Awnings & Canopies

Often, the sunny patio or deck that’s so perfect for during the fall and spring gets so hot during the summer that it’s impossible to enjoy. An awning or canopy provides a cool, shaded area, perfect for children & pets, and the ideal place to enjoy a summer barbecue. A retractable awning extends your home’s usable living space, complements an outdoor kitchen or grilling area, and can increase the value of your home.

girls+dogs The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and children and pets are particularly susceptible to sunburn and/or dehydration. A shaded outdoor area remains cool and helps keep home residents safe from the damaging UV rays of the sun. The kids can play with the dog while you weed the garden, and afterwards you can all enjoy the view together in comfort.

Shocked by the electric bill after recent heat waves? According to the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHAE), approximately 20% of the burden placed on a standard central air conditioning unit in the summer is the result of solar heat entering through the windows of the home. The UV rays from the sun also lead to fading of furniture and draperies. Awnings not only protect your home furnishings from fading and other sun damage, but provide passive cooling for your home. Reducing the burden on your AC unit during the hottest part of the year cuts your cooling bills, extends the life of your air conditioning system, and reduces the strain on the power grid that can result in the brownouts that are so often a part of life during the late summer.

Drop Shade In homes with a southwestern exposure, even the best awning can have difficulty blocking late-afternoon sun. For this low-angled light, many awning manufacturers provide an additional shade or valance which can drop down from the edge of your regular awning and keep the glare off of your deck. These shades are usually sheer, rather than opaque, to block the sun, but not the view.

An awning or canopy can save you money, beautify your home, and increase your living space, even on the brightest of summer days. If you’re tired of getting forced inside by hot sun or light rain, consider an awning, canopy, or solar shade!

After 3 years with our HWAM stove we continue to be absolutely delighted! It is a centerpiece of our living room, with not just its warmth, but the large window into the flames. One surprise for us has been how much fireplaces have changed. The modern fireplace is truly a marvel of engineering, and HWAM is at the very forefront. You notice it by the fact that you only need to add wood every 2 hours (3 logs heat the room for 2 hours!), by the way in which the flames seem to move in slow motion, and by the very small amount of ash that remains after a whole day’s heating. In fact, often we still have enough embers in the morning to start the new fire. Finally, we have come to treasure the work that you have done in installing the fireplace. With your expert work it is so easy to start the fires. Your advice to also add a new liner to the chimney was spot on. We are delighted and thank you. All the very best of success in 2016.

— Dirk