Key Takeaways
- A louvered roof that won't respond below roughly 40°F is very likely a built-in safety sensor, not a broken motor.
- The sensor is controlled by a dip switch on the circuit board and automatically stops the system with the louvers left open.
- The sensor can be overridden with the same dip switch, but Breslow recommends leaving it active to protect small components from freezing.
- The structure itself is engineered for snow load — the sensor exists to protect the motor and moving parts, not because the roof can't handle winter weather.
Every winter, Breslow hears a version of the same call: the louvered roof stopped responding to the remote, and the owner assumes something broke. In the vast majority of cases, nothing did. Somfy-driven motorized systems include a temperature sensor built into the circuit board specifically to stop the louvers from operating once it gets cold enough — and understanding how that sensor works turns a confusing “is this broken?” moment into a five-second explanation.
Why the System “Shuts Off” Below 40°F
In the video above, a Breslow technician walks through the circuit board that controls the louver motors and points to a set of four dip switches on the panel. One of those switches is a temperature sensor, and when it's active, it automatically turns the system off — with the louvers left in the open position — once the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It's not a fault code, and it's not the motor failing. It's the board deciding, on its own, that conditions aren't right for the louvers to keep moving.
What the Dip Switches Actually Control
The same circuit board that runs the motors (labeled S1 and S2 for a two-motor system) has four dip switches alongside the power and programming controls. As the technician explains, the fourth switch is the temperature sensor: flipped one way, the sensor is active and will cut power to the motors below the 40-degree threshold; flipped the other way, the system ignores temperature entirely and responds to the remote regardless of how cold it is outside. It's worth noting the sensor isn't laboratory-precise — temperature readings can vary a little between what the board itself measures and the actual conditions at the top of the structure, so the cutoff is approximate rather than exact.
Overriding the Sensor for a One-Off Situation
There are legitimate reasons an owner might want to override the sensor temporarily — a cold-weather gathering with no snow on the ground, for instance, where full manual control of the louvers matters more than the sensor's default caution. Flipping the same dip switch restores full operation regardless of temperature. It's a manual override, though, not a permanent setting Breslow recommends leaving in place through a normal winter.
Why Breslow Recommends Leaving the Sensor On
The reasoning behind the default setting is straightforward: cold temperatures make the small components inside the motor more prone to damage if the system tries to operate anyway. As the technician puts it, “we recommend leaving the sensor on to avoid small components freezing and the system trying to operate and causing damage to small components.” The sensor isn't there because the structure can't handle winter — it's there to protect the moving parts specifically, which is a different problem than the roof's structural rating.
Structural Snow Rating vs. Everyday Winter Operation
It's worth separating two different questions: can the structure handle snow, and should the louvers be operated in the dead of winter? The answer to the first is yes — Breslow's motorized louvered roofs are engineered for snow load as part of the design, with a licensed engineer confirming the final rating for a given size and site. The answer to the second is more a matter of practicality than capability: as the technician notes in the video, “the system itself is certainly strong enough to handle snow, but in most cases most people don't want to be using it in the dead of winter” anyway. Breslow's broader look at how these systems are engineered for winter conditions is covered in this piece on snow load.
When to Call for Service
If a system won't respond and the outdoor temperature is above the sensor's cutoff, or if the dip switch has already been overridden and the system still won't operate, that's a different situation than the sensor doing its job — and it's worth having a technician take a look rather than continuing to troubleshoot. Breslow services every product it installs for the life of the system; requests can be submitted through the service page anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won't my louvered roof open or close when it's cold outside?
Most systems have a built-in temperature sensor that automatically stops operation, with the louvers left open, once the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a protective feature, not a malfunction — it's designed to prevent small components from freezing while the system tries to operate.
Can the cold-weather sensor be overridden?
Yes, by flipping the corresponding dip switch on the circuit board. This is useful for something like a cold-weather event with no snow where an owner wants full manual control regardless of temperature, but Breslow recommends leaving the sensor active during normal winter conditions.
Is a motorized louvered roof strong enough to handle snow?
Yes — Breslow's R-Blade system is engineered for snow load, with a licensed engineer confirming the final rating for a given design and site. Most owners simply choose not to operate the louvers during the coldest part of winter, sensor or no sensor.
What should I check before calling for service if my system isn't responding in winter?
Confirm the outdoor temperature relative to the system's cutoff, and check whether the temperature dip switch has been left in its default protective position. If the system still won't respond above that threshold, it's time to call Breslow's service team rather than keep troubleshooting.