It may not be as hot now, but it will be next year and you will need shade. So is now the best time to get benefit from a retractable awning for your house? If you are on looking for the best value, consider end-of-season sales too.

You may think that you don’t need one of those huge shop awnings over your patio. Nor do you need something like a marquee tent hanging off the back of your house. Perhaps you’re thinking of canopies, which make you think of canapes and now you’re thinking you don’t even know what a retractable awning is, let alone if you want or need one.

Simply put, an awning is a supplemental roof for an external part of your property. A retractable awning for your house will provide a polished and practical addition to your external space, providing you with shelter, from sun or rain, in our ever-increasingly unpredictable and changing weather.

What are retractable awnings? Awnings are protectors!

Of course, a retractable awning for your house will protect you from the sun, both its heat and UV rays, as you lounge on your patio, sleeping, reading, and enjoying a cocktail or two. Retractable awnings will also protect your lovely patio furniture from the elements. Both you, your skin, and your furniture will last longer.

Retractable awnings also offer better protection to your interiors than window blinds. Depending on what kind of blinds you have, you may find slivers of light, and UV rays still get through. As the retractable awning covers a larger area, and not just the window, you’ll find your home cooler, and safer, too.

A retractable awning for your house will also afford you more privacy, as again, the sheer size of it will cover more of your area, keeping it safe from any gossipy neighbours, who won’t be able to get enough of your glamorous awning and the lifestyle you clearly lead.

What does a retractable awning bring: all your friends to the party!

A retractable awning for your house basically increases your living space. You can dine in comfort, and hold barbecues and parties, and your guests, and their food, will be protected from the elements. There’ll be no more attempts at trying to second guess the weather. You and your friends can carry on enjoying yourselves, regardless of any showers, all thanks to having a retractable awning.

What care does a retractable awning require?

After your retractable awning has protected you from the rain, you’ll want to make sure it’s dry before you retract it. Otherwise, you’re increasing the risk of mould ruining the beautiful fabric you spent ages choosing. Awning fabrics are treated to be mould-resistant, but it’s advisable to do what you can to protect your retractable awning, as it protects you.

Retractable awnings aren’t generally made to keep excessive rains and snow off you, so it’s best to keep them retracted during winter months. You also don’t want to leave them open in strong winds. This won’t just damage your awning, but possibly the exterior wall of your home too. As our awnings come with a sensor that retracts the awning automatically in strong winds, that will be one thing you won’t have to worry about.

How heavy are retractable awnings?

Since a strong wind can grip the giant sail you’ve attached to your house and damage the wall, yeah, an awning is heavy.

It’s usually recommended that your house have two stories. I kid you not. We can install a retractable awning on a bungalow, and we have, thanks to ensuring the right brackets were made especially for the job (basically, they had to be extra long, therefore more secure).

The standard size for retractable awnings is anywhere between 2 and 5 meters wide. They can be made bigger, and to any size if you’d rather have a permanent frame rather than a retractable one. In this case, while the material is UV  and mould-resistant, it will require extra care. It can still be big and retractable, but there may be limitations as the arms will need to carry the weight of the awning.

Due to their size and weight, retractable awnings are usually motorised. You can have a manual arrangement, and wind and unwind your enormous house sail with a crank because you’re retro and cranks are fun too, if you so wish.

What are the benefits of retractable awnings and is it right for my home?

Do you want to:

keep your home cool so you don’t have to pay extra on your energy bills by running fans or air conditioning.

Add value to your home by increasing living, dining, relaxation and entertainment space.

Protect that space, and the adjacent interior space and furniture, from UV?

Now that you know what retractable awnings are, it’s definitely a good idea for you to consider one for your house. And yes, you will have to maintain and clean it, just as you would any other part of your home. So start dreaming of those sun-filled days which you get to enjoy in comfort and coolness, thanks to your stunning new retractable awning.