Should You Still Use Patio Awnings In Autumn And Winter

Patio awnings are often associated with warmer months when people spend more time in their gardens. They can help block out the harmful UV rays from the sun, provide shelter, and give people a cool spot to rest outdoors.

However, these innovations aren’t redundant in the colder months. Here’s what some of their uses are during the autumn and winter seasons.

Patio Awnings Can be Retractable

You may not use your patio awning as much in general. Consequently, if you’re considering installing your own, you may feel it’s best to hold off until the warmer months. However, the Nationwide awnings are often retractable. You will only have a stylish yet discrete cassette mounted on the wall when not in use. Using a remote control, you can simply press a button to activate the awning, which will extend instantly. Nationwide also work with world-class suppliers for the best fabric and ensure each offering is tailor-made for your requirements. You can learn more at their website if you’re interested.

As you can see, patio awnings won’t get in your way. It’s especially important to remember if you’re worried they’ll seem like an unsightly excess in the colder months. Moreover, it’s unlikely you’ll have them out of use for the entirety of autumn and winter anyway, as extending them can yield many advantages at those times of the year.

Patio Awnings Retain and Emit Heat

The UK can get immensely cold. Any solution that helps you retain the heat certainly isn’t to be scoffed at. Furthermore, retaining heat within the home has never been more important. After all, energy bills are unfortunately continuing to rise, and covering these costs is becoming less feasible. Common measures for retaining the heat in the home include closing and sealing windows and investing in things like rugs and curtains. However, awnings also have an important part to play.

Not only do awnings block UV rays, but they can also help retain heat in your home. The fabric also emits heat, meaning the surrounding area may feel a bit warmer. Their inclusion isn’t going to warm up your home alone, but as part of a series of measures you’ve implemented, patio awnings can certainly be advantageous to have. 

Patio Awnings Offer Weather Protection

Bleak weather can arrive at any time of year in the UK. The likelihood of it doing so rises a bit in autumn and winter, with rain and snow cascading down and bitter winds sweeping across people’s properties. Therefore, your patio awning can provide extra protection from harsh elements. Ornaments and garden furniture should hopefully be intact. Like the use of awnings to retain and emit heat, you should also have other measures in place, such as coverings or storage units, but awnings can still contribute to that overall plan effectively. 

Try not to underestimate the amount of help your shelter can provide at this time of year. Last year it was forecasted that more severe winters would be arriving due to climate change, and strong gusts of wind can rip tiles off rooftops or even uproot trees. Ultimately, it’s important to be prepared, and awnings are a useful step toward that goal.

Patio Awnings Can Help You Rest

Some homeowners let their gardens wither away and die in the autumn and winter. There can be a misconception that there’s very little one can do at these times of the year. Nevertheless, there are plenty of projects one can get on with in their garden during the winter; planting and pruning winter flowers, helping your garden birds live comfortably, repairing fences, or maintaining compost bins. You certainly can’t neglect your outdoor space, and you may well have your work cut out for you.

Having a place to retreat to rest at while all this is going on is a huge bonus. With the shelter and charming aesthetic of an awning above you, you can sit in your patio area and feel less inclined to head inside, get comfortable, and dread heading back out again. You’re technically outside, but patios can feel like a nice middle ground between indoors and outdoors with an awning installed, so use that to practical effect.

Patio Awnings Provide Colour

Even if the weather isn’t particularly dramatic and dangerous, autumn and winter can still be bleaker times of the year in the UK. You can expect to see many grey skies at those times of the year and beyond. Still, patio awnings can be bright and cheerful in a garden space, irrespective of the weather. They can be striped and patterned, themed on places like the Mediterranean, or feature in any other combination of colour and design. Their presence can inject a bit of character into your garden, even when things seem most dreary outside.

It’s not just about lifting spirits, either. Colour schemes often play an important role in garden design. Plants and garden furniture can add to it effectively, but something like an awning can be the figurative cherry on the cake and bring everything else together.