Bring Your Patio to Life

8/22/2008

(ARA) - Do you ever find yourself wishing you could use your deck or patio more often but find it to be useless because of the weather? Imagine turning your deck or patio into a usable outdoor living space where you can spend more time enjoying life no matter what the weather.

With the simple push of a button, automated retractable awnings are the perfect solution to a deck or patio that isn't used often because of intense sun and other weather factors that would disrupt you from enjoying outdoor living. Great protection from the sun and creating a more comfortable and enjoyable space are just some of the benefits you will get from an automated retractable awning. What makes them an exceptional value are all the additional benefits they provide.

Retractable awnings are a great way of preventing the sun and heat from entering a home. By providing shade to windows and patio doors, interior temperatures can be significantly reduced which will ultimately help to reduce cooling costs. According to an energy study conducted by PAMA (Professional Awning Manufacturers Association), more energy is lost through glass doors and windows than through any other part of the home. On a hot day, more energy comes through one square foot of glass than through an entire insulated wall. Solar radiation through glass is responsible for approximately 20 percent of the load on an air conditioner.

An awning, for example, can help solve this problem by reducing heat gain by 55 to 65 percent. For western exposure, the reduction in heat gain is 72 to 77 percent. And that's not all you save, because an automated retractable awning reduces the amount of sunlight and glare that enters a home, it protects your interior carpets, window treatments and furnishings from fading as well.

"Automated retractable awnings also enhance the beauty of your home. Retractable awnings come in a wide variety of decorative colors and designs which will give your home added value," says Mitch Klein, business development manager for Somfy Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer that specializes in motors and controls for awnings. "Automated retractable awnings are powered with a concealed motor that can simply be plugged into a standard 120V electrical outlet. The awning will effortlessly extend or retract with a hand-held remote or a wireless wall switch."

For the ultimate in convenience, your retractable awning can be controlled automatically with a wind sensor that will draw in the awning upon detecting a strong gust of wind or with a sun sensor that will extend the awning based on the sun's intensity. The functional control options are WireFree and operate via either battery or solar power which means no additional wiring or complicated installation.

Don't let your deck or patio become a lifeless space that you wish you could use. Give it a new life with an automated retractable awning. Creating the perfect backyard is a homeowner's dream and an automated retractable awning is the perfect complement to outdoor kitchens, spas, entertainment centers and furniture. An automated retractable awning creates an outdoor family room in less then 60 seconds and defines a space on your deck or patio so you can spend more time outdoors. Courtesy of ARAcontent