Awnings are an excellent way to provide shade and protection from the sun’s UV rays for your home. Well-fabricated awnings can keep you cool all day in summer while also protecting you and your furnishings from the dangers of prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light. There are several benefits to adding awnings to the exterior of your home. One of the biggest advantages is the energy savings that will result in lower utility bills. Let’s explore 3 ways awnings can save you in energy costs.
1. Reduces Solar Heat Gain in Summer
Installing awnings above south and west-facing windows is an excellent way to keep the interior of your home cool in summer. The temperature inside your home can be reduced by blocking the sun’s direct heat in summer with an awning. This means you won’t need to run your air conditioning continuously. Using less AC will ultimately result in lower utility costs. According to the Department of Energy, solar gain inside your home can be reduced in summer by up to 65% from awnings above south-facing windows and up to 77% from awnings placed above west-facing windows.
2. Lowers Humidity
If you are dependent on a dehumidifier or your HVAC system fan to control the humidity inside your home, awnings can help with the cost of running these appliances. Moisture tends to increase inside a home for different reasons. It can be caused by condensation forming on windows and interior wall surfaces when the sun’s heat enters the house. A home that is too warm can cause people to perspire more, which adds to the humidity levels. One of the dangers of high moisture and humidity levels inside your home is that it encourages mold and mildew growth. With awnings blocking the heat of the sun, lower humidity will result and that means less need for running dehumidifiers and AC. Hence, lower electricity costs.
Another way that humidity levels will increase inside your home is when moisture enters through gaps around door and window casings, deteriorated or missing siding, and improperly waterproofed foundation walls. One way to keep rain and snow from entering your home through these compromised areas is by leaving awnings open during wet weather. The water will be diverted away from the foundations, windows, doors, and exterior walls.
3. Offers Usable Outdoor Space
Awnings can reduce AC costs by creating a cooler outdoor space that is an extension of your home. Placing an awning over an outdoor terrace or deck when entertaining guests in summer offers a shaded and dry environment that will discourage people from wanting to go inside the house where the air conditioning is running. It also discourages from being tempted to constantly open and close the doors to go in and out of the house. Open doors result in your air conditioning working too hard every time the cooler indoor air escapes from the interior to the exterior.
An awning offers an opportunity to create more usable space adjacent to your home that offers a cool environment to relax and dine al-fresco. Spending more time outdoors not only helps to reduce utility bills it can also improve your health just by breathing in fresh oxygen rather than conditioned air that continues to recirculate.