How to Maintain Retractable Awnings?

A retractable awning is a perfect addition to your home, particularly when it is hot! An awning can bring the down the temperature of your home considerably and also provide shade to the eating table and chair, or seating area outside. Plus, the fact that retractable awning is convertible and you can use it as and when required makes it worth the purchase. It also provides shade when the weather is incredibly hot thus saving energy spent on air conditioning.

 

Retractable Awnings

Top Ways to Protect and Maintain Retractable Awnings

Here are some ways to maintain your awnings from the day to day ravages it undergoes.

Cleaning-Like everything else you should clean your awnings regularly as it prevents accumulation of dust and debris. If it is not cleaned for long, the awning will develop dust and stains. The accumulation of every day debris and dust will further damage the retractable awnings. You can either get the help of professional awning cleaners who can clean your awning at a good price or you can also do the job on your own, all you need is a soft bristle broom and some soapy water to clean the surface.

Protection- Though relaxing under the awning while you roast your meat or veggies on a charcoal sounds like a great idea. But the soot from the charcoal grill stains the awning. Soot can also cause permanent damage to the aesthetic value of your awning. So, you better do that under an open sky or under the smart awning.

Daily attention-Hanging twigs and leaves can permanently cause damage to the structure. The leaves from trees can cause stains on the canvas which requires you to use strong brushes and detergents that can cause the canvas to fade and cause the material to depreciate cutting down on the shelf-life of the awning to a great extent.

Mindful of tears– Sometimes due to sudden changes in the weather, your awning may develop certain tears and if you do not attend to the tears quickly these tears may get larger still permanently damaging your awning. So, you should always repair small tears as soon as they appear. For this immediate care and attention, you would have to inspect the awning regularly to avoid the occurrence of the tears getting large and causing so much damage to the awning that it becomes irreparable.

Install properly-When you own an awning make sure it remains protected from scratches when you switch it on or off. The constant abrasion will also cause the awning to tear. To avoid such circumstances ensure that the structure is properly installed and it does not lean on rough surfaces.

Retract when necessary– Retractable awnings are supposed to protect your home from the harsh sun and not strong gusts of wind. So when it is particularly windy, or there are hailstorms or snowing pretty heavily, remember to retract your awnings. Also, avoid jamming the front bar on to the rolled fabric. Ensure that the fabric rolls above the roller tube and not from under it. Continue to lubricate the arm to bring down friction. This helps extends the shelf-life of the awning.

Now that you know all about how to maintain the folding arm awnings, take care of it and enjoy the proper functioning of the awnings for years to come.

Advantages of Having Retractable Awnings in Your Home

Retractable awnings are really the more useful and convenient type of awning to use. They score big over stationary awnings as they can be retracted and extended whenever you want to, protecting your home from the ravages of rough weather. The fact that they are also available in motorised and manual rolling systems, makes them the most sought after. Most manufacturers provide them a warranty period of at least 5 years and it can also depend on the type of fabric used.

