How Can Retractable Awnings Directly Affect Energy Bills?

There are several factors that make Phoenix so hot.

The Valley’s elevation is low which means the air pressure is higher here than at higher elevations. It’s harder for air to expand and cool at higher pressures.

Phoenix is also closer to the equator than most of the country. The sun’s rays must travel through less atmosphere to hit Phoenix thanks to its positioning relative to the sun.

Lastly – and maybe most importantly – there are no significant bodies of water nearby and our terrain is rocky and covered in asphalt. We’re not only getting hit with powerful rays from the sky, we’re also being baked from the ground up with radiated heat.

The result? Energy bills that skyrocket. No matter what savings plan you choose with an energy company, you are bound to be spending a lot of money every month for cooling and comfort.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, one-quarter of all household energy consumption in the state of Arizona is from air conditioning. Arizona residents pay four times as much on air conditioning than the national average. At 12 cents a kilowatt-hour a family with a 2,000 square foot home may be spending upwards of $450 a month just to keep their home comfortable during the summer months.

How Can I Keep My Energy Bill Low?

Many Phoenix residents look for alternative ways to supplement their air conditioning and reduce their energy bills. The less their air conditioner must run the lower their utilities will be. One of the best ways to manage your energy bill is to keep the cool air in and the hot air out.

Alternatively, you can look for ways to reduce the amount of heat being absorbed into your home. Energy.gov studies suggest over 75 percent of sunlight that enters a home becomes heat when coming through standard double-pane windows.

Not only is hot air getting trapped in your home, but up to 30 percent of the energy that you are using to keep the temperature down is essentially escaping through your windows. Minimizing the amount of UV rays that can enter through your windows helps prevent that heat from building up inside your home.

What Kind of Window Treatments Will Save Me Energy?

Interior Treatments

Some people attempt to rely on interior window treatments to improve their home’s energy efficiency. You might even see some people use foil to deflect the sun’s rays. Unfortunately, drapes, curtains, blinds and shutters are not impervious to solar heat gain. UV rays and the heat they generate are still entering your home and getting trapped, which is what homeowners want to avoid.

For interior window treatments to be effective you must keep them shut, especially if you have a south facing home. You may find yourself in a dark home with obstructed views all summer, and no one wants to sit in the dark. 

Exterior Treatments

While Interior treatments can be helpful in some ways, exterior treatments are a more effective solution in many respects. Some studies have suggested that strategically placed external shading for external window and glass door can reduce air conditioning energy load by up to 50 percent.

According to Energy.gov, window awnings can reduce solar heat gain by:

• Up to 65 percent on south-facing windows
• Nearly 80 percent on west-facing windows

Awnings are more beneficial than interior window cover treatments because:

• They still allow natural light to enter the home
• They can be easily customized to compliment your home’s exterior
• They can be installed over doorways
• They save more energy in the summer than other treatments

Saving Energy with Window Awnings or Retractable Patio Awnings

Awnings are a great investment for Arizona home and business owners because they can save you hundreds of dollars on your energy bills during the summer months every year.

We’re proud to say the many awnings, shade sails and retractable awnings our Arizona Awnings experts install provide energy savings and UV protection for thousands of Phoenix clients ever year. We use durable, sustainable fabric awnings that can reduce the heat gain in southern facing homes by 55 to 65 percent when the sun is at its peak and 72 to 77 percent for homes with western exposures.

Our retractable awnings are customizable, and you can get them in a variety of colors to match the exterior of your home.

To learn more about Arizona Awnings and how you can save money on your energy bill, give us a call at 602-252-3430 for a free estimate.