When it comes to an outdoor entertainment space or a protective add-on for your home, the options are endless. Kool Breeze offers insulated patio covers, awnings, and pergolas to help serve all different kinds of homeowners. Choosing the right type of cover and the right material will help the cover last for years into the future. High-quality insulated patio covers can provide several benefits to a homeowner, especially if you like to spend time outdoors or host gatherings, but need protection from the weather. 

Kool Breeze offers different covering types to allow homeowners to choose the option that fits in their budget and meets their home’s climate needs. This blog will look deeper into insulated patio covers and how they can protect or improve your home.

Reducing Noise From Wind And Storms

One of the biggest benefits users find from an insulated patio cover is its ability to reduce noise from wind, birds, rain, snow, or falling debris. This allows your home to stay quiet while you are asleep or allows you to enjoy the patio during inclement weather without excessive noise. These insulated covers will provide a tranquil hangout space without any of the negative consequences of inclement weather. Limiting noise that bounces around your house can help when you have children taking naps, you work from home, or have skittish pets. 

Higher Flexibility Compared To Traditional Patios

Insulated rooms, especially when you add walls, windows, and doors. These rooms can be used for almost anything, including additional family rooms, a dining room, or a playroom. Insulating the space and protecting users from cold weather, harsh sun, or bugs can make them more enjoyable compared to traditional patios. Traditional patios have their purpose, but insulated options can provide more protection and be used for multiple purposes beyond just lounging.

Improving Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Insulated covers or insulated kits will help reduce heat transfer and the overworking of your HVAC system. The patio roofs will offset the heat gain and reduce your monthly energy bills. Creating a habitable outdoor space will protect your home from extreme temperature fluctuations that can cause your furnace or cooler to overwork, trying to keep your interior temperature at a comfortable level. Patio covers act as an eco-friendly home upgrade that helps reduce your carbon footprint. 

Comparing Insulated And Non-Insulated Options

Both insulated and non-insulated patio covers provide shade and protection from the weather. Insulated covers will provide higher energy efficiency and are made of more durable materials. Aluminum, vinyl, glass, and wood are used to craft insulated patio covers because they help reduce heat transfer and energy consumption. These covers also help you have a more comfortable outdoor space because they can protect you from more environmental factors than traditional options.

Traditional patio covers can range from pergolas, canopies, or awnings that are made out of different materials. There is a greater risk of your patio or those using it being susceptible to weather, pests, or sun rays with a traditional patio. Traditional covers will provide shade and a designated entertainment area, but not much else. 

Choosing The Right Insulated Materials

Selecting the right patio cover material can ensure that the build lasts through years of use and matches your home’s aesthetic appeal. The best material for insulated patio covers is polystyrene, which is seamlessly bonded between textured aluminum skins. These panels are then used around all sides of your patio area to keep the space from being affected by the exterior weather conditions. These patios can be a year-round entertainment space that provides practical benefits to your home as well.

Patios From Kool Breeze

Kool Breeze offers versatile and functional options that can provide additional living space and outdoor relaxation for homes in the Ogden, UT, area. We offer sunrooms, awnings, carports, insulated covers, solar shades, pergolas, and more. Our flexible options can open up a world of possibilities for your home and backyard space, allowing you to have an elevated living experience. 

Our business has been providing quality products for over 75 years. Our family-owned and operated business can help you find proper outdoor living solutions that increase your property value at an affordable price. Having an awning or covering will help increase the value of your home and reduce energy use in your home. Blocking sunlight or heavy snow can allow you to utilize your home investment all year long. Contact us to get started today!

Outdoor rooms or enclosed porches are popular home additions that help you enjoy the surrounding scenery without the negative effects like weather, bugs, or excessive sun. Screened-in porches and glass enclosures are both popular options for homeowners who want year-round enjoyment of the outdoors and have a stunning place to host events. This blog will focus on common benefits and considerations that come with screened-in porches or glass enclosures to help you make an informed decision. 

Comparing The Cost

Before adding something to your home, you may set a budget for how much you can reasonably spend. Screen options and glass enclosures will vary widely in price depending on the size and the different materials. Screened-in porches will be less expensive to build and also have fewer maintenance costs down the road. Glass enclosures are more expensive because of the cost to make and manufacture large panes of glass. Maintaining and cleaning costs can be high after installing a glass enclosure because of the weather and debris that may frequent your home.

Connecting To Nature

The biggest benefit of a porch or enclosed room is to enjoy the nature and scenery around your home in comfort. Screened-in options are a great way to enjoy the outdoors, but may be hard to remain comfortable during extreme temperatures or when it is raining. Leaving the screens down can block some of your view, but may not protect you from the weather or sun. 

Glass enclosures will feel like an extension of your home, as you can have an almost 360-degree view of your surroundings. However, they don’t allow you to feel the breeze or hear sounds outside as much as an open concept porch. Enclosures will protect you from bugs, rain, snow, or harmful UV rays, but may feel more confined. 

Privacy

Even while enjoying nature, people still want to have privacy in their yards or around their homes. If you are a more private person, a screened-in porch will be a better option because of the slightly opaque nature of different materials. While screens won’t block everything, it is cheaper than tinted glass. Glass enclosures can be tinted to help enhance privacy, but tinting can result in a higher cost and more maintenance. If you are worried about privacy, an enclosed room may not be the best option for you, but there are additional privacy measures that you can add to a screened-in porch or glass room to give you peace of mind. 

