Blocking the sun with retractable awnings saves on air conditioning bills, protects the inside of your home from the sun’s damaging rays, and increases the use of your deck or patio.

I came to this conclusion because my family’s new home needed awnings to help shield our living room and dining room from a harsh afternoon sun. In addition, our family wasn’t able to enjoy the fantastic backyard view on blue-bird days because of the blinding sun.

I checked out a couple of awning manufacturers and decided to purchase two SunSetter retractable awnings (www.sunsetter.com). The plan was to use the hand-cranked Vista over the patio doors by our dining room, and the Motorized Awning over the living room windows. We also purchased the remote-control feature for the Motorized Awning so we could easily change its position from inside the house.

A few weeks later, the two 14-ft. awnings arrived to our home via UPS freight truck. The awnings weren’t going to hang themselves, so I called on my dad and brother-in-law to help tackle the job.


Installation day
Because the Vista awning was being mounted over the patio doors, only step ladders would be needed for the installation. We decided that 9 ft. was the optimum mounting height, and, after measurements were taken, we snapped a chalk line to ensure the awning would be level. Next, studs were located, holes pre-drilled and the brackets mounted. Wood shims were used to make a flat surface for the brackets (photo 1).

The next step was to lift the 100-pound awning onto the brackets. Once it was in place, retaining bolts were inserted through the brackets and the square bar of the awning. The Vista project was complete.

Mounting the Motorized Awning took a bit more effort only because of the height involved. Scaffolding was used to reach the overhang, but once there was solid footing, the mounting procedure for the Motorized Awning was identical to that of the Vista (photo 2). A 15-ft. extension cord was used in addition to the awning’s power cord to reach an outdoor outlet on my deck.


Project thoughts
The installation contained no surprises, thanks to a well-written and easy-to-understand instruction manual. If you have the smallest amount of do-it-yourself skills and the help of a neighbor, family member or friend to help lift an awning onto the brackets, you can mount one SunSetter awning in about 3 hours. The total time was closer to 7 hours for two awnings on my home, but at least an hour was spent assembling and then disassembling the scaffolding.

My wife and I have noticed that our use of the deck has increased dramatically due to the shade provided by the Vista. In addition, we’re happy we spent the extra money and went with the Motorized Awning over the living room windows (photo 3). Although it’s possible to reach this awning to open and close it with the hand-crank, there’s no doubt that it’s extremely convenient to operate this awning from the comfort of the living room by using the remote control. Now, we can leave the drapes open, enjoy the backyard view and still have protection from the sun.