Awnings Reduce Utility Bills
It seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to awnings. Businesses and homes can significantly reduce the costs of utility bills by shrinking energy consumption and costs of buying power. Even windows that are double-paned and coated still let-in about 50% of the heat from Old Sol. Blocking the sun’s rays with awnings is an effective way to keep the daylight from overheating your rooms.
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1.Patio Awning
Doing it right once eliminates having to fix your mistakes and then pay a pro to get the job done correctly.
When you have a patio awning installed, you’ve basically just added another room to your home’s living spaces. The deck or patio will become a favorite gathering spot when you add shade and protection from the elements.
One thing you might want to consider when purchasing a patio awning: Look into a retractable one rather than one that’s stationary. This can be a wise choice in the winter months as it will not catch the falling snow build-up. Likewise, in high-wind storms, being able to compact the awning will keep it from weather damage.
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2.Window Awnings
Eyelids for your windows come in many different styles. First, determine whether you want adjustable or stationary awnings. They are both good choices during the summer months as they will help you reduce peak electricity demands in the afternoon. Adjustable awnings are flexible by nature; you can control the intensity of shading during the day. In the winter, you want more of the sun’s heat to come inside.
Fabric awnings or aluminum slats are another choice you’ll want to make. What gives light metal awnings an advantage is that it’s more durable than cloth. Aluminum holds up better in severe weather. It’s also less likely to age as quickly as fabric. This holds true whether it’s fixed or adjustable.
Venetian awnings are side-less and work well for windows that face the south. They are especially well-suited because the most intense sun rays come from overhead.
Hood-style awnings with sides do well to keep out afternoon heat, radiated from above. You could go really cheap and simply stick a flat, short board over the window. That too will block the sun. It just looks terrible.
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3.Dimensions
You want window awnings installed that are properly sized. How far do they stick out from the house’s external wall? This consideration provides an important value: You want to block the summer sun, but let the cold months capitalize from any other source of heat. If you’re going with stationary awnings this makes a lot of sense because the amount of shading is not adjustable.
Here’s how to calculate the one dimension of awning you need for the various sizes of outdoor windows. You’re going to have to investigate the left-to-right angle for your area. This will help you determine how high the sun is in the sky. It will further lead you to discover the sun’s angle of incidence on the particular window.
Since the sun’s height varies from season-to-season and day-to-day, check on either the Internet or your local library. You’re looking to find out the sun’s location for various times of day, regions and seasons.
You say you weren’t in the Math Club? Do a mock-up awning with cardboard and experiment with sizes to determine what’s right for that window.
Doing it right once eliminates having to fix your mistakes and then pay a pro to get the job done correctly.