Can Shades and Overhangs Protect The Value Of Your Home?

There are many different accessories that homeowners can add to their houses to improve their appearance and protect the property. Overhangs and shades are some of these accessories, and serve a number of purposes as well. When installed by an experienced roofing company, roof overhangs can protect parts of a home from both the suns rays and the rain. Various types and sizes of shades also provide money-saving protection from the sun. When thinking about ways to preserve a home and make it more efficient, homeowners should consider both of these items, and how each can help in different situations.

Reduce Cooling and Heating Costs

When properly installed, overhanging solar shades are designed to work in two different ways, depending upon the season. When the sun is at its highest in the summer months, these shades prevent the it from directly reaching the walls of the home, lowering inside temperatures and reducing the need to cool the interior. During the winter, since the sun is lower in the sky in most climates, these shades allow the sunlight to reach a home’s walls and add interior heating, thereby reducing heating costs.

While efficiency is sometimes affected by how far off of true north or south a home is positioned, for most homes these overhangs can help reduce utility costs by shading whichever walls face the most toward the sun. Solar shades or overhangs can pay for themselves within a few years, as long as they are correctly installed at the right angles by a good roofing company. They can also reduce sun damage that interior and exterior surfaces may experience from years of baking in the sun.

Protection from Rain

Overhangs do more than just shade the sun from the interior of a home. They also protect homes from rain. Roof overhangs can prevent rain from causing water damage in certain places, such as window and door jambs, trim, and other less durable areas that may collect water. Deterioration tends to occur in these areas first because of the many spaces and crevices where rain can collect, so keeping these areas dry can save greatly in the long run.

Different Overhangs - Different Needs

Overhangs and solar shades are very useful when the right types and sizes, such as those referenced below, are installed by a local roofing services company:

Types - Overhangs and solar shades are made from many different materials. Some are louvered, making them adjustable, while others are designed for growing vines and other vegetation as part of the shading effect. Window and house awnings, as well as trellises are also considered to be types of overhangs that offer shade and some protection from the elements, Some types of overhangs and solar shades are permanently fixed accessories, while others can be removed, rolled up or otherwise adjusted to be moved out of the way when not needed. There is a definite advantage to fixed overhangs as they are more durable and require less maintenance. Adjustable or removable shades usually have more moving parts, and do not last quite as long because of this. They also require a certain amount of maintenance.
Sizes - Depending on the type, overhangs can be as small as a single window, or as large as the entire sun-facing side of a house. Therefore, obtaining the right size and style for the home depends on things such as the direction the house faces, regional climate, and how much shade is actually provided by the overhang. Additionally, homeowners must consider things like local ordinances, especially if installing a permanent type of overhang, or a particularly large one, since they may need permission to do so, or there may be certain installation requirements, such as an established distance from property lines, etc.

If some type of overhang or solar shade seems like a good idea, homeowners can benefit from contacting an experienced roofing company that handles these types of installations, along with other roofing services. Together with the help of these roofing company professionals, homeowners can find the overhang or shade style they need to get the best protection, and have it installed quickly and conveniently, just in time for the coming summer months!