Retractable Awnings

Benefits of using Retractable Awnings 

  Here are some benefits of using retractable awnings at your home,

  • It protects your skin- Folding arm awnings can protect your skin from the harmful UVA and UVB rays which comes from the sun and can severely damage your skin and the constant exposure to the sun can also inflict great sun burns. But you cannot stay put in your home for ages since sunny days are to be enjoyed and with retractable roof systems, you can enjoy the view without affecting your skin health.
  • Homeowners can up the aesthetic quotient of your home- This can be attained by installing retractable awnings. This is the perfect way to not only increase the look of the building but also provide a nice relaxed outdoor atmosphere. There are also a great collection of outdoor but retractable awnings and they also come in a great many sizes and styles. Thus, you can choose the right one with great ease.
  • Shields your expensive furniture and items. Your furniture when it is left out in the sun may get damaged. The harsh rays of the sun are capable of waning draperies, flooring materials, and also the furniture. Retractable awnings can offer ample protection from the sunlight to which they are exposed.
  • They are energy efficient- If the price of the retractable awning is worrying you, you have to know this that blocking the path of sunrays can significantly cool things down, thus, in turn, saving energy and it also cuts down on heat gain and cut down the electric bill with great efficiency.
  • You can save money on tinted glasses- Some people opts for tinted glass or window film to reduce the glare. However, the energy saved by this way is not very efficient, when compared to awnings. In fact, it is said that the heat gain by awnings can be cut down to be almost 50%-77%. So, with this, it becomes increasingly evident that you can eventually regain the money you have spent on buying it.
  • Lower energy bills- Summer usually means having your air conditioner on full blast. But this dependence on air-conditioner results in higher energy bill. On the other hand, awnings offer a cooling effect without the need of any additional energy. It drastically reduces about 25% of the money spent on your exorbitant utility bill.

Hence, when you consider all the benefits of the retractable awnings you will get to know that retractable awning is not only energy efficient and provides enhanced aesthetic appeal it also makes sense that investing on retractable awnings will give you rich dividends.

5 Questions to Ask When Choosing Outdoor Blinds for today?

Trying to upgrade your outdoor space with outdoor roller blinds? We know it cannot be easy to do, as there are hundreds of options to choose from, also you want to choose one which is customised to your needs and matches your home décor. Also, you need it to be practical so that it can be operated easily. So, you see, you need to look into a lot of aspects before you make that purchase. We don’t want your purchase experience to be too hard for you and so we thought how about making things easy for you? These 5 questions will help you purchase the outdoor blinds without any hassle! Let us go down to the five questions which each one of you should ask yourself before zeroing in on the purchase.

outdoor blinds

1. Which should I choose? Motorised or manual outdoor blinds?

Both the choices for outdoor blinds or café blinds, manual and motorised can serve your purpose. But while both types of outdoor blinds will provide the shade and protection you require, consider the following factors to make that correct choice. The chief difference that separates the motorised from the manual blinds is how they are operated. Motorised blinds can be operated electronically by a fixed switch or even a remote control, while a crank system helps operate a manual blind. Though motorised blinds are the easier one to operate. They are also pretty expensive so choose the one that suits your budget.

2. The different kinds of outdoor blind designs- which are the ones you can buy.

There a range of outdoor blind designs available which you can choose from. The different kinds of choices are HD channel blinds, slide track blinds and clip outdoor blinds. The HD channel blinds are a good choice to be used in patio areas of homes and businesses. The versatile crank & clip blinds are also ideal choices to be used in challenging installations and areas. The slide track blinds are a great choice when you want to create an invisible and sleek appearance. That’s not all there are other outdoor blind styles to choose such as roof to fence blinds, wire guide blinds, and external window blinds.

3. Different materials to be used in outdoor blinds- Which one to choose?

Mostly outdoor blinds are manufactured from acrylic materials, mesh fabrics and PVC’s, and are usually available in a wide range of colors, also the quality varies according to the different manufacturers. The different features to look out for are good quality, boasts of UV protection, outdoor fabrics that won’t wear or tear easily and also protects from rain and wind.

4. Focus on the quality of the products-What are the good quality products?

A good quality outdoor blind is not only made with quality fabrics but it will also fit your outdoor area perfectly. Besides taking a good look at the quality of fabrics, find out more about the electronic and remote systems, the quality of operating system elements which are straps, cranks, clips and locking features, besides of course the workmanship and installation process.

5. Are these the best outdoor blinds system?

Any outdoor roller blinds which have the following features such as comfort, an aesthetic appeal can qualify as a good outdoor blinds system. Choose an outdoor blind supplier who will provide perfect quality outdoor blinds. Look out for other factors like product customisation, workmanship and installation turnaround times.

When you have asked yourself these 5 questions you will be able to decide which the outdoor blinds tailor-made for your needs are. Go ahead and make the right choice!