British summers are frustrating. You plan a day in the garden and the forecast looks good and then, at 2 pm, it’s either a glare festival or a downpour. Retractable awnings cannot control the weather, but they can control your comfort and how much you enjoy your outdoor spaces. Here are reasons people are investing in retractable awnings.
1. You Use Your Garden More
This is the most straightforward. An outdoor space is used much more frequently when it is covered, especially when the weather isn’t perfect. A retractable awning allows you to enjoy the garden at all hours and in all weather.
The retractable fitting is important here. You are not permanently committing to shade. The sun is in the right place and you want to feel it? Pull your awning back.
2. Your Home Stays Cooler
A welcoming home is bright and airy. However, with direct sunlight it can uncomfortably raise the room temperature. The usual fix is to draw the curtains, but then you lose the view.
The difference in a conservatory or an open-plan kitchen-diner environment can be felt on a bright day in an hour. It will not be fully ventilated, but it will be an improvement. If you have been using an electric fan in July it will be a pleasant surprise.
3. Your Garden Furniture Will Be Better Maintained
The damage from UV light is adds up over time. Fabrics on the cushions will fade, rattan will rot, dry wood will moisture. Most people either leave furniture out and replace it more often than they’d like, or drag it inside after every use, which can become annoying.
Outdoor furniture will certainly suffer, but with regular shade, the exposure will be less and the time between purchases will increase.
4. They’re More Versatile Than You’d Think
An awning is not just the regular striped café terrace cover. They have modern outdoor garden versions which are equipped with adjustable designs, an angle adjuster to allow more direction adjustability, with even more specificity. The sensor gently determines wind strength and will therefore retract when needed and they can be lit with integrated lights.
Devices that use a hand crank are a bit more involved than those that use a motor. Hand crank devices often take more time to set up than a motorised device that can open and close with the touch of a button. Generally, motorised devices are greatly appreciated because, once programmed, they open and close themselves.
A spring awning can fit a large patio or a small garden. It is easy to find one to fit your projections or spacing.
5. Certain Awnings Are Less Complex to Install
A fixed structure like a pergola, veranda or garden room involves groundwork and typically require a lot of time, planning, and preparation to install. Whereas a retractable awning is less complex because they only require installation on a wall, meaning that they take very little time to put up.
Although it is always important to check because certain locations do not require specific permissions. If you are located near a historical area and the awning will not obstruct access, you typically do not have to acquire permission to install.
An adjustable awning alone won’t revolutionise your garden, but it does eliminate a number of issues that deter people from using their outdoors. For many families, this is a more valuable improvement than yet another planting scheme or a new set of garden lights.