What You Should Know About Home Awnings

Awnings are fantastic because they allow you to enjoy your garden while sipping tea outdoors, without being scorched by the sun! You can stay cool sheltered by the awning, and enjoy being outdoors, not being stuck in the house. Win-win all around! There are many different reasons you may want an awning. Perhaps your problem is that the patio gets extremely hot in the summer, or that the outdoor garden and patio furniture gets rained on, and you have to keep moving the furniture inside. These are just a few reasons you may want to consider getting an awning. But what actually makes an awning so desirable?

So, What is An Awning?

Awnings can be explained simply as an exterior roof or covering off a house that is made of fabric, or other materials. There are many different types of awnings. There are simple ones that are fixed, and there are more advanced ones that are motorised andcan be retracted with a button.

Retractable awnings are quite common in the UK, probably due to the unpredictable weather. It allows you to flexibly extend it when you want to and retract it when winter arrives. This also means you won’t have a permanent structure blocking the light during winter.

Fixed awnings are sturdier and withstand bad weather more, but they’re a bigger commitment. If they’re up, they’re staying up. To install a permanent awning, you should have no doubts about its style and positioning.

What’s the good in installing an awning? Protecting your patio from rain, and blocking the sun, but a more useful reason is reducing the heat in the rooms facing the sun. This works exceptionally well during heatwaves. It is not a marketing gimmick, a fabric (or a mesh) blocking sun from hitting the windows, will reduce the sun heat entering the room.

A covered patio also becomes a usable living area. You’re not likely to throw an outdoor dinner in February, but those borderline cold days in spring and late autumn become a bit more enticing to use.

There are also the furniture ties. If you have a set of outdoor seats or a dining

arrangement, an awning lets you stop constantly covering the furniture or watching

those pricey seat cushions get ruined by the sun. It is less cumbersome.

Materials and What They Mean

Canvas was the industry standard for a long time and is still in circulation, though for

most of the industry, its replacement, acrylic fabric, is preferable. It lasts longer and

looks better for longer without the issues of water absorption or fabric fading.

Polyester is the option that burns a hole in your pocket the least. It is not a quality

product, and you will need to replace it sooner, though. When it comes to something

that you are mounting on your house, the short-term savings typically end up costing

you more due to less quality fabric. The frame is also important. Aluminium is a standard choice as it remains light and does

not rust which is a plus when you are mounting something on a wall. Powder coating is

an added and blended protective finish that can help blend the frame to the wall.

Installation Considerations

This is typically not a DIY situation unless you are exceptionally skilled and comfortable

with screwing into your exterior walls. If you miss the mark on mounting, it can lead to

the awning coming off (which is expensive and dangerous) or worse, losing your wall to

water intrusion (which is expensive and super annoying).

You need reliable fixing points. Rendered walls, older properties, or anything with cavity

insulation needs deep evaluation. A good installer will examine your wall integrity before

providing a concrete quote.

Size and projection matter more than you think. At different times of day, measure how

far the sun shines on your patio. Theres no point installing an awning that leaves half

your seating area in blazing sunshine at 3pm.

Motorised or Manual?

Awnings should always be manual, if possible. Manual awnings will allow for more

immediate control of the awning, and with less electronic gadgets are less things to

have to worry about breaking. Fully automated awnings do offer a lot of convenience

and will allow you to open the awning with the press of a button (or sensor) to retract it

and do so without you even being there. This offers a lot of ease and will prevent

damage if the wind is strong.

Downsides include more complexity. More parts mean more that could break, and

repairs cost more than what a crank system costs. For larger awnings, though,

motorisation makes sense because even awkward operation becomes more difficult to

do manually.

Maintenance Truth

Modern awnings are designed to require as little maintenance as possible. Remove

leaves and debris. If something spills, clean it. Ensure that once a year, the fabric is

cleaned with a sponge and warm soapy water.

If possible, retract them during winter. Leaving an awning extended for winter, even

when not in use, unquestionably shortens its lifespan. Fabric degradation and UV

damage occurs slowly, just as unnecessary lifespan losses occur with extended use.

Joints, arms, motors, and other moving components require a little more maintenance,

such as smalls amounts of lubrication, so be sure to follow what your installer says is for your model.

A good awning is a solid investment, and the required maintenance pays off. Aim for a

semi-permanent addition to your home. Enjoy the years of use that come with improving

your outdoor space.