Retractable awnings aren't just practical and stylish; they are also beautiful assets to your outdoor living. So call us today for a and let us show you what we can do for you. Our show room is located in 1904 Industrial Blvd Ste 102, Colleyville, TX 76034. We specialize in motorized retractable awnings.
Testimonial:
"Southwest Shade Solutions installed an Awesome Durasol Awning. They matched to color of my house fascia and their office, sales and install teams were great to work with. they were on-time, honest, and professional."
No unsightly posts or poles on your patio.
Over 200 architecturally pleasing colors to choose from, solids, tweeds and stripes.
When retracted and not in use it is unobtrusive.
Blocks all of the sun not a portion when the awning is extended.
Allows you to help warm your home and enjoy the sun in the winter.
Will reduce the radiant heat into your home during the summer and reduce your summer electric bill.
Low maintenance no painting or staining necessary, just rinse with a garden hose twice during the summer. Awnings are lower cost per square foot then comparable shading products.
Your investment in a quality long-term recreational product, installed by professionals, will prove to be a decision that you and your family will enjoy for years to come.
It is important to select the proper combination of the product, the company who made it and the company who installs it. To ensure that your expectation will be met, please use this check list as a guide.
A Well Designed and Engineered Product
While all awnings will provide you with shade, not all awnings are created equal. It all starts with the quality construction of the awning. Retractable awnings, or lateral arm awnings, are self-supporting shading systems that are used for protection from the sun’s harmful rays, and to keep your home cooler in the summer. These units are mounted to a solid structure with no vertical supports, and should not be used in severe weather (strong winds and/or rain). Durasol, Eclipse, and Sunair have created the best designed and engineered retractable lateral arm awning systems in the marketplace.
Durasol, Eclipse, and Sunair customers have rated their awnings as the top retractable awnings in the country; owners would recommend to a friend or relative at an outstanding 98%! Retractable awnings are a lot like automobiles – there’s a large variety to choose from. From a distance, most cars appear to be similar – they all have fenders, doors, wheels, etc. Much of the value is unseen or unclear until it is pointed out to you. Price depends on what you want in terms of quality, comfort, durability, maintenance, options, and all the other goodies you can add to a car to make it just right for you. You get what you pay for. Motorized or hand operated retractable awnings are much the same way. There are many models to choose from; finding the right awning for you depends on what your personal needs are. Listed below are some of the features you should look for in a "quality" retractable awning as a long-term investment for your home.
One of the most important features of a retractable awning is it parts. Awnings that use state of the art manufacturing of key component parts will be stronger and more durable. Durasol, Eclipse or Sunair use vacuum injection-cast molding or the forged casting process. These processes eliminate the possibility of any microscopic air pockets forming in the finished part. The benefit you receive as a consumer is a stronger, and more attractive awning. Compare this to other awnings that use a less expensive extrusion process, and most likely you will find an inferior product.
When comparing other awnings, be sure to look for the following:
Our specialty is motorization and automation. We carry only the top of the line products from companies such as Somfy, Electronic Solutions, Sunbrella, Statler, Mermet, Durasol, Sunair, Eclipse and Insolroll to name a few.
All our products are installed by factory trained crews, and come with a one year installation warranty, in addition to the manufacturer's individual warranty.
Every retractable awning we sell and install is backed by our outstanding reputation along with the manufactures 5, 10 or 12-year warranty.
We work with home owners, architects, builders, interior designers and automation specialists to make it a more enjoyable experience for our customers.
MORE INFORMATION HERE
We invite you to visit our showroom in in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex to see working samples of our products and meet our experienced staff. You can also fax or e-mail your plans to us. Or call us for an on-site consultation.
The roller tube is what the fabric is attached to and where the tension is provided on the fabric when the awning is extended out. Durasol, Eclipse, and Sunair incorporate steel roller tubes into their shading products. Steel roller tubes allow for 21 feet wide by 10 feet projections without the use of a center support. Comparatively, aluminum roller tubes have much more deflection from the tension and weight of the fabric, which would require a center support at shorter widths and lesser projections than steel. Aluminum roller tubes may require the use of center supports for widths as small as 13’.
The role of the lateral arms is to work in conjunction with the front bar and the roller tube to keep the fabric taut. The benefit of having lateral arms is that you can easily walk underneath the awning without having to walk around any side supports or poles. When comparing lateral arms, consumers typically take notice of the arm cables. Lateral arms usually come with either one steel cable or two. Durasol, Eclipse, and Sunair use a single 4mm stainless steel cable constructed of 128-strand aircraft quality 10,000 pound-test cables. Numerous awning companies will use two cables in their arms, but the two cables that they use are not 4mm. These companies rely on two 2mm cables to handle the stress needed to keep the fabric taut.
Imagine trying to pull a tree stump out of the ground using pull cables and a truck. Would you prefer to use two smaller cables hoping that if one broke the other can support the weight load, or would you use a single heavy-duty cable? Hopefully you would use the heavy-duty cable to ensure you have a high-quality product to do the job effectively. Arm cables work in the same manner. The larger arm cable can handle the weight load of the awning more efficiently.
The purpose of the torsion bar is to absorb movement and flex from the complete system. All mechanical parts of the awning are attached to this "backbone" bar. Durasol, Eclipse, and Sunair offer the choice of a steel or aluminum torsion bar on their units. Typically, we would recommend the steel torsion bar for the high amount of energy absorbing load that they can handle. We’ve engineered our thick-walled aluminum bar for seashore areas where an added level of corrosion protection is desired.
