Increase Efficiency and Lower Utility Bills with House Awnings

The house awning is yet another tool to make your home more energy efficient. By providing shade and decreasing the amount of heat that comes in through windows and doors, a house awning can lower cooling costs, and beautify the exterior of your home simultaneously.

House Awnings over Windows and Doors
Both metal and fabric awnings can be used over windows and doors, but, in these places, metal is preferable because of its durability and performance. The initial expense of metal awnings will be more than that of fabric, but their longevity is often worth the cost.

Metal house awnings are excellent heat blockers. They will also guard the areas they cover from precipitation in all its forms. Metal awnings can hold up to high winds, heavy rain, and even snow. They are made of aluminum, which makes them resistant to rust; they are also available in many different styles and colors, so finding some that fit with the rest of your home is easy.

Stationary awnings are generally used when all the windows and doors of a house are to be covered. Though putting retractable awnings over every opening in the house might sound appealing to some, it is generally too pricey (and a little impractical, too).

Patio Awnings
The relatively small size of most patios makes them a good candidate for either metal or fabric patio awnings. Both have their strong and weak points; the best choice is really dependent on the particular situation. A metal patio awning is, once again, going to be more durable, and hold up to more extreme conditions than would a fabric patio awning. Metal is an excellent choice for areas that receive a lot of heavy wind or precipitation. As most metal awnings are not retractable, they are built strong enough to handle being up all year round. They are also quite low maintenance.

Fabric patio awnings are great for situations where a year round covering is not desirable. Fabric awnings are less expensive and are often retractable. When you want sun one day and shade the next, a retractable awning provides whatever you desire, and in some cases, at the push of a button. Though a patio awning probably will not help lower any kind of bills, it will definitely make sitting outdoors more comfortable. On the monetary side, it will also add value to your property.

Awning Effectiveness
Installing an awning over a door or window can really spice up the look of your home. Most people interested in awnings, however, are more concerned with the cooling benefits. The addition of metal or fabric awnings over all windows of a house can reduce summer cooling costs up to 20%. As energy costs rise, the investment could end up saving a significant amount of money. Additionally, the awning will block harmful UV rays from entering the home. This will reduce the fading of furniture and other items that would otherwise be left exposed.