Everything You Need To Know About Retractable Window Awnings

Posted by Sanju k on March 16th, 2017

These roof-like shelters are installed on the exterior of the home to protect it from the elements (such as heat, glare, UV rays, rain and hail). Retractable window awnings typically have hinged arms that allow for it to be extended and withdrawn as required. Many modern types can be operated by a durable motor (controlled by a wireless remote or a hard-wired switch) that does the hard work for you. Want to know more? You’ve come to the right place!

Key Benefits
These awnings offer a number of key benefits that you can take advantage of:

• They reduce glare on your windows, making it easier to watch television or work on the computer;
• They reduce UV damage to the interior of the home, which keeps your upholstery intact for longer;
• They can enhance the appearance of your home, making it the envy of your neighbours, family and friends;
• They effectively block solar heat gain (keeping your home cooler) whilst maintaining its views;
• They direct rain away from the window, which can help to keep the noise inside to a minimum during storms; and
• They can be retracted during inclement weather (particularly wind and storms) to keep them intact longer.

Key Drawbacks
These awnings also have a number of drawbacks that you need to be aware of:

• Customisation is sometimes needed to ensure optimum performance, which can affect the aesthetics; and
• If they’re deep enough to block solar heat gain on the east and west sides of the house, they may also block more daylight and the view.

Tips/Cautions
We also have a number of tips and cautions that we can offer:

• During the design and manufacture of the awnings, ask to see computer modelling of the shading patterns throughout the day; and
• If living in an apartment complex or unit development, check to see whether there are any restrictions in place.

When to Use
There are a number of situations that could call for the use of these awnings:

• When glare is a dominant issue in your home (simply shutting the blinds is not a long term solution); and
• When the climate results in unwanted solar heat gain (particularly during summer) through a large window.

Operation
There are three types of operation for retractable window awnings:

• Motorisation, which requires the use of a remote control or switch that you press to extend or withdraw the awning;
• Sensors, which automatically extend or withdraw the awning when they detect certain conditions (such as sun or rain); and
• Manual, which provides you with a crank handle that can be turned to extend and withdraw the awning as required.

Considerations
There are a number of considerations to keep in mind:

• Ease of installation (they’re relatively easy to install on single storey homes and double storey homes);
• Availability (awnings are very available in this day and age, as they have increased in popularity); and
• Cost (your choice of operation will determine the cost – manual is the cheapest and sensor is the most expensive).

If you are interested in installing retractable window awnings on your home, we hope that the information provided here has given you everything that you need to know. It is important that you make an informed decision regarding your home’s window furnishings, as this will decrease the likelihood that the wrong choice will be made. If you still have questions or concerns, be sure to speak with an awning expert – they’ll steer you in the right direction!

We provide all type of awnings including standard awnings, pivot arm awnings, canopy awnings, channel awnings, zip awnings and remote awnings in Melbourne, Australia.