It’s one of the top questions we get from our customers. Energy costs are continuing to rise with retail and residential electricity rates rising about 15% across the nation over the last 10 years. Energy savings translate directly into dollars savings so it’s understandable that people want to know if an investment in awnings is going to help pay for itself.
The simple answer is yes.
Both fixed and retractable awnings do help you save energy, especially if you live in a Southern state like those of us here in Upstate SC. We’re not just saying that because we sell awnings, we have some strong data to back it up. The Professional Awning Manufacturer’s Association did a huge Energy Savings Study in 2012 including 50 cities that stretched across all 50 states. The data showed that in a hot year, awnings can reduce annual cooling energy by more than 25% compared to homes with unshaded windows. This can amount to $200 or more in energy savings every year.
So, how do awnings do it?
How do those simple, beautiful window and door coverings help save on cooling costs all while giving you some massive curb appeal? It really is all about making shade. About 76% of the sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters a home to become heat during the warmer months. This is called solar heat gain. Solar heat gain is responsible for almost 20% of the load on your air conditioner. Awnings reduce solar heat gain through windows. In fact, window awnings can reduce heat gain in the summer by up to 65% on south-facing windows and 77% on west-facing windows.
Basically, awnings keep it cooler inside your home so you don’t have to crank up that air conditioning quite so high. However, energy savings from awnings actually occur on two levels. While they help save homeowners money on cooling costs, they also contribute to a reduction in demand for energy. This makes them an environmentally friendly choice for homeowners concerned about greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel usage.
We all know that curb appeal does matter.
Fortunately, there are several different types of awnings available so you can get the energy savings advantages and also get the all-important unique look that suits your home.
