Is Polycarbonate Awning A Good Choice For Home?

Without a doubt, polycarbonate awnings are a perfect choice for your home. They provide the much-needed acoustical insulation as well as maximizing your outdoor living space and lifestyle. The greatest advantage of polycarbonate awnings is their high impact resistance thus making them hard to break. The polycarbonate material they are made of is harder or tougher than glass.

Besides, polycarbonate awnings have so many other benefits:
Very Strong and Durable
The polycarbonate material is very hard to destroy. These materials are often used in the manufacture of police shields and bulletproof windows thanks to their high impact resistance. Based on the kind of uses the polycarbonate material is usually put to, you can rest assured that a polycarbonate awning will definitely protect and shield you, your family, pets and other property from many accidents. For example, if the bough of a tree fell on the awning, the people sheltering under it will not in any way be scathed. Your awning, too, will stay damage-free. Moreover, the polycarbonate has a low flammability rate.

Protection from Ultraviolet Radiations
In an age when the harmful UV rays of the sun are a great concern, you go for anything less than an overhead roof that can shield you from the unfriendly elements. Thankfully, the polycarbonate awning has amazing optical properties that are incredibly capable of filtering out the harmful UV rays while allowing enough sunlight to pass through for both your warmth and light. Therefore, with this in your home, you can enjoy the precious sunlight without the beleaguering thought of being unnecessarily exposed to the harmful rays.

It is light-weight
Acrylic and glass’s lightweight properties pale in comparison when put side by side with the polycarbonate. When put into comparison, polycarbonate weighs a third of acrylic and a sixth of glass. Therefore, this is absolutely a guarantee that a polycarbonate awning is amazingly light. And, the advantages of being lightweight as this are many. For example, transporting and installing the awning becomes a breeze. It is a wonderful thing that the polycarbonate awning is lightweight without sacrificing its strength and toughness.

It is somehow thermo-resistant
Another endearing property of a polycarbonate awning is its ability to withstand extreme temperatures. While other awnings are susceptible to inclement weather conditions, the polycarbonate awning stands up to the harsh or extreme temperatures – whether cold or hot. They are designed to withstand everything the four seasons in a year throw at them. For example, the polycarbonate awnings can incredibly endure 250 times the impact of a regular glass sheet, and 30 to 40 times the impact of acrylic sheet. Therefore, if you want an ideal shelter from both the rain and the sun, these awnings are the in-thing: they make life more livable both in the depths of winter and under the scorching hot summer sun.

What is more? The polycarbonate awning takes all the beating from the weather without cracking, discoloring or fading. Therefore, being exposed to all manners of weather conditions throughout the year, it would be prudent if you got a polycarbonate awning with all the protection it offers.

A Variety of Designs
Polycarbonate awnings come in many different designs so as to appeal to the different tastes of its lovers. There are polycarbonate awnings that are flat, dome-shaped, or pitched, etc. Moreover, polycarbonate awnings are available in different colors. That means whichever design or whichever color you fancy, there is something for you. That is because the polycarbonate material is easy to measure and cut to different forms and shapes according to the specific needs and demands of the customers.

Energy Efficient
With the polycarbonate awning you can save on air-conditioning and heating costs.
Despite the innumerable advantages of choosing a polycarbonate awning over any other kind of awning, it features a few drawbacks. For example: The polycarbonate material is very sensitive to abrasive cleaners, solvents and alkaline cleaning products. Thus, you should take extra care to give a wide berth to substances that possess substances such as acetone, benzene, or any one of the many organic solvents. The polycarbonate awnings’ cost is relatively higher than plastic and glass ones. As a result, many consumers opt for ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). Though the ABS is considerably tough just as the polycarbonate, it has a lower impact and heat resistance.

Due to its low cost, some buyers- especially those who do not need the extreme toughness and heat resistance of a polycarbonate awning- think it offers a better alternative. Also, the polycarbonate awning is not so resistant to marring, scratching and abrasive surfaces, thus, if good care is not taken, denting on the surface is possible. Lastly, their manufacturing process is not the most environmental-friendly because it needs very high processing temperatures. Besides, the process requires phosgene and chlorine- two chemicals known for their ill effects on human health and impact on the environment, respectively. Therefore, many precautions need to be taken to cushion workers from harm during the manufacturing process.

How to Maintain Your Polycarbonate Awning so it Lasts Longer
The best way to maintain the aesthetic appeal of your polycarbonate awning and increase its durability is to clean it regularly. The accumulation of dirt or grime can keep moisture to the surface, which can in the long run be detrimental to aluminum, powder-coated and anodized frames. To clean, wash the surfaces with warm water that contains a PH-neutral wetting agent. You should clean it this way every year or as regularly as possible. For example, in coastal or salt air environments, and in industrial applications, you will need to clean more regularly- say every six months. Use a non-abrasive sponge, then, afterwards, rinse with clean water. When cleaning, do not use strong detergents, solvents, acids, insecticide, degreasers, or any strong cleaning fluids. Also, do not use abrasive materials or tools or anything that may scratch the surface of the polycarbonate awning.

Conclusion
Featuring a variety of contemporary styles and aesthetically appealing smooth fronts, polycarbonate awnings can be used in any kind of building and outdoor spaces to provide shade and protection to entrances, walkways, driveways, patios, cars, laundry areas, windows and outside dining areas for cafes and restaurants. They are the ideal choice for every home if their many benefits are anything to go by.