A fixed overhang or a retractable patio awning is a great addition to a finished outdoor area. Such a shading system can help reclaim your patio or deck from nature when it is hot or raining. This fixture can expand your living space too, giving you one more option to relax or entertain guests. If you pick a design that suits your house exterior, it can boost your property’s curb appeal.
But the benefits of having a shading solution does not end outdoors. In many ways, it can also improve how you enjoy your rooms inside the house.
Intercepting the Sun’s Heat
With proper placement, an opaque canopy can reduce the amount of your infrared light coming into your house. Infrared light is the kind of radiation the sun emits that you can feel because of heat. Naturally, the more of it can enter your house, the hotter your space feels.
Contemporary fenestration products are equipped with key features to specifically reduce solar heat gain. However, you need to have ENERGY STAR-certified windows and glazed doors to get positive results. If you still have old-fashioned windows, you will need an appropriate shading system to control the entry of sunlight into your property and maintain a desirable ambient air temperature indoors more easily.
Blocking Ultraviolet Light
Besides infrared light, you also need to worry about ultraviolet radiation. As you probably know, UV rays are bad for anything they touch. Prolonged exposure to them can cause discoloration, for they notoriously break down chemical bonds. They are known to damage DNA in skin cells, increasing a person’s cancer risk over time.
Needless to say, you should block UV light as much as you can. Although you can’t completely avoid it all the time, the use of a shading solution would be a major help. If you pair an awning to high-performance windows and doors, you will have more layers of protection against sun damage.
Preventing Glare
Daylighting is good but only in moderation. Too much illumination can cause glare, which can negatively affect one’s visual performance since the eye can only manage a certain amount of light.
You might think that glare is just a minor annoyance when it partially impacts your vision, but it is further from the truth. Experiencing it on a regular basis can cause more than distraction and discomfort. Extreme causes of it can be disabling and even blinding.
The proper shade is necessary to keep the stream of natural light penetrating your house in check. It could darken your interiors to some extent, but you could still get enough daylighting when there are few clouds in the sky.
Minimizing Water Infiltration
Any canopy is basically a roof. It can repel any precipitation, making it more difficult for water, snow, and hail to reach your property. As a result, it helps keep the chances of interior moisture damage to a minimum.
Installing a shading device has many merits, but you should not buy any product. Explore your options, and consult an expert to figure out the most suitable system for your property.