Made in the Shade with Canopies and Awnings
Once used to symbolize a divine or royal presence, awnings and canopies are now a practical addition to a home’s arsenal against damaging Southern California sunshine.
Protection against the elements is a year-round business. November, for example, is the brightest month in San Diego County, getting 74% of possible sunshine, whereas the summer months of May and June get considerably less sun.
The awnings business in this country is more than a century old, said Jim Anderson of SunMaster Products in San Marcos. In the early days, awnings were used primarily by shopkeepers, in part to attract attention to their businesses. While those were typically made of cotton and supported by steel hardware, awnings today have smaller hardware often made of aluminum and are covered with synthetic fabrics available in a huge array of colors.
The main purpose of an awning is to keep the sun from heating up the window glass or outside wall, Anderson said. This helps to maintain the inside indoor temperature of a building.
In the United States, people usually think of interior shading devices. In Europe, Anderson said, it is just the opposite--it is all exterior and no interior.
“Interior shading does not make sense,” Anderson said. “All it does is block ultraviolet light and direct sunlight, but it doesn’t block the heat gain. The windows and walls still get hot and radiate heat inward. And you have these beautiful looking mini-blinds or vertical blinds and all kinds of interior shading devices that look good, but don’t do anything except perhaps help to prevent interior fabrics from fading.”
Today, there are basically two types of awnings available: fixed, both fabric and aluminum; and those that can be adjusted to compensate for changing weather conditions.
Fabric Awnings
Most people are familiar with the fixed type but, according to Anderson, retractable fabric awnings, popular for 30 years in Europe, are gaining in popularity in this country. This type of system gives you shade when you want it and no shade when that’s what you want, he said.
Of course, retractable awnings are not new on this side of the Atlantic.
They have been around since the turn of the century--mostly used over storefronts. And, retractable awnings have been used on recreational vehicles for many years.
There are two types of retractable awnings: One type extends from the side of the house to protect a window or large area such as a patio, sun room or wall of a house.
Another new type of awning called a vertical rolling solar screen, which also is popular in Europe. The screen of this awning is installed on the outside of a window and can be adjusted vertically. It blocks the sun’s ultraviolet rays and also the heat gain of the glass by about 80% to 90%. It also can be used for wind-blockage and to provide privacy, for example, around a back-yard hot tub.
The normal projection for a retractable awning is 12 feet, but it can be just about any length. These awnings can be retracted manually or automatically by a “tubular” motor hidden inside the roll tube. Motorized awnings also can be controlled by a sun sensor--a solar photocell that senses the sun’s intensity.
The awnings’ reaction to the sun’s intensity can be adjusted at a panel on your wall. When the heat from the sun reaches a predetermined level, the awning projects outward. When the sun goes down, the awning retracts.
To protect your retractable awnings in a high wind, this unit also has a device that senses wind velocity. When the wind reaches a certain level, it retracts the awning. Then, when the wind dies down, it projects the awning back out. Like the others, the curving shade also can be operated either manually or mechanically.
“For the San Diego County climate, the best fabric for awnings is woven acrylic because it is the longest lasting and the most colorful,” Anderson said.
According to Bob Kushner, a salesman for SunMaster Products, prices for a retractable awning for a typical bedroom window start at $500. A motor adds about $500. For larger awnings, such as a 12-foot wide by 15-foot long retractable patio awning, the cost is $1,500, plus the cost of a motor.
Aluminum Awnings
In addition to providing shade for windows and patios, aluminum awnings can be used as carports and roofs for enclosed patios. They also are decorative, according to Bill Helvin, owner of American Awning Company in San Marcos. Ceiling colors come in a variety of shades and wood tones. These, in combination with snap-in trim allow for a great diversity of color combinations.
Most aluminum patio and carport roofs are supported by metal posts with the familiar “S” shaped decoration in between. But wooden posts, which can be painted any color, also can be used to support aluminum structures. In fact, according to Helvin, a new section of the Lawrence Welk Mobile Home Park specified wooden posts for all its patios and carports for aesthetic reasons.
The price of aluminum awnings ranges from the economy to the deluxe. An aluminum awning for an average-sized bedroom window costs $200 to $300, and a 12-foot by 15-foot aluminum awning can cost from $1200 to $1700, or $6 to $10 per square foot.
Awnings can help cut energy use, Anderson said.
“With a proper shading system, people can. . . . generate enough cost savings to pay for the awnings,” he said.
Other contractors specializing in both fabric and aluminum awnings can be found in area telephone directories.
But, Helvin cautions: For your own protection; no matter what type of awning you choose, make sure the individual you deal with is licensed, bonded, and preferably a member of the Better Business Bureau. Anyone can verify if a contractor is property licensed by calling the State Contractors License Board at 1-800-321-2752.
