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We humans are a fickle bunch – we just want what we want, and we want it now. On any given day, you’ll find us outdoors enjoying our back yards in oh so many ways (whether it’s sunbathing, tossing around a football or just perfecting the perfect BBQ chicken). Some days we can’t get enough of the sun’s rays deepening our tan and kickstarting that Vitamin D factory that is within us, and some days we avoid those rays at all costs.
There are plenty of ways to try to get sun when you want it and have shade when you need it… but none is as effective or easy-to-use as a retractable patio awning. Simply put, a retractable awning is a device that mounts to your structure (read: house) and allows you to create a temporary roof over your head by extending a cloth surface above you, creating instant shade and shelter from rain.
Although there are amazing freestanding awnings that provide the same function without the need to be mounted, we’re focusing on their semi-permanent cousins. Attached awnings are less expensive and can provide an extra-large shade area that’s perfect for your busy family.
Today we’ve asked our patio experts (you know them, the smartest patio comfort minds in the business) on their thoughts on retractable awnings, to give you all the info you could possibly need to be sure that a retractable awning will be perfect for your back yard oasis. Here’s what they said…
Some days it’s as simple as this: Shade good, sun bad. On those days, it would be handy to be able to attach a handle, give it a few twists (or press a single button) and have blessed shade relief covering your guests almost instantly. There are tons of benefits to selecting a retractable awning other than “shade me now” convenience…
Why add a retractable awning to your patio?
Add extra convenience by going for an electric option that you can adjust with the press of a button
Take your standard retractable awning up a notch by adding an electric motor to your awning to retract and extend with the push of a button. Now just about anybody who can run a remote (which includes toddlers and the smarter-than-average dog) can extend or retract your awning. As a bonus, when unexpected downpours happen you can use the remote to retract your awning from inside the comfort of your home, keeping the awning less exposed (and decreasing maintenance along the way).
When extended, a retractable awning keeps your family and guests cooler by lowering surface temperatures of everything around them, as well as keeping harmful UV rays off their delicate skin.
Awnings continue their protection detail by keeping your stuff (furniture, carpets etc.) safe from harmful UV rays, helping them to hold their brilliant colors (and their value) for longer.
Finally, retractable awnings are uniquely capable of being there when you need it, and easily getting out of the way when you want to bask in the sun’s glorious rays.
Sometimes it’s about keeping the people indoors happier. Awnings that cover your windows and doors provide benefits in winter as well as summer. Here we see the Advaning Slim Gray Series retractable awning pulling double duty. In the winter, retract and cover your awning to allow as much UV light to warm your house as possible. In the summer, let the shade provided by your retractable awning reduce UV rays and heat that would have entered your home through your windows and doors, keeping your house cooler (and requiring less AC) throughout the summer.
Large exterior windows give you a gorgeous view, but in the summer, they can let in a huge amount of UV rays that heat your home when you don’t want it. Using a retractable awning will allow you to keep those broiling UV rays out of your home in the summer when AC bills are at their worst, saving you money. On those gorgeous spring days when you welcome the warmth of the incoming sun, cover your awning with the Advaning AC-PT-COVER premium-grade awning cover so that debris (leaves, bugs and the like) stays out of your awning, extending its already impressive lifespan and keeping down maintenance.
With the massive size of the Advaning LUXURY premium-quality retractable awning (as large as 10’ x 16’ of coverage), a pool or hot tub can easily be shaded during the dog days of summer. As the days grow cooler, a press of a button or a twist of the wrist will easily bring the full sun back to your aquatic activities.
There’s no denying that retractable awnings are an amazing choice for keeping your guests comfortable in your outdoor oasis, and with Patio Heat and Shade’s experts available to help you select the perfect awning option to both compliment and protect your home, you can’t go wrong! Give us a call and we’ll be there for you – every step of the way.