Beat the Summer Heat with a Outdoor Roller Shades

 

Does the summer heat make it difficult to enjoy your deck or patio? Design your landscape for cooling - get to know the microclimate in your yard, and use it to your advantage. A well-planned outdoor living space with outdoor roller shades suited to the area climate ensures year-round comfort and enjoyment. Keep your cool in the summer with these tips and tricks. 

Go North, Locating Your Outdoor Living Area in the Region of Your Yard That Has Short Sun Exposure

Like relocating to a cooler northern climate, locating your outdoor living space in a north-facing area of your property will limit exposure to the sun, ensuring summer comfort. No northern locale? Aim for eastern exposure, which allows for easy shading from the afternoon sun with motorized pergola screens or a well-placed shade tree.

Maximize Shade with a Home Pergola

Shade is essential to fighting summer heat, especially in the bright Rocky Mountain region. An adjustable slat pergola is a perfect way to protect yourself from the sun, keeping your porch or patio cooler in the summer heat so you can maximize outdoor enjoyment. Versatile, multifunctional motorized louvered pergolas also provide leak-free shelter during summer thunderstorms and the flexibility to open up and enjoy the sunlight on cooler days.

Increase Airflow, Taking Advantage of the “Wind Chill” Effect When Your Screens Are Lowered

Boosting airflow is essential to remaining comfortable through the hottest parts of the day, especially in humid weather. StruXure residential pergolas give you three ways to increase airflow and maximize comfort:

●       Louver adjustment

StruXure aluminum louvered pergolas allow you to dial in the perfect amount of shade while maximizing airflow, offering 170-degrees of adjustment to keep you out of the sun while facilitating air circulation.

●       Built-in ceiling fans

Incorporate additional cooling comfort with pergola accessories like built-in ceiling fans.

●       Motorized pergola screens

Afternoon sun angle brutal? Get the shade you need without stifling airflow, incorporating motorized pergola screens into your custom pergola design. Slide screens into place when you need them and out of sight when you’re done.

  Use Light Colored, Reflective Materials

 Dark-colored surfaces and pavement can retain and radiate heat. Choosing surfaces that reflect heat, like your AkzoNobel powder coated aluminum pergola, will keep your deck or patio area cooler. Pair it with white or light wall and surface colors like Portland cement, concrete, granite, travertine, or marble paving.

 

Chill out beneath the comfort of a custom louvered roof pergola. Maximize your outdoor living enjoyment with a StruXure residential pergola from Denver Pergola Systems. Contact us at 303-529-7819 and start designing your dream outdoor living space today.

 

This article was previously published at: https://denverpergolas.com/motorized-shade-screens/beat-the-summer-heat-with-a-outdoor-roller-shades/

 

 

 

How Backyard Shade Cover Placement Impacts Outdoor Comfort

 

Sun exposure plays a major role in the comfort and usability of a porch or patio addition. How much is too much sun for you? Mapping your yard and familiarizing yourself with your property’s microclimates can prevent backyard shade cover placement mistakes from making you sweat. In this blog, the outdoor space design experts at Denver Pergolas will point you in the right direction.

How Geographic Location Impacts the Outdoor Living Microclimate

Creating a sketch of your property and observing your landscape at different times of the day can help you identify the microclimates surrounding your home and find the perfect setting for your pergola shade and rain cover. You can get your bearings by paying attention to where the sun rises on your property  and sets. Consider which way you’ll be facing when in your outdoor kitchen, while dining outside, while seated and especially if you plan on having a tv.   As a general rule, you’ll find the following climate effects in these geographic locations surrounding your home:

●       Up North – The Coolest Spot in the Yard to Integrate Your Custom Pergola Design

North-facing landscapes receive the least direct sunlight. They are the last place the snow melts in the spring and the coolest spot in your yard year-round. North-facing locations are often exposed to fierce winter winds, impacting comfort through the cold weather season. If you place your motorized louvered pergola here, pergola accessories like built-in patio heaters for warmth and pergola screens for wind control are a must.

 

●       Down South – Where Louvered Roof Pergola Placement is Crucial

South-facing landscapes get lots of loads of sun, making outdoor shelter crucial. A smart pergola programmed to close louvers during periods of intense afternoon sunlight can keep patio and deck spaces in south-facing locations more comfortable and protect furnishings from damage due to UV exposure.

 

●       Going East – Striking the Perfect Climate Balance

East-facing landscapes get six hours of morning sun. In the late afternoon, closing the louvers of your pergola system and sliding a pergola screen into place offers all the protection you need, ensuring a comfortable space.

 

●       Headed West – An Intense Experience Without Adequate Outdoor Shelter

Western-facing landscapes build heat throughout the day, suffering the most intense temperatures in the late afternoon when trapped heat can radiate back, creating a heat island effect on your porch or patio. Designing your outdoor living space for cooling is essential if you’ve no other location to place your louvered roof pergola. Be sure to include built-in ceiling fans and motorized screens for protection against afternoon sun into your pergola design. Light-colored, heat-reflective hardscaping and furnishings are also a must.

