Weather Armor

Awnings ~ History and its uses

Awning, a type of cover which is generally made of fabric is used as shade and shelter from scorching heat in the summer and huge downpour of rains during the rainy season. It extends over an area and does its magic; you can see them often on windows, decks, and doors.

Nowadays you might have noticed eye catching awnings in various business outlets featuring the company’s logo and color, but they go way back. History records itself with Syria and ancient Egypt as places where same kind of shades was used. Awnings used to be developed for everything back then, starting from small caravans to huge stadiums like coliseums.

How have awning evolved –

It is said that the retractable awnings were employed by the Roman Empire itself. Though, at first awnings were generally used for domestic purposes, by the middle of 1800, awnings started to show up in businesses. They became very common sighting on storefronts, the retractable version made the shopkeeper’s life a little easier while encouraging the customers to keep away from heat or rain, during shopping.

In the early days awnings were generally made from canvas, but as time passed and our society advanced, extravagant and sturdier awnings started to appear. During the industrialization period history showed a significant rise of awnings as lot of new production techniques were employed. Simple canvas awning was replaced by polyester, acrylic, vinyl, fiberglass, and aluminum awnings featuring durability, sturdiness, and low maintenance.

The retractable awnings came to be in the early 1900s, they allowed a great deal of convenience and the luxury of protection. Retractable awnings featured a pulley system that made the raveling-unraveling very easy, thus saving a lot of time and energy.

Awnings haven’t always been as effective as before. Other than just giving shade and protections, awnings have also been developed as a medium of art and advertising. Various color options and designs have been evolved to enhance the outward look. Nowadays, businesses generally display their logo and names on their awnings to grab attention of the consumers.

In a modern home, awnings can prove to be of amazing benefits. It can reduce you energy cost. You must be thinking how? Well, windows are said to be the main reason of high temperatures, with an awning, the temperature can be kept in a check. It can also help with your room air conditioning because it will generally stop the heat from entering and the cooling energy from leaving, thus enabling your air conditioning system less work.

Apart from being energy-efficient, an awning is also a great addition to a home and its accessories. Be it- expensive furniture or paint, they are vulnerable to decay once they are in constant contact of heat or moisture, but with awnings installed you don’t have to worry about a thing.

Conclusion-

They are also a great addition to any house as they enable you to enjoy outdoor activities and social reunion without the fear of getting sun burns or getting drenched in the rain.