Do Color Choices Impact the Temperature of Your Canopies or Awnings?

Aesthetics are important, but they aren’t the only factor to consider when selecting a specific color or fabric for your residential or commercial awnings. While the look and feel of your home or business are important, practicality and functionality are also legitimate considerations. When choosing your awning fabric and color, research a material’s heat absorption and UV protection.

An awning’s temperature regulation is impacted by its color and fabric. At Arizona Awnings, we build custom awnings using only the highest quality materials and fabrics that are designed to cool and reflect heat — no matter the color.

What Awning Color Blocks the Most Heat?

Historically, lighter-colored awning fabrics like white can block the most heat because lighter and brighter colors tend to reflect the sun. Darker-colored awning fabrics tend to do the opposite — absorb and trap heat. While this is true in most cases, you might not always feel a big enough heat absorption difference to justify altering your awning color choice.

At Arizona Awnings, we believe you should choose the awning you love the most. Businesses may also need to adhere to brand guidelines, and homeowners may be required to stick to color guidelines from their HOA. This is why we believe in energy efficient awning fabrics and effective installation techniques, so you don’t have to get hung up on factors like color.

Does Installation Make a Difference with Heat Absorption?

Regardless of what awning fabric and color you choose, it will prevent some level of heat transference from the sun into a structure. Whether or not the heat can be felt underneath the awning will depend on the height of the awning and airflow. If your awning is installed with ample room underneath, it leaves more space for the heat to dissipate.

If you’d like a darker-colored awning fabric, we can help you determine the best awning installation height and angle in order to maximize UV protection and cooling.

Other Reasons Why Awning Colors are Important

Aside from energy efficiency, the color of your awning fabric can impact:

1. Awning longevity – Colors tend to fade in the sun, especially during the summer months when the sun and heat are at an all-time high. Reds, blacks, dark browns and blues tend to fade much more quickly. Yellows, pinks, tans, light greens and blues tend to be more fade resistant. If you’d like your awning to stay true to its color longer, you may want to invest in a lighter-colored fabric.
   
   
2. Appearance of stains or dirt – Lighter-colored awning fabrics will naturally show more dirt and debris, so they may require more cleaning and upkeep. Darker-colored fabrics won’t show as many stains or discoloration due to dirt or dust, but they will eventually show signs of fading.
   
   
3. Overall aesthetics – When you add an awning to your home or commercial building, you want it to look good. Choosing a color that either matches or accentuates the exterior is crucial to the overall aesthetic of your backyard or restaurant patio. If you have a difficult time deciding on a color, a paint swatch of the exterior wall may help you choose what awning color will look the best.
   
   
4. Customer psychology – If you are a local business in the Phoenix area, you know how important curb appeal and branding are for attracting customers. Specific colors are often (subconsciously) associated with various things or activities. Red is often associated with food while blue is frequently associated with health and wellness. Green tends to be associated with art and nature while orange hints at a bargain. Keep this in mind when choosing an awning color because it could subconsciously influence your storefront’s appeal.

Schedule a Free On-Site Consultation and Estimate with Arizona Awnings

If you’re ready to elevate your Valley home or business with a window canopy or retractable awning, Arizona Awnings is here to help. We service customers in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe and provide free on-site consultations to discuss your awning needs and develop a personalized estimate for you.

Our shade solutions are constructed with the toughest, most durable materials and sun-resistant fabrics.

Give us a call at 602-252-3430 for a free on-site consultation and visit our website to browse our fabric selection.