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Different Kind Of Awnings
They
provide protection from the sun's heat, as well as
harmful UV, and UVB rays. In many cases, shades can
cool down your deck or patio by as much as 20%, and
keep the inside cooler even more.
Awnings are made up of three components. One is the
frame work, which is usually made from aluminum or
light steel. These are strong enough to support the
weight of the awning itself, but light enough for
recreational vehicles. The actual covering itself
can be made from a variety of different materials,
but canvas, and plastic are the most common. There
are also metal sheeting, and PVC plastics that are
used, but these are more commonly found in permanent
applications. Then there is the mounting brackets,
and rollers. The mounting brackets can be sheet
metal screws for securing it to the sides of motor
homes and trailers, or anchor bolts for permanent
structures. While you do see some permanent awnings
mounted on rollers, they are mostly for trailers and
recreational vehicles, because they are spring
loaded, and easily pulled out and put back for
travel. RV uses also include retractable legs which
can also be folded up and secured to the side.
There are a variety of awning lengths and widths as
well. Small rigid models are ideal for installing
over windows to keep the heat out of a room during
the day. Some can be as big as 20x40' for patios and
decks. For travel vehicles, they are usually long
enough to cover the exterior door and windows, and
pull out ten to twenty feet. Once set up, there are
optional accessories that can convert it to a
completely screened off temporary room.
If
you are planning on getting an awning, then there
are some things you need to do. One of the is
measure the length and width of the area you want to
cover. Then you need to decide on the materials. Any
cover that is for recreational vehicle use should
also have an extra protective coating to prevent it
from fading too fast. It should also be made from a
material that is lightweight such a plastic, or
coated fabric. Then there are the costs involved.
While you can pick up a basic awning for under $500,
you need to have it installed properly. While many
people instal these on their homes themselves, it is
a wise idea to have them professionally installed on
motor homes and trailers. There are many websites
available that have a wide selection of products and
accessories for all of your awning needs. It is
important to check these out carefully, to compare
prices, options, and installation. Shipping, set up
and delivery costs should also be a factor in buying
an awning. You also need to find out what how long
the average warranty is and pick the one with the
longest.
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