If you want to spruce up the exterior of your home or office without spending a huge amount of money, awnings are a sure way to do it. When you install awnings, you do more than just enhance the décor of your property. You save a lot of money by reducing the amount and intensity of the sunlight entering the building. Customized retractable awnings are made especially to save on energy costs and give a personal touch to the décor.
Awnings also add value to your property. But do you know how to choose the right style of retractable awning for your home?
Five Key Factors
The Material
The first thing to consider when choosing an awning is the kind of material it’s made of. The two most common materials that are used to make awnings are outdoor fabric and aluminum.
The outdoor fabric gives you the luxury of choosing from a wide variety of colors. You need to take into account, however, that the cost of maintenance is higher than it is with other materials like aluminum.Â
The second type of material that is commonly used in manufacturing awnings is aluminum. You can go for this material if you want a sturdy awning that lasts longer and requires less maintenance. The only drawback of using aluminum is that you do not have as many options when it comes to colors.
The Correct Angle
An aspect of awning installation that people generally overlook is its angle or pitch. There are established angles of inclination for awnings that are facing a particular compass direction. If you are installing an awning over a south-facing window, the pitch can be set at 45-60 degrees for optimal shading and sunlight entry.
However, for a window that is facing east or west, an inclination of 65-75 degrees is considered standard due to the angle at which sunlight hits the window glass.Â
Style
When it comes to styling, you should hire a professional architect and a designer. An architect can give you a clear idea of what kind of awning style will maximize the effectiveness of the entire setup. On the other hand, a designer can give you advice about the look of the awning. But at the end of the day, the effectiveness of an awning depends on the installation process for a specific style.
There are many styles of awnings, since aesthetic sense changes with the times. Currently, minimalist design is the preferred approach. The list of popular styles includes semi-circular entrance, double-bar standard, quarter barrel, dome-style, and open sides.
Choosing the right style can transform the exterior of a home or office, giving it an upscale look that will be admired by neighbors and passersby.
The Type of Awning
There are three basic types of awning to choose from – stationary, retractable, and free-standing. The stationery form of awning is a logical choice if you are looking for longevity and are fine with a fixed location. Recently, however, there has been an increase in the popularity of motorized retractable awnings.
There are various benefits to using a retractable awning. For one, installing this type of awning gives the homeowner a great deal of flexibility in adjusting the awning. The motorized feature makes it easy to tweak the awning’s position in relation to the sun.
An important addition that can make retractable awnings worth every penny is sensors. These minute objects fit easily into the awning framework. The sensor automatically detects weather changes, and the area covered by the awning is automatically adjusted.
There is also an inherent disadvantage to using retractable awnings: They cannot withstand harsh weather conditions, such as lightning or high-velocity winds.
Extra Accessories
Simply installing an external stationary awning is neither attractive nor effective. On the flip side, if you add a retractable awning, the above-mentioned benefits are there for all to see. But in certain situations, the addition of accessories like side panels can add to both the decor and the effectiveness.
Yes, accessories will increase the cost of installation, but the investment is worth every dime. For instance, the side panels add to the architectural design, provide maximum shade, and reduce the intensity of the summer heat.
Ending Note
You should consider this short list of factors before installing awnings. The awnings themselves can range anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000. However, you should keep in mind that this figure does not include the installation costs or the expense of the expert services of an architect or designer. All this adds up to a substantial investment in your home’s outdoor décor.
We would urge you to explore further and find out about other factors that need to be assessed, like where to place your awnings. It’s generally hard to take a single, consistent approach to determining the best location. However, you can approach an expert in your area for advice. Rollac retractable awnings are the best fit for every condition. However, you can consult an expert from the Rollac team if you have any questions.