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Awnings for Winter and Summer

With the cold spell and snowy weather we had recently, the last thing people are thinking of is spending time outside in their garden. This article is to let you know you still can and in a degree of comfort too. Awnings have long been known for their convenience in shading you from the hot summer sun and allowing you to sit outside, protected from the sun and the occasional summer shower but due to advancements in technology, the awning experience can now be all year round.

Awnings come in two categories, a simple square bar system which is the most cost effective and is literally a steel tube, which fabric is rolled onto. A drawback of this system is that it has no protection from the weather as when the awning is retracted, the fabric is not covered and therefore open to the elements. Hoods above the awning can be made but unfortunately, wind and rain go in all directions and this hood will only protect the top. The ultimate in awnings is a fully cassetted system, so when the awning is retracted back, it fits snugly into its own cassette box, thus totally protecting the fabric and the hardware. It is also has a much neater look than the bulky square bar system. That takes care of the awning itself during the winter months but what about you? There are now waterproof fabrics available which can be used in rain. Previously, fabric ranges only included water repellent, which basically meant it will keep you dry but after a time the water on top of the awning would seep through, however with this new range of fabrics, it is totally waterproof and also easily cleaned.

We then need to take a look at the various options that can make sitting outin winter more comfortable. Keeping warm would be first on my list and that can be achieved by using infra red fire systems. These neat fires come with two sets of lights built in, each with a 1.5KW output. Infra red heat is a radiant form of heating and has the ability to heat objects or people directly, without having to heat the air in between. Another bonus is that the remote control used to control the awnings projection out and retraction back, can also be configured to control the lights and the fires on separate channels to allow you to sit down and have complete control of everything in front of you.

To complete the experience, climate controls can also be added to the system. Wind and sun sensors are used in many installations these days and consist of an anemometer, which measures wind speeds and a light sensor, which measures the lux level (sun or light). In the case of the wind sensor, wind is an awnings worst enemy so when the wind reaches a pre-defined speed the awning will automatically retract back into its box even if you are not home. As mentioned, the unit also has a sun sensor built in so when the sun shines, the awning is activated to come out and when the sun goes in, it will retract.

There is also a stand alone awning system, that is not fitted to a wall and in theory, can cover over 30 square metres using two awnings back to back. The fires and lights can still be used and the frame can be held in position using planter boxes as in the image to the right or can be permanently cemented into the ground. As long as power can be supplied to the area, you can still have all the remote functions you have with a standard wall mounted awning but will be able to position the system wherever you want within your garden or property.

For more details on this article, why not take a look at the videos on our products, including one on our awning sytems. I hope this article is of help.

Gallery - click on the thumbnails to view each video and photo

Stand alone awning system