Maintenance Considerations

Cleaning and repairing your home will also carry over to your enclosures and porches. The maintenance for a screened-in porch will be limited maintenance, like cleaning off debris or patching holes. Glass-enclosed options will also need cleaning, but the repairs or maintenance may cost more than other porch coverings. Replacing the glass or fixing deep scratches will also be costly, resulting in a higher long-term investment.

Style Of Your Home

Another factor that you should consider before installing a porch covering is the style of your home. Screened-in options and glass enclosures have different aesthetics, which may impact how the exterior of your home looks to you and to guests. Working with the current style of your home can help the porch covering or enclosure look aesthetically pleasing and blend into the exterior. Both options will work for most homes and can blend into a variety of exterior colors and materials. 

Enclosures From Kool Breeze

Kool Breeze offers a variety of awnings, carports, coverings, and pergolas to help provide additional hangout spaces for your home. Our services can help enhance the aesthetics of your home while also helping you host outdoor events or enjoy the surrounding scenery. These additions to your home can increase its value and improve aesthetics that may be needed when you look to sell your home. Kool Breeze stands behind our products and services and their ability to improve your life.

Our team has been working with Ogden, UT, homes for over 75 years, helping them to enjoy better home protection and spend more time outside. Our family-owned business is proud to offer custom-built coverings that exceed your expectations. Check out our recent projects or reach out to get an estimate for your project.

Utah is known for its heavy snowfall and harsh winters, which can lead to roof damage, cracked concrete, and mold growth. However, Utah also has hot weather during the summer months, forcing residents to cope with the two extremes and make their homes adaptable. Window awnings are one popular additive that can help keep a home cooler in the summer, but what happens when the winter weather begins to creep in?

Snowfall can add up quickly and become extremely heavy on roofs, carports, and windows. Let’s take a closer look at how window awnings can handle heavy, wet snow and if there is a way for your awnings to be better prepared for the upcoming season. 

The Dangers Of Heavy Snow

Letting snow pile up on your home, car, or a nearby tree can lead to potential dangers to your safety and the inanimate objects it is resting on. Letting snow build up could cause structural collapse, broken tree limbs, power outages, and water leaks as the snow melts into small cracks. Falling trees and power lines could leave you without heat or light during the dark and cold winter nights. Removing heavy snow from your roof and from around electrical components will lower the risk of these dangers and lengthen the life of your home. 

Design Features That Help With Snow Resistance

In order to protect your window awnings and your home, there are a few key design features that help ensure that snow slides off or melts quickly enough to prevent damage. Choosing the right design for your window awnings can allow them to remain intact throughout the winter season. 

Pitch

The pitch of a roof or awning is the degree/steepness of the slope. Having the right angle can help make it easier for snow and rain to slide down into your gutters, preventing pressure on the weaker components. If you are unable to choose a higher pitch option, especially when it comes to windows, you may need to choose an awning with a high snow-load rating.

Coating

Coating the metal or wood of your awning can help the snow melt quickly, or make the surface more slippery so that moisture will glide right off. Adding a coating to awnings will protect them from forming ice dams, harmful icicles, and large buildups that could cause them to break off. Teflon, acrylic, or polyurethane coatings will help the heavy snow slide right off.

Material

The material of the window awnings also plays a role in snow accumulation. Some materials get colder than others, allowing snow or rain to freeze once it touches the surface. Choosing a material with a lower freezing point or adding a coating to the awning to keep it from freezing will prevent snow accumulation.

Materials That Are Best Suited For Snow

There are a few materials that are better suited for snow, rain, and heavy debris when it comes to awnings. Choosing a water-resistant material and one that can handle heavy materials will protect your window or home from extensive damage. 

One of the best materials for awnings is metal, because of its ability to withstand moisture and heavy snow. Metal awnings are able to hold significant weight and have a long lifespan. However, choosing the right metal is also important to avoid rust and corrosion. Stainless steel or galvanized steel are great options for a moist climate. 

While canvas fabric is not waterproof, when it is used for awnings, it is dipped in a weatherproof coating to help it resist moisture. Canvas fabric is commonly used for patio awnings, but can be used for window awnings, too. Fabric awnings will not be able to hold as much snow as metal or plastic materials. 

Acrylic fabric is rated for winter weather because of the material’s natural water-resistant qualities. The synthetic fabric doesn’t need a coating, but if you live in a climate with frequently changing temperatures, it could impact the longevity of the fabric. 

Retractable Awnings Are Best For Snow-Heavy Climates

Having retractable or roll-up awnings is the best option for climates with heavy snow because they can be used and left extended during the summer, fall, and spring, but put away during the winter. Retractable awnings can be used over multiple windows, providing shade and a cool interior during the summer. Retractable awnings are the best for harsh winter weather because they can be kept out of the way as the snow rains down around them. 

Window Awnings From Kool Breeze

Kool Breeze has been providing durable coverings for homes in Utah since 1947. Our shades and coverings are made to last through all different weather conditions to keep your home protected and energy efficient. Kool Breeze has created shade options for homes of all sizes, helping them to achieve their landscaping and entertainment space dreams. Reach out to us to install a carport, awning, solar shade, or build an enclosed room today!