For some residents of Burlington, the decision to purchase a retractable awning is an easy one. They imagine themselves enjoying their backyard with a few friends and their favourite beverages, all while being perfectly comfortable since their awning shades them from the hot sun or gentle rain. But once you’ve decided to purchase a retractable awning, there are some essential factors that you will need to consider.
Where and when will you need shade?
If you want to get the greatest amount of comfort from your awning, you will need to place it where it is going to give you the ideal shade for lounging or dining. The position of the sun is going to vary depending on the time of year.
Therefore, if you are purchasing your awning in the winter or spring, you can’t necessarily go by the current position of the sun if you are thinking that you will get the most use out of your awning in the summer. You need to think about where the sun is going to be when you are using your awning the most.
Height, width, projection, and pitch
Other factors that you need to consider when ordering and installing your new awning for your Burlington home are its height, width, projection and, pitch.
Your awning should be high enough for everyone in your household to be able to stand up underneath it comfortably, but it should not be so high that it becomes ineffective at providing shade.
How wide along the structure or home will you want to utilize? Consider how many people you would like to seat. A 15’ wide awning provides a good amount of shade for six people.
And how far would you like your awning to extend? Do you want it to cover your entire deck or patio, or do you want to leave a section uncovered so that sun-lovers and shade-lovers can socialize together in the same general area?
And then there is the pitch or slope of the awning. The pitch should be steep enough so that rainwater does not pool on top of the fabric. The steeper the pitch, the more your awning will protect you from the elements, but the darker it will feel when you are sitting underneath the awning. You will need to find the ideal pitch for you that still allows water to drain off the top. Our qualified installers at Jans Awnings will set the pitch internally to the ideal slope, which we determine after consulting with you.
Bells and whistles
Finally, you will need to think about what bells and whistles you would like to include when you order your awning. It used to be that retractable awnings had to be extended and retracted by hand – usually with a hand crank. Today, however, motorization has made the use of awnings considerably easier. Today’s retractable awnings can be opened or closed using a switch on the wall, a remote control, or even via an app on your cell phone. Selecting these types of options can be a little costlier upfront, but they will also increase the value and usefulness of your awning.
If you would like to order and install a retractable awning for your Burlington home, the team at Jans Awnings is ready to help. We can provide you with useful advice on style, placement, height, pitch, bells, and whistles and with any other question about your awning you may have. Contact us today or visit our showroom.