If you’re a fan of warm weather, you likely love being outdoors and enjoying every moment of it — especially if you live in a climate in which warm weather is a rare treat. No matter how much you love the sun and warmth, there will inevitably be times when a little shade is the cherry on top of a sweltering day.
Retractable awnings are a simple addition that can turn your backyard into an enviable hangout at any time, whether it’s hot and sunny or humid and rainy.
Reasons to Add a Retractable Awning to Your Home
An awning is a type of protective shield against the elements, but it can also act as a simple way to extend your backyard or deck. There are several other benefits of retractable awnings, including:
- Energy efficiency: If you find yourself using more electricity because your household is running the air conditioner nonstop, a retractable awning is a great way to reduce your electricity costs and encourage more time spent outdoors. A retractable awning works in cooler weather, too, when you want to increase the amount of sun exposure in your home. Just retract the awning to allow sunlight to hit your doors and windows.
- Shade: In hotter weather, you want to relax in your yard or porch without the sun prickling at your skin. Not every backyard has a cluster of large, shady trees to provide shade, so a retractable awning is an excellent alternative — and it’s more space-efficient, too.
- Entertaining space: If you have a deck or patio on which you entertain guests, you may feel limited by the weather when you try to host get-togethers outside. With a retractable awning, you can seamlessly extend your entertaining space, making an expanded room that connects the indoors and outdoors.
- Ultraviolet (UV) protection: Even if you love feeling the sun on your skin, the dangers of exposure to the sun’s UV rays are well-documented. Enjoy the sunshine without putting yourself at risk of UV exposure by installing a retractable awning on your home.
- Resale value: Does a retractable awning add resale value? You’ll be happy to know the answer is yes. A retractable awning provides a host of benefits for homeowners, including increasing their home’s resale value and overall curb appeal.
- Protection: Your patio furniture sees a lot of wear and tear, and part of it comes from the elements. Heavy rain and blazing sun rays can shorten your furniture’s lifespan, but a retractable awning is a quick and easy way to protect your outdoor furniture and equipment.
Pros and Cons of Retractable Awnings
As with everything, there are several pros and cons to consider when asking if you should add an awning to your house. We’ll expand on those points below to provide you with some guidance during the process.
Pros
Here are some of the main pros you should factor into your decision:
- Cost-efficiency: Retractable awnings are an investment in your home, increasing your home’s resale value and providing long-term comfort for everyone in your household. By encouraging your family to sit in a comfortable, shaded outdoor area, you can help reduce your household’s electricity costs.
- Lifespan: As their name suggests, retractable awnings can retract, which means you can avoid exposing them to extreme weather, like strong winds or hail. Regular awnings that aren’t retractable are often much cheaper, but they are also exposed to the elements 100% of the time, making their lifespans much shorter.
- Furniture protection: Awnings protect your furniture from the elements, offering another way to reduce your costs. Your furniture lasts longer and needs replacing less frequently, if at all.
Cons
Awnings offer many great advantages for numerous homes, but be sure to keep these cons in mind as you research:
- Initial cost: Retractable awning costs tend to be high initially, and added features such as motors can increase the cost even more.
- Motor replacement: Many retractable awnings come with a motor for remote retraction — you can also buy a model without one for manual retraction. If you opt for a motorized retractable awning, you may have to deal with the likelihood of replacing the motor, which can be expensive. However, motorized awnings are much easier to manage since manual awnings can become difficult to retract over time. Not to mention most quality awnings come with a very dependable motor that lasts at least 20 years without needing repair or replacement.
- Maintenance: To work efficiently and increase your home’s curb appeal, awnings need to be maintained properly and cleaned regularly. Over time, the awning’s fabric will collect dust and debris, which can lead to it looking shabby and unattractive. The awning can also collect sitting water, which can become a breeding ground for mold and mosquitos. Most new high-quality awnings come with a super durable outdoor fabric that holds up very well in inclement weather.
The Retractable Awning Installation Process
Awnings are one of the simpler home products to install, requiring very few tools. How long it takes to install a retractable awning depends on the installation professionals you work with. Generally, the installation shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. Having professionals install the awning, especially if it’s motorized, is the best option and will ensure everything is done correctly the first time around.
The initial cost of the awning, including the installation, will vary based on factors such as:
- Whether it’s motorized or manual.
- What type of material the awning consists of.
- How big the awning will be.
To install the retractable awning, the installers will first take some measurements of the space in which you want to install your awning. Then they will install the anchors, which are the pieces that hold the awning in place when it retracts inward or outward. More measurements will help the professionals ensure the awning is positioned correctly and evenly.
Once it’s installed, your retractable awning is ready to use straight away. If you’ve opted for a manual model, the installers can show you the right way to retract it. For motorized awnings, you will likely receive a small remote control with which you can move the awning as far out as you please.
Many retractable awnings will include the installation within the overall cost. It’s a good idea to request a free quote when available so you have a better idea of how much you can expect to spend.
Get High-Quality Awnings at the Best Prices With Garrety Glass
Your home should be a comfortable environment at all times of the year, and installing a retractable awning is one of the easiest ways to achieve that goal. At Garrety Glass, we proudly offer Betterliving Retractable Awnings, which are installed by our trusted employees. We offer free estimates, so you know exactly how much you’ll be spending before we begin work. We’re also happy to help you customize your awning to your household’s needs.
Get in touch and request a free consultation to enrich your home life with a retractable awning.
