Benefits of Installing an Awning for Your Home

An awning is a great addition to a home, but as with any home outdoor feature there is a lot to consider when purchasing one. Choices will depend on your climate, neighborhood, style of home, direction your home faces and your goals, among other factors.

The types of awnings vary greatly. They can be fixed or retractable and the retractable ones can be operated manually or motorized. On top of that, you can choose the materials - an array of canvases or even metal awnings for commercial spaces.They come in different shapes, colors and sizes.

We leaned on the pros at Marygrove Awnings to help us break down the main benefits of installing an awning for your home and share some things to consider when researching what’s right for you.

Awnings & Weather Protection

Showers, snow, sleet, strong winds, and UV radiation are weather conditions that can damage your home and yard. Installing amotorized awning above your front door, or above the backyard patio can protect from this damage and makes it a versatile addition to your home.

For a retractable awning, think about getting a remote control. It will help you finetune the position of the awning in line with the angle of the sunlight. You can adjust how far out or in the awning goes with the remote or stop it at a specific point. This creates a customizable shade option that allows you to extend the awning fully out or just partially. Additionally, you can program some awnings to automatically retract after a certain time or when the sun goes down. Some awnings even have a wind sensor that can detect motion and rolls your awning in for you.

Awnings Keep Your Patio Cleaner

If you have a house and a backyard, you know how demanding it can be to properly clean it from the debris that tracks in from mud, gravel, grass and more.

An awning covering the space is a great way to help reduce the amount of twigs, branches, leaves and bird droppings that fall onto the space.

Remember it’s important not to leave the debris on the awning. Climb a ladder every couple of days and remove anything that’s there, especially in winter or after heavy rains and strong winds.

Awnings Protect Against Sunlight

Depending on the size and shape of your home, you can consider adding several smaller awnings above other balconies or terraces around your house.

The sizes and colors of these awnings, as well as their patterns, will depend on the exposure to sunlight of different parts of your home and yard. Go for thicker, darker awnings if you live in a warmer climate with plenty of sunny days. On the other hand, people living in colder areas should choose thinner and lighter awnings.

In addition to trees in the backyard, these awnings willensure enough shade to beat the heat in the summer. Fabric is also important, look for fabrics that are UV-resistant so they won’t fade and will last several years.

Other Things to Consider

The Direction Your Home/Space Faces

The direction of your house can matter a lot when installing an awning. South facing patios or decks will get the most sunshine during the day. If you are facing west, you may want to consider adding on a sunscreen to the awning for sunset.

Maintenance for an Awning

Awnings can sometimes get stuck, which necessitates periodic maintenance to ensure they function properly. However, since retractables do not use strings and curtains like manual awnings, they don’t get tangled up when you’re trying to roll them up. They’re also durable and reliable: motorized retractables are typically made of strong materials like aluminum or steel so you won’t have to worry about them rusting over time.

You will also need to wash the awning. If you can reach it yourself, you can use tepid, soapy water every couple months or season.

The Size of Your Awning

The size will mostly depend on whether you are using the awning to create shade for an indoor space or for an outdoor space. There are two critical components when thinking about the size of your awning. The first is the amount of space you want to cover and the second is the direction your home faces. You can check out this measuring guide for some more information!

Check out our Pinterest Awesome Awnings Page for some design inspiration!