Patio Awning Creates New Living Space

Dear Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee,

We recently moved into a new home with a large patio facing west, so we get quite a bit of sun. The patio is too hot during the late afternoon, so we were thinking of adding a cover to the patio, but don't want to block the sky and lovely sunset in the evenings. We cannot decide what to do.

Signed,

Any suggestions

Dear Any suggestions,

A retractable awning for your patio would be a good choice. The awning will shade the patio, keep the temperature cooler, and your patio will become a new living space, an outdoor room. Then, when the temperature cools down in the evening, you can retract the awning to enjoy the beautiful sunset.

Choose an awning fabric and style that complements your existing structure. In addition, research retractable awning companies in your area for best prices and guaranteed warranty of the product. The retractable awning should not be used in the winter or inclement weather to increase its life span. A retractable awning has an average life span of 25 years.