deal in glass material.
However, before you buy, know the size of window they will cover, find out if you will need curtains or not, because you could opt for tinted louvres. He says you should also bear in mind the kind of plan the house has.

Getting them fixed
Mathias Omona, an engineer, says before you install louvres, think about the direction they will be positioned, the measurements and the design of the house.

Maintenance
He further says if one has louvres in their house, they should seek user guidance from the person who installed them because they know the material used, how they should be cleaned, what damages them, generally everything an individual needs to know about their louvres.
Kajubi says louvres wear and tear over time so it is better to keep replacing them rather than wait for them to completely get spoilt.
Immediately one wears off, you have to replace it so that you do not have to incur more costs replacing more than one when the others also wear off. Apart from the costs, having one fall off ruins the beauty of the place,” says Kajubi
She says frequent maintenance and inspection saves a lot in a way that you will be able to see which one is almost getting spoilt so that you can fix it or even replace before it breaks or falls off.
For one to do that, they need the help of an expert such as an engineer who understands the art used to fix them so that the patterns are not messed up and your do not risk having it fall off so easily.
Fred Kajura, a hardware shop attendant, says for someone to minimise the cost of maintenance, they should make it a point to refix the glass before it breaks and also use appropriate cleaning materials.

How to clean them
Kajubi advises that one should not let dust accumulate on the louvres because it makes the house look untidy. “Usually some people prefer dusting them but this is only effective if the dust has not cladded with water, otherwise it will not get very clean since other dust flakes will be left on the louvres,” says Mary Namukose, an interior designer at Darfur Company limited.

Cleaning
Kajubi says while cleaning, an individual should watch out for the plastic or metallic edges since these are sometimes sharp and can cause cuts on the hands of individuals.
She advises those cleaning louvres to at least have two towels - one for washing and the other for wiping the louvres.
Namukose adds that the louvres should be wiped immediately after washing or else they may leave marks when they dry, especially if the water used was not very clean.
She further says people should add detergent to the water they are to use for cleaning the louvres because this helps in the thorough wash and leaves a shiny finishing.

Using vinegar
Kajubi says vinegar too can help in cases where an individual just wants to polish the louvres without washing. “The suitable way to do that is dip the towel into the vinegar, let it soak for a while then remove and squeeze out the vinegar before you do the cleaning,” advises Kajubi.

Caution
Namukose says sometimes louvres may fail to open easily. When that happens, forcing it to open will not help, rather pour oil at the edge of the shutter so that it can easily roll.
She says getting them wet often may also damage louvres depending on material used for edge finishing so if it gets wet, wipe immediately.
She says putting louvres in places where there is no light may also turn out to be disaster because less light will come into the house.

Cost
Abdul Musisi, a welder says the aluminum louvres cost between Shs350,000 and Shs500,000, depending on the surface area you are to cover.
Fred Kajura , a hardware shop attendant, says the glass louvres are quite expensive because of the kind of the material used to make them.
The cost ranges from Shs400,000 and it can go up to a million shillings depending on the size.

Types of louvres
Fixed louvre blades are very versatile and are generally used for shading and privacy purposes.
Operable louvre blades are used to achieve greater shade control than their fixed counterpart. The louvre blades can rotate on either axis and can be adjusted.
Sliding shutters can be used to achieve complete control over privacy and shade protection. The shutters can be moved to leave the living space completely open or provide shade/privacy as desired.
The opening louvre roof is used over outdoor living areas to provide protection from the elements and to enable year-round outdoor dining.
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