If you’re an Austin homeowner with a great outdoor space, you owe it to yourself to consider a covered patio. There are many benefits that come with these patios, and they’re a relatively inexpensive purchase, too.
Many homeowners don’t know a lot about them, though, so let’s do some quick education. This blog post will run you through everything you need to get started on your potential purchase, then give you a way to contact one of the best companies making them in the Austin, Texas area.
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Patio Covers: The Basics
While patio covers are versatile and diverse, the basic definition of a patio cover is very basic. Simply put, patio covers are backyard shade structures that are usually attached to your home.
Beyond that, it’s almost a case of anything goes. Patio covers can be held up using poles, and they can be an extension of your roof or porch.
They can also be made from a variety of materials, and there are many different design possibilities as well.
They can be adapted to just about any budget, and they can enhance both the appearance and the value of your home.
Different Types of Patio Covers for Austin Outdoor Living
While some of the names for the different types of patio covers vary, there is common agreement that there are basically four.
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Awnings. The advantage of an awning is that they angle downward, which helps water and debris from accumulating. They’re versatile fixtures, and they can either be fixed and permanent or retractable.
There are also literally hundreds of colors and design available, and they can include smart lights or a drop down valance for extra protection. You can also use them for your deck, which makes them even more versatile.
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Pergolas patio covers. The technical definition of a pergola is a pillared garden structure, but that really doesn’t capture how attractive and unusual ethyl can be.
Add versatile to the list, too—they can have spaced rafters or be completely solid, depending on the design you want and the amount of light and sun you want to filter through.
Pergolas are typically supported by beams, and you can add lights, fans and arch structures. They can cover a wide variety of surface areas, and they’re usually low maintenance options that don’t require frequent cleaning, painting or resurfacing.
The versatility of pergolas extends to the materials you can have. These include wood, vinyl, fiberglass and metals, depending on the budget and the basic look that fits best with your house.
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Sun screens outdoor. We’ll stay on the subject of versatility for sun screens, which can be used in any number of ways. They can hang like curtains, they can be used as part of a retractable cover system, or they can hang vertically.
Regardless of how you use them or where you put them, they’ll provide great shade, and they’re also excellent for rooms that have poor temperature regulation.
They may even save you money on your energy costs by lowering your electric bill, which happens when they absorb sunlight so you can take it easy with your air conditioning.
Once again, there are plenty of design options, and you can also add sun screens to a remote control system.
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Shade Canopies or Sails. There are two advantages to a shade canopy: price and portability. They can be hung between beams or columns, and they’re both waterproof and resistant to UV rays. They’re also great for events when you want portable shade that’s easy to put up or take down.
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The Benefits of Adding a Patio Cover
Some of the benefits of adding a patio cover to your Austin home are obvious, others less so. Let’s start with the obvious benefits.
Keep cool. Everyone knows what Austin summers are like, but it’s also expensive to blast the air condition on a constant basis. One possible answer is to enjoy your outdoor space with a patio cover, as it will keep you a lot more comfortable.
Patio covers also help you reduce your indoor temperature. They defend your home from UV rays, which raise the indoor temperature, and patio covers also draw both light and heat away from your Austin home.
Avoid sun damage. Overheating isn’t the only danger when it comes to the Austin sun in the summer. It can do all kinds of damage to your patio surface and patio furnace, but that damage can be minimized with a patio cover.
Weather damage. As the name implies, this one’s a close cousin of sun damage. Wind and rain can take a toll on your patio surface and furniture, but not if you use a patio cover to protect them.
Add to the value of your home. Now let’s consider one of the more subtle benefits. Patio covers don’t add square footage, but they can definitely add curb appeal and make your home more appealing to prospective buyers, especially if you put some effort into the array of design possibilities that are available.
Accessibility. This one’s subtle, too. If you use your outdoor space more, your home starts to feel bigger. And if you add a patio cover to a sunroom, that accessibility improves even more.
Turn Your Patio Space Into a Food Restaurant or a Bar
Entertainment. If you’ve ever been to a great restaurant with a stellar outdoor dining area, you already know the benefits of an attractive covered patio.
But that’s not the only potential appeal. If you have kids—adding some gaming electronics and a device or three along with a patio cover will help keep them busy all summer long.
Nature. We all know the benefits of being outdoors in a natural setting, and a patio cover will get you out more, which is especially beneficial if your property has some great natural features.
Patio Covers and Decks as Part of Your Living Space
If you have a deck and you use it a lot, you probably invest a lot of time in maintenance and upgrades. You can reduce that time considerably by adding a patio cover to your deck, though, and you won’t have to spend a lot to do it.
Put Your Austin Home on the Map By Getting the Best Patio Cover
There are plenty of options when it comes to patio covers, so you need to work with a company that knows them all inside out. That’s Nu-View—we carry a wide variety of patio covers, and we know the specific advantages of all of them.
To find out more about our different patio covers, you can call us at 512-918-8904. You can also contact us at support@patioaustintx.com, where you can book a custom patio consult or ask our Friendly Phone Lady any questions you might have about the best outdoor patio cover for your home.
