If you are considering a retractable awning for your home, don’t think it is as simple as dialing an 800 number and giving your credit card information. While the awning on the commercial may appear to be doing the job, and that may well be the most convenient way for your to purchase the awning, a little more time and care should be put into this decision. A retractable awning is a piece of equipment with a lot of moving parts that will be outside, exposed to the weather, year round. Before you buy one, you need to see what kind of materials were used to make it, as well as judge the quality of the workmanship. Unless there is a zoom of the mechanics in action and a list of materials on display, you just aren’t going to be able to see those things from a commercial.
The first thing you should do when choosing an awning is search for local awning installation companies, either onlie or in the phone book. Next, make calls to about a dozen of these to determine their price range, and find out if you need an appointment to come in to see their merchandise. Choose a few companies that are within your budget and 1 or 2 which are above it. Make appointments, ff necessary. Try to see the most expensive awnings first. Theoretically, the most expensive should be the best, so this will give you something with which to compare the other awnings, to see how they measure up to the higher priced product.
When you get to the showroom, look over the retractable awning at rest, then ask the salesperson to show you the awning opening and closing. Watch the joints and moving parts closely. Ask questions about the materials, such as whether certain parts are metal or plastic. Find out what kind of weather-proofing has been done. Make notes about anything, positive or negative, about the awning that stands out, such as jerky motion or all metal.
Finally, go home and compare the notes you took to the prices you were quoted and choose the best awning for your budget.
You can get a retractable awning from the Thompson Awning Company. The consultation is free, and currently on their website there's a voucher for $400 off the purchase of a particular retractable awning.
A sunsetter retractable awning is allegedly the best selling awning in the USA. It can also be found to reduce your air conditioning bill as it provides so much shade.
My dad bought our trailer because it has a retractable awning.
The best brand of awning will vary depending on what you want in your awning. Look for features you desire in your awning, then check customer reviews and testimonies on multiple sites for multiple brands. This will help you make an informed decision. Best of luck!
I suggest having your retractable awning installed by a professional awning installers. There are a lot of holes to drill in the installation process and you do not want to damage the structure of your house by trying to install the awning yourself. This is not a do it yourself job.
It depends on the brand of the retractable awning but the speed will vary. Some retractable awnings take just a few minutes or less to retract, while others take longer. It also depends on the size of the awning and power of the motor.
An electric awning is like a retractable shade. Whenever the sun is beaming on you just press the button and the awning will extend out to your liking. You can get them from many rv stores.
Entertaining outdoors is one of the many pleasures homeowners enjoy during the warmer months of the year. Deciding what type of shelter to add to the outside of your home depends on the family budget. While screened-in patios are a lovely addition, they can be cost-prohibitive. A more economical solution is the retractable awning. Retractable awnings allow you to use them when the need arises, such as when the sun is high in the sky and you and your guests need a place to stay cool and comfortable, or when sudden rain showers threaten to move everyone indoors. Once your day is over and evening sets in, you can simply roll the awning back, or retract it, toward the outside wall of your home and enjoy the night sky and air. Along with the cost savings, this is the second most popular reason for equipping your home with a retractable awning. A retractable awning is installed onto the wall of your home over the patio area and the awning, along with the lateral arms of the awning, are folded against the wall when not in use. Awnings can be retracted one of two wayseither automatically by the push of a button or a remote control or by manually cranking the awning out to its full extent. The most common type of retractable awning uses lateral arms as a support for the awning and therefore does not need support legs attached to it. This allows you and your guests to move about freely under the awning without the need to step around awning supports. Retractable awnings are made with weather-resistant materials in a variety of colors from solids to stripes and patterns. When shopping for the right retractable awning, you won’t have a problem finding just the right one to match the outside color scheme of your home. Compared to the cost of constructing an enclosed patio onto your home, the retractable awning will save you thousands of dollars. You can expect to spend no more than around $500 for a simple hand-crank awning and little more than a couple of thousand dollars for an automatic retractable awning with remote.
Measuring Tape, Wrench, Power/Hammer drill with wood drill/stone bits, Ladders(depending upon the height you need to install) are the tools you need to install a retractable awning.
You may be outdoors when the wind, rain, or snow kicks up or you may head inside and forget to retract your awning when the wind speeds begin to get going. For most, this may become a point of stress. However, if you choose a Sunesta retractable awning for your home, there is very little to be concerned about! Because Sunesta is the industry leader in producing retractable awnings that can handle high wind and rain speeds, so you can feel confident and a sense of comfort in knowing your new awning is going to handle some of the strongest winds from mother nature.
Adding a retractable awning to a porch or patio area around your home, can provide you with great protection and comfortable conditions during sunny weather and as protection from the rain. There are many great styles and sizes of retractable awnings to choose from. Step 1. Before you begin the installation of your new retractable awning, you will want to assemble all of the tools and supplies needed to do this job properly. This includes a variety of wrenches, a Phillips screw driver, a drill and bits, stud finder, carpenter’s level, chalk line, silicon sealant and the retractable awning to be installed. Step 2. Carefully read the instructions included with the retractable awning. You should lay out everything and make sure that all the pieces are included. This will make the installation process easier for you. Step 3. You will need to determine where you want your retractable awning placed. To do this you need to consider the pitch of the awning and where you want the front of the awning to hang. To accurately do this, add the pitch to the height of the awning front rail to determine the mounting height. Step 4. Using the chalk line, snap a line to use as a guide for hanging your retractable awning. Using a carpenter’s level, make sure that your line is level before beginning the installation. Step 5. Locate the studs on the inside of your wall that you will be using for mounting your awning with your stud finder. Transfer your measurement to the exterior of the wall. Step 6. To locate the center of stud you will be using, you will need to drill small holes one inch below your chalk line until the outer edges are found. Fill in holes that you do not need with silicon once you have located the center of the stud. Step 7. Using your instruction manual to determine how many brackets you will need for your specific awning, begin mounting the brackets for hanging to the exterior wall alone the line. Step 8. Attach the awning hood to the mounting brackets that you have just installed. Step 9. Insert the awning bar into the mounting brackets according to the manufacturer’s instructions and secure them in place with the bolts and washers that were included with the retractable outdoor awning kit. Step 10. Adjust the pitch of the awning to your preference once your awning is unwrapped.
I took swimming noodles and stuffed them in the gap where the birds liked to nest, and it seems to have done the trick. Many retractable awnings now retract without any gap between the home and the end of the awning. If you're getting a new awning, make sure they are using this type of new awning.