Awnings are often considered warm-weather outdoor features, providing shade from the sun and a cool outdoor space for summer enjoyment. But did you know that with the right design and materials, awnings can be just as valuable in the winter?
High-quality awnings can help protect your space from snow, rain, and chilly winds, creating a versatile outdoor area year-round. However, selecting the correct type of awning for winter use is essential for maximizing its durability and performance.
This guide will explore how fabric and metal awnings can be adapted for winter use, including tips on choosing the best materials and ratings.
Adding a durable, winter-ready awning to your outdoor space offers a variety of benefits:
– Weather Protection: Awnings provide shelter from snow, sleet, and rain, keeping outdoor areas drier and cleaner.
– Energy Savings: Well-designed awnings can reduce heating costs by acting as an insulative barrier, minimizing heat loss around windows and doors.
– Extended Outdoor Space: Awnings create a usable outdoor area during colder months, making it easy to enjoy fresh air without being fully exposed to the elements.
– Increased Property Value: Installing a high-quality awning that functions year-round adds appeal and value to your property, enhancing aesthetics and functionality.
Choosing suitable materials and ratings is crucial to enjoying these benefits during the winter. Winter weather stresses awnings, so selecting those with adequate strength, durability, and resistance to extreme conditions is essential.
While there are awning types that fair well in the winter, it is important to mention that not all are rated for the wind, or the snow load. Here are some important factors to consider if your desire is to use your awning year round:
Install an Awning with High Load Capacity: Make sure the awning is desired to hold the extra weight. Depending on how dense the snow is, a cubic foot of snow can weigh anywhere between seven and twenty pounds.
Install an Awning With Pitch Adjustment: If you don’t wish to install a metal awning, or an awning that can accommodate the extra weight, then installing an awning with pitch adjustment, or a pitch that will allow the snow to fall off and hit the ground without accumulation.
Fabric awnings are often preferred for their aesthetic appeal and flexibility in design. However, not all fabrics are suited for winter weather. When choosing fabric awnings for year-round use, consider materials that offer durability, water resistance, and resistance to mildew and UV rays.
Vinyl Coated Fabrics are ideal for year-round use because they are waterproof, abrasive resistant, and east to clean. Vinyl is also quit smooth preventing the snow from sticking on the canvas.
Another option for winter use is solution-dyed fabrics. They are water-resistant and naturally resistant to mildew, making them perfect for damp winter conditions. Some premium brands even coat these fabrics with additional water-repellent treatments to further improve their durability.
These fabrics offer excellent water resistance, long-lasting color, and natural mildew protection.
Retractable awnings offer unique advantages during winter, as they can be adjusted to adapt to weather conditions. Retractable awnings can be safely retracted in heavy snow or strong winds to prevent damage from snow buildup or gusty winds, significantly extending their lifespan compared to fixed awnings.
This flexibility also allows you to manage sunlight during the colder months, retracting the awning to let more natural light into your home, which can provide additional warmth and reduce heating costs.
Additionally, retractable awnings protect your outdoor spaces from rain or sleet when extended, creating an area where you can enjoy fresh air even in winter. With the convenience of retractable functionality, these awnings provide year-round versatility and ensure optimal protection and comfort throughout every season.
Metal awnings are known for their sturdiness, durability, and low-maintenance properties. They are typically made from aluminum or galvanized steel, which makes them well-suited for harsh winter conditions. They can hold snow in the winter as well with little to no issues.
Aluminum is a popular choice for awnings due to its lightweight nature, rust resistance, and ability to withstand various weather conditions. Aluminum awnings are particularly well-suited for winter use as they don’t warp or degrade in cold weather. Many aluminum awnings are powder-coated for added protection, giving them a sleek, resilient finish.
This type of awning offers a range of benefits, including rust resistance, low maintenance, and durability in snow and ice.
Not all awnings are designed to stay up year-round. When looking at a year-round awning it is important that the awning can take a snow load. At Country Canvas we design each awning independently depending on its use, projection and pitch. Ideally, a year-round canopy should be a welded aluminum frame with a vinyl top.
High Pitch: A pitch system allows the snow to easily shed heavy snow, preventing buckling or breaking.
While choosing an awning with a high snow capacity may seem like the best solution, snowfall can be unpredictable, so it is often better to choose an angled awning so snow does not accumulate on the awning.
A winter-ready awning requires materials, design, and installation expertise to ensure durability and performance. That’s where Country Canvas Awnings comes in. Specializing in high-quality, custom-made awnings, Country Canvas Awnings has the knowledge and experience to help you choose an awning that meets the demands of winter weather while enhancing the aesthetics of your property.
Our team is dedicated to helping you select the best materials and ratings, ensuring that your awning provides protection, comfort, and energy savings all year long.
The other option, is to take your awning down in the winter. Country Canvas offers awning winterization services where we take down your awning, store it for you in our facility, and make any repairs that are necessary!
Contact Country Canvas Awnings today to learn more about our winter-ready awning options or winterization!
Your investment is safe under the care of our experienced staff of awning professionals. Enhance your home and make the most of our outdoor space with our help!
Call Country Canvas Awnings at 724-228-2707 or use the form to get more information or to schedule your service.
Country Canvas Awnings has referred several customers to Dollar Bank for financing. Learn more information about financing with Dollar Bank.
