Retractable Awnings Provide Optional Sun Protection

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October 11th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

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It is wonderful when you can extend the amount of living space that you have in your home by adding awnings to your property. These useful shade canopies provide protection from both the sun and the rain, allowing homeowners to enjoy their patio areas anytime of the day or evening. One of the most popular choices in patio awnings and canopies are the retractable awnings, which can be closed on cooler days when you want to warm the space with a bit of sunshine.

Another reason why patio awnings that are fully retractable make a lot of sense is that when severe weather conditions arise, unlike a fixed gazebo 10, they can also be rolled up to prevent damage to the canvas awning itself. Also, a permanent awning structure can do damage to the structure of the home if it gets battered by high winds, in the event of tornados or hurricanes, which are frequently a concern in a number of parts of the country.

One of the other reasons why retractable awnings continue to be a favored option for homeowners is because they are more economical to install, when compared to the cost of building a permanent type of sunscreen for the area. Retractable patio awnings offer just as much protection from the sun and rain, and yet cost a lot less than the permanent awning systems.

In addition, a retractable awning also provides much more flexibility because they can be either fully extended or fully rolled up, or opened to varying degrees, which allows you to have a great deal of control over your outdoor environment. If you wanted to let in more light, then you can retract the awning enough to let more light in, while still providing enough shade to protect carpeting and furniture from direct sunlight.

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In general, shade awnings for a home, whether a patio awning or a window awning, can also help homeowners save a great deal of money over time, especially if its a new build and priced into the building contract. If you live in an area with abundant sunshine, then the awnings around your homes can add an additional layer of protection from the sun, shading windows and doors and reducing the amount of heat that permeates into the house. This can substantially lower energy bills in many cases, especially when the awnings are used to create structures for shade on the sunniest sides of the house, usually the western and southern exposures.

A retractable awning is available in two main types; manual and motorized. Manual awnings are adjusted by the use of a hand crank mechanism and have sturdy stabilizer arms that are attached to the walls of your home or the patio structure. These are less expensive to install and maintain than the automatic, motorized versions.

The motorized retractable awnings operate either by a wall mounted control or by remote control. They also have a manual override that allows you to retract or extend the awning even if there is a power failure. Most of these awnings also have built-in wind sensors, which will cause the awning to retract if the wind gets gusty and blustery, avoiding damage to the cover even if you are not at home when a storm rolls in.