Enhancing your outdoor space with shade is a welcome relief from the summer sun. Adding a covering to your balcony or patio not only extends your outdoor living area but also creates a cozy atmosphere, even during rainfall. A retractable patio awning can be the ideal solution for shading your space. As you contemplate installing one over your outdoor room, consider a crucial decision: manual or motorized patio canopy? While both provide shade, they have distinct differences. This article provides essential insights into retractable patio awnings, helping you make an informed decision before your significant purchase. Discover the benefits a retractable awning can bring to your home!

The Advantages of Retractable Awnings 

There are many benefits of installing shade structures around your home. You may want a large shade for your back patio, an awning to cover your balcony, or some canopies to cover the front porch. Whatever your purpose, there are plenty of reasons why installing a retractable patio awning is beneficial! 

1. Protection from Sun Damage Awnings provide shade that can block sun damage from constant UV exposure on your patio furniture, house, and skin. This can increase the lifetime of your possessions while simultaneously preventing signs of wear and tear and fading. It also extends the amount of time you feel comfortable relaxing outside!

2. Keep the Temperatures Down Inside Increasing the amount of shade around your home protects it from heat and rising temperatures. Shading the windows, doors, and exteriors of your home reduces the amount of heat absorbed by the house. This can also reduce your electricity bills by keeping your home temperature cooler and more comfortable.

3. Adjustability and Mobility Retractable awnings are fabulous and multifunctional because of their adjustability. Unlike other hardscapes, they can be set differently throughout the day, letting the shade travel with you or according to the weather. Additionally, the mobility of the structure is useful in inclement weather. If heavy storms, high winds, or snow and ice are forecasted, you can roll up your awning instead of sustaining damage as you likely would for other immobile hardscapes. best retractable awnings installation in pnw

4. Create an Outdoor Room A retractable patio awning can be a functional decor addition to an outdoor sitting area that ties the space together. Inside the home, you have four walls and a ceiling in every room, so it is easy for your interior design aesthetic to shine. However, there is so much more space outdoors without borders; adding a canopy to cover your patio seating can create the feeling of an outdoor sitting room without the same space constraints. This helps give you and your guests a place to kick back and relax, and the right color choice of shade can complement your outdoor decor!

5. You Can Be Outside More Often Installing a retractable awning increases the usability of your outdoor space. It protects you from intense sun in the summer months, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors at any time of day. You also don’t have to wait for any trees to mature before you get some shade! Adding shade to the yard reduces the air temperature of your outdoor spaces by up to twenty degrees!

6. Increase Winter Warming A retractable awning can benefit your home in the winter too! Its mobility makes it more versatile than other shade structures. This is useful in the winter because you can roll it up. When retracted, it allows more sunlight to warm your house and keep your heating bill low! Other shade-providing hardscapes, such as pergolas, are impossible to move or adjust to the various seasons.

7. Cool Your Walkways, Deck, and Patio Some of the least enjoyable moments of summer are walking around on a sizzling deck or patio. Direct sunlight can increase flooring temperatures dramatically, especially if they are dark in color. Did you know that some composite decks can reach up to 76 degrees hotter than the air temperature? This can make walking around outdoors unbearable for your loved ones and pets if you do not have proper shading in your outdoor living area. Installing a retractable sunshade is a perfect solution for hot decks and patios!