Having a private outdoor living space is a luxury, but that doesn’t mean it’s always enjoyable. Here in Florida, the summer weather can keep you from your patio or yard whether you like it or not. One of the best solutions to this problem is retractable awning installation. Retractable awnings create temporary shade for your patio or yard, allowing you to enjoy being outside at any time of the day or year. This post covers six of the many benefits of retractable awning installation.

1. Protect Your Family From UV Radiation

Spending time outside together as a family is a wonderful way to bond and enjoy your home. However, UV radiation can limit the amount of time you can spend on your patio or in your yard together. During the hottest parts of the day, the UV index can easily reach a level of eight to 10. Not only is this potentially harmful, but it’s also bright, uncomfortable, and distracting.

One of the best ways to enjoy your yard or patio without worrying about UV radiation is to install a retractable awning. During the hottest, brightest part of the day, you can extend the awning to block UV radiation, giving your family a place to simply enjoy being outside together. Without the added worry of UV exposure, you can sit back, relax, and spend time with the people you love most.

2. Enjoy Cool Shade in the Summer

Summers here in Florida are notoriously hot. This shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your outdoor living space, though. Shaded areas are significantly cooler than areas in direct sunlight. With a retractable awning, you can create shade whenever you need it, allowing you to enjoy the summer breeze without the added heat of direct sunlight. Whether you stretch out on the grass or sit in your favorite patio furniture, your awning will protect you from the worst of the summer heat.

As an added bonus, any windows that are shaded by the awning will allow less heat into your home. According to Grand View Research, installing window awnings can reduce energy bills as it lessens solar heat gain by 65% to 77%. This is an especially important benefit of retractable awning installation for homeowners with large glass patio doors.

3. Allow the Sun in During the Winter

When temperatures dip in the winter, allowing the sunlight into your home is a refreshing experience. Whether you’re trying to warm your home more quickly after a cool winter night or you simply want to enjoy the benefits of filling your home with sunlight, you can do so if you have a retractable awning. While you may need your awning to stay cool in the summer, you can retract it completely during the winter. Windows and doors that open up onto your patio will be unobstructed, brightening your indoor space.

4. Keep Your Awning in Excellent Condition

Since awnings are typically made from fabric, they do experience wear and tear when they are exposed to the elements for long periods of time. Fixed awnings are subjected to long hours of UV radiation, rain, wind, and anything else the weather decides to throw at them. Even if they are made from high-quality materials, they tend to show their age.

Retractable awnings, on the other hand, can be protected from the worst of the weather. Since they roll up and can be secured against the side of the house, they are protected whenever they are not in use. This extends their functional lifespan considerably and keeps them looking vibrant and beautiful.

5. Enhance Your Property With a Pop of Color

Retractable awnings are highly customizable products. They come in a wide variety of colors, styles, and sizes, allowing you to design the perfect awning for your style of home. A large, brightly colored awning adds to your home’s curb appeal with a bright pop of color. For a great effect, you can match your awning color to the color of your home’s trim or accent details. Whether you have an exact awning design in mind or you need help coming up with the perfect retractable awning for your property, our awning specialists can ensure you get the perfect product.

6. Control Sunlight Levels for Patio Plants

While plants need sunlight to thrive, too much direct sunlight can seriously damage them. They can dry out or even experience leaf sunscald. You don’t have to move your patio plants in and out of the house. Instead, you can use a retractable awning to shelter them from the sun during the brightest part of the day. With a motorized retractable awning, all you will need to do is push a button to protect your plants. Unlike fixed awnings, retractable awnings won’t make you compromise between not enough or too much sunlight. Instead, you can perfectly control the amount of sunlight your plants get based on the weather.

If you’re ready to enhance your patio or yard with a retractable awning, Sunshades Awning Company, Inc. is here to help. We offer motorized and manual retractable awnings that are up to 34 feet long. Call us today to schedule a free in-home estimate!