Green awnings

 

 


There are many home improvement products available today that are considered “green.” However, most people overlook one of the most obvious ones: the aluminum window awning. This has been available since the mid-40s. It is an attractive item for the home or the workplace that will surpass the initial price many times with the money saved on energy costs.

 

Aluminum awnings provide complete protection from the heat and the damaging rays of the sun. Awnings on the south and west sides of a home are perfect examples of ways to save on energy spending when cooling the home.

 

A white aluminum awning reflects the sun’s heat, which also reduces cooling expenses. Most consumers realize that the sun can be very damaging when coming through a glass window and landing on the windowsill, the furniture, the drapes and the carpet.

 

For example, take a wooden end table with a lamp sitting on it and place it by a window without any type of sun protection. Wait a few months and move the lamp, and then you will see a perfect ring where the lamp was sitting. The sun has damaged the exposed wood, and is also shining on the drapes, furniture, and carpet, meaning you will need to replace these items sooner, rather than later.

 

Awnings can also provide interior and exterior protection for your home against hail-producing storms and airborne debris. It can be more costly to replace windows or repair damage inside the home, caused by flying glass, wind, or rain, than to mend or purchase a new window awning.

 

And if the awning is damaged beyond repair, it is aluminum and 100 percent recyclable. Therefore, it can be used to produce other products, thus saving our resources for future generations.

 

The same types of savings that you can receive from aluminum awnings are available with patio covers. Patio covers provide protection against the elements beating down on wood decks. This decreases the amounts of deck treating and sealing that are needed. It also cuts down the number of trees used in constructing new decks. As a result, fewer chemicals enter the environment and more resources remain in our forests for future generations.

 

An aluminum awning or patio cover is an investment that not only retains, but multiplies, its value from the initial investment cost, helping you save energy and natural resources, simultaneously.