Will an awning add value to your home? Before you invest in a door, window, or patio awning, take a look at what you need to know about your home's curb appeal, value, and these new exterior additions.

What Types of Value Can an Awning Add?

Exterior aesthetic value is the most obvious answer to this question. Whether your home doesn't have existing awnings or has older, worn awnings, these additions can increase curb appeal. This makes your house better to look at - and could potentially make it easier to sell. Along with aesthetic value, awnings can also increase home comfort and overall energy usage. 

How Can Awnings Add Comfort and Energy Efficiency Value?

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, between 25 and 30 percent of home heating and cooling energy use comes from heat losses and gains that happen through windows. Replacement windows (with highefficiency, multi-pane insulated models) can reduce energy uses and related costs. But this type of home renovation comes at a cost. 

If you want to decrease some of the window-related costs, without buying replacements, consider awnings. The shade an awning provides over a window or door area can stop some of the heat transfer. The total energy efficiency value awnings add to your home depends on the placement.

Awnings in south-facing windows can decrease summer-time solar heat gain by up to 65 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. This number jumps to 77 percent for west-facing windows.

Even though awnings provide energy efficiency values in the summertime months, they may not provide the same cost savings in the winter. The shade of a fixed awning may decrease home heating efficiency.

To prevent this issue, consider a retractable awning or an awning that's easy to remove for part of the year. These types of awnings also eliminate snow and ice issues. Heavy snowfall or sheets of ice can damage an awning. Retractable and removable models remove these risks and won't require constant care in the winter.

Will You Recoup Your Costs?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Many exterior home improvement projects have a high percentage cost recoup value. According to Remodeling magazine's 2020 Cost vs. Value report, a window replacement has a 72.3 percent cost-recoup value, a deck addition's percentage tops 72 percent, and vinyl siding replacement is more than 74 percent. 

While there aren't solid statistics for awnings, you could recoup the cost of your investment in a home sales price. The cost of awnings is small compared to the price of a full set of replacement windows, a deck addition, or a complete exterior siding project. This means you won't need to recoup a high cost to make money back on an awning project. 

To better understand the initial awning costs versus the price you could recoup, talk to a contractor. An awning professional can provide detailed information on the prices of different styles of awnings, materials, and installation-related costs. 

How Can You Maximize Added Home Value?

Work with a professional to maximize an awning's added home value. An awning contractor should have the knowledge and experience necessary to guide you through the purchase process and help you to pick highquality products. They can also recommend options that provide the most aesthetic appeal for your home's specific exterior style.

After you decide on an awning (or awnings), the professional can install the products. This type of job is not a DIY home improvement project. A professional-level installation will maximize the overall look of your home. A do-it-yourself installation can look messy, decreasing curb appeal and value.

Are you ready to add awnings to your home? Contact Lexington Tent & Awning for more information.