Buying Patio Shades

Being outside, while still in the comfort of your own home, is one of the most pleasant experiences you can have. Dining while out of doors, having a drink with your friends on the patio, spending an evening or afternoon relaxing and enjoying the world just outside your home, these are the reasons you have a patio or porch in the first place. These are the experiences that make the warm weather months truly special.

Sometimes though, your patio isn’t as nice a place as it could be. The problem is that it might be a south facing patio or the weather is just too hot for your patio to be a comfortable place to spend time. It may be that you are using your porch or patio much less than you would like to, maybe only during the spring and fall. This means that you only really get to be outside a few months out of the entire year, with the rest of time just too hot. But is there a solution to this problem? Anything you can do? Well, for many people, patio shades may offer the perfect solution.

Installing patio shades on your home makes a lot of sense, and there are two major benefits of having patio shades. First of all, having good shades on your porch or patio can dramatically lengthen the amount of time you spend time out of doors. The mere fact of blocking the sun from shining on your patio can make the difference between a hot and uncomfortable experience and a nice and relaxing day or evening out on the patio. Thus, patio shades truly make your home a nicer to place to live, extending your enjoyment of your patio many months of the year.

But there is another extremely important benefit of patio shades that you might not have considered. Did you know that installing patio shades on your house can dramatically reduce your electricity bill in the summer? Well, it can. Reducing the amount of sunlight that strikes your patio, as well as the outer walls of your home, means that there is a significant reduction of solar heating of your home. This not only means that you can turn down your air conditioner, thus helping your electricity bill, but you can do so and still keep nice and cool. Patio shades thus make every part of your home, inside and out, a nicer place to live.

There are a number of kinds of patio shades that you can purchase. These range from the simple and elegant to the high tech varieties. Which kinds of patio shades you want for your home will depend on your style, where you live, and how much and what kind of shade you need for your patio.

For many people, the best patio shade is something simple, a patio shade made of fabric or bamboo that can be rolled up or down as the need arises. Bamboo patio shades are both nice and effective for shading your patio while standing up to the elements. Bamboo resists water damage and will not fade in the hot sun. Bamboo patio shades are also light and airy in appearance and can really dress up the look of your patio. For other porches and patios, a roll up patio shade made from canvas or synthetic fabric can be a perfect  solution to keeping you cool and comfortable. Both types of roll up patio shades block the sun when you need them too but can then be retracted to let in a breeze later on.

For something a bit more high tech, you might want to look into retractable solar patio shades. These shades are scientifically designed to block solar radiation from reaching your patio and into your home while allowing the light from the sun to still shine through. Think of this type of patio shade as a pair of good sunglasses for your patio. The glare and the heat don’t get in, but you can still see through them perfectly well. These kinds of solar patio shades are generally retractable as well, and many models are motorized for your convenience. You can have shade, or sun, at the touch of a button.

What all of these types of patio shades have in common is their ability to make your patio into a great place to be all summer long. In the meantime, you will save money while keeping cool. Patio shades are a great investment for your home.