 

How Terrain Even Impacts Backyard Shade Cover Placement

 

Terrain impacts sun exposure and airflow in positive and negative ways:

 

●       On the Slope – Where You’re Inclined to Weather Extremes

Steep north-facing slopes rarely get sun and suffer intense winds, making for a miserable winter environment. On the flipside, the rapidly draining soil of west-facing slopes, combined with intense afternoon sunlight, produces a dry, stifling summer setting.

 

●       Down in the Valley – A Buffer or a Stuffer

Depending on the geographic location of your aluminum pergola, a valley location can serve as a great wind buffer - or trap moisture, limiting air circulation to create a stuffy environment.

 

 What’s In Your Way? Trees, Structures, and Other Comfort Influencing Factors

 Vegetation and structures surrounding your outdoor living area can also impact your microclimate:

 ●       Hardscaping and pavement handle the heat in different ways. Dark surfaces retain and radiate heat, creating a warmer environment. Light-colored surfaces reflect light, helping control heat gain.

 

●       Shade trees could offer cooling and sun protection in the summer while removing them could provide warmth in the winter.

 

●       Dense bushes could guard against sun and wind exposure or impart warmth and improve air circulation if removed.

 

 What If There Is No Clear Placement For Outdoor Shade?

 

Some homes really don’t have a great location for any shade protection. For these situations, we recommend adding motorized shades that can be lowered or raised to any height needed to protect you from the uncomfortable heat.  These are easily installed with a pergola.

 

Feel like you need a roadmap to find the right location for your custom home pergola design? We’ve got you covered. The right outdoor living location and pergola accessories make all the difference in year-round comfort and use. The design pros at Denver Pergola Systems can set you up for success, ensuring lasting enjoyment and maximum return on your residential pergola investment. Contact us at 303-529-7819 to schedule a complimentary pergola design consultation today.

 

This article was previously published at: https://denverpergolas.com/adjustable-residential-pergolas/how-backyard-shade-cover-placement-impacts-outdoor-comfort/

 

Outdoor Living Space Designs Does Include The Front Too

Are you neglecting valuable outdoor living space in the front of your home? You’re used to using your backyard for family get-togethers and neighborhood cookouts,  but your outdoor living space designs should include the area in your front yard  as well. Secluded backyard space is best for more intimate gatherings, your front yard offers unique advantages for inspiring connections with people in your community.

Deck Out Your Yard

Extend your existing patio or deck from your home, stretching it toward the perimeter of your property, or add a freestanding deck to your front yard. Always check local building codes for setbacks and verify HOA requirements before breaking ground. Match your existing pavers or flooring for a seamless look, choose a contrasting material, or incorporate durable, low maintenance pressure-treated wood or composite decking. Adding an outdoor living addition to your front yard is a fantastic way to add value and curb appeal, putting your home in the spotlight.

Add Two Gathering Areas, Extending Your Outdoor Living Space

A larger, more public area is great for hosting neighborhood get-togethers, attracting passersby, and inspiring conversation, but with an aluminum pergola with retractable shades in a smaller courtyard, surrounded by lush greenery, can add a touch of privacy, serving as a secluded retreat for smaller gatherings such as a quiet cup of coffee or relaxing evening cocktail with a small group of friends. Integrate these two distinctive areas into a cohesive design with pavers or concrete, topping each with a matching or wrap-around  pergola, complementary furnishings, and décor.

Incorporate Patio Shelter with a Pergola

Stifling sunlight and rain will curtail even the most interesting conversations. Ensure the shade and shelter you need to keep the lines of communication open with a StruXure home pergola, adjusting the louvers on your custom aluminum pergola to the perfect amount of sunlight or shade. Close louvers for rain protection or integrate added rain or wind sensors, creating a smart pergola design that responds instantly to your daily needs.

Create an Inviting Ambiance

Fill your space with comfortable, inviting furnishings and homey accessories. Keep things cool and comfortable with built-in custom pergola accessories like ceiling fans, patio heaters, and motorized pergolas screens for added weather and pest protection. Keep cold drinks at the ready, waving at neighbors passing by and inviting them over for a refreshing drink and a chat.

Choose Your Plantings Wisely

Avoid surrounding your louvered pergola with large trees and thick bushes, as these can convey a message to keep out. Opt instead for thinly spaced waist or chest-height trees and a few colorful flowering additions. These add visual interest and a touch of separation and privacy while instilling an inviting feel. Openwork walls or panels with flowering vines are also excellent options for creating separation while maintaining visual contact.

Attract social butterflies to your front yard with a new home pergola. Turn your front yard into a social gathering spot with help from Denver Pergola Systems. Contact us at 303-529-7819 to schedule a complimentary residential pergola design consultation today.

This article was previously published at: https://denverpergolas.com/adjustable-residential-pergolas/outdoor-living-space-designs-does-include-the-front-too/