Connection from the arm to the torsion bar is made with the arm shoulders. With arm shoulders, you want to have a minimum number of parts to avoid play and instability. When the shoulder is extruded, it consists of parts that are bolted together. Cast arm shoulders require a much greater investment in molds and dyes, but they provide a “cleaner” look and a more stable awning that requires less "readjustment" after installation.
These sturdy mounting brackets attach to the wood frame studs or masonry of your home. Durasol, Eclipse, and Sunair utilize a bracket that can be mounted on both walls and soffits. To accommodate every type of mounting area, this bracket, combined with additional parts, can also be mounted on the roof of your home. If you have less than eight feet of clearance or desire a longer projection, we strongly recommend you consider a roof mounting application. The vacuum-injection cast molding of these brackets provides unsurpassed strength and durability. Over the years, we have recognized that customers may move or put an addition onto their homes, which requires the removal of their awning.
The versatility of the installation brackets allows for the customers to have their local dealer re-install the awning on a different mounting surface or area. Many customers are happy to know they can go from a wall mount to a soffit mount and vice versa without the purchase of additional parts.
Durasol, Eclipse, and Sunair use a front bar that is unmatched in quality to prevent sagging, bowing, and deflection. Most competitive systems use a single or double chambered bar that offer less than half of the stiffness of the Durasol, Eclipse or Sunair bar. The arms, fabric and valance are all connected to the front bar. The front bar is the outer most point of the projection. On lateral arm awnings, the fabric is only connected to the roller tube and the front bar. When the wind gets underneath the awning, the arms will bend or react to changing weather conditions, thus allowing the awning to billow up. The stress is transferred to the connection on the roller tube and front bar. There are items you can buy to lock down the front bar, such as legs and poles. Remember, a lateral arm awning is designed to have the fabric billow up and the arms fold inward during wind. This eliminates stress on the wall and the rest of the system. When the wind dies down, the arm extends back out using the fabric as a cushion.
PROTECTIVE HOOD
Retractable awnings are self-storing when retracted, but the need for additional protection may be required depending on the mounting area. The majority of units we sell will require a protective hood if the unit will be roof mounted or mounted on a wall that does not have an overhang or soffit in close proximity. The hood may also be utilized to protect the unit from ice, snow or any other type of harsh weather when the awning is not in use. A hood will also keep the fabric cleaner and reduce the amount of maintenance required.
ELECTRONIC OPTIONS
Homeowners have the option of motorized or manually operated awnings. Over 85% of the awnings that Durasol, Eclipse or Sunair produces are motorized. The average time it takes to extend a motorized awning is about 20 seconds, using a hand crank can take up to 2 minutes. By simply pushing a button, you can save considerable time and effort, as well as avoid possible unit damage associated with rolling it up incorrectly or extending it too far. Another thing to consider about motorized awnings is the various electronic options that can further suit your needs. Durasol, Eclipse and Sunair offer an assortment of electronic options including remote controls, indoor and outdoor switches, and weather sensors.
FABRIC CUTTING AND SEWING
For an awning to have the best fabric fit possible, nothing beats computerized cutting of the fabric panels and computerized sewing of the seams.
Computerized cutting insures that all cuts are straight, square and concise. These cutting machines are accurate to within 1/100 of an inch!
Computerized sewing provides consistent and straight sewing with turned tailored edges. This allows the fabric to lay better and provides a more visually pleasing appearance. It also guarantees a square cover, for better performance. Lock stitching is used in the sewing process so that the panels will not separate if a link in the stitching is broken.
Quality and consistency at this level cannot be achieved without the aid of computer assistance. Many companies are still cutting and sewing their awning covers by hand.
FABRIC
The first thing to consider is what type of fabric will best meet your needs. The fabric choices today for lateral arm awnings are acrylic or vinyl. The waterproof nature of vinyl fabrics makes them ideal for commercial applications and for use on trailer-type Awnings. These types of systems have limited dimensional stability requirements for fabrics, relying mostly on the unit’s framework. The lack of dimensional stability found in vinyl fabrics does not make them an ideal candidate for lateral arm awnings. With changing weather conditions, vinyl covers will heat up and stretch, affecting the performance and factory settings of your awning – not to mention the smell of the plastics leaching out.
Today’s acrylic fabrics are woven specifically for use on retractable awnings. This heavy-grade acrylic fabric provides protection from harmful UV rays, while allowing most of the sun’s energy to be deflected. Acrylic fabric on your lateral arm awning will allow the area under the awning, as well as the nearby indoor areas, to be much cooler. Acrylic fabric is woven, which it allows it to “breathe” and increase resistance from moisture and mildew. Durasol, Eclipse, and Sunair use solution dyed acrylic fabrics from Sunbrella and Dickson, both woven by the world’s leading producer, Glen Raven Mills. We also use the Para Tempotest.
Solution dyeing (adding color while still in a liquid state) locks the colors into the acrylic fibers. This process reduces fading and increases the aesthetics of the product, making each fiber much like a carrot – the same color all the way through. The second thing to consider is which color will work best. Durasol, Eclipse or Sunair offers over 200 designer colors and patterns to choose from. Many consumers wonder if they should choose a dark or light color fabric. Dark color fabrics will provide anywhere from 95-98% UV protection, while light color fabrics will resist 94-96% of these rays. If you are considering an awning to conserve energy, then lighter color fabrics are your best choice. Please keep in mind that the lighter the fabric, the more dirt will typically show over time, which may require periodic cleaning.
A Dependable Manufacturing Company
An awning is a long-term investment in the comfort and the beauty of your home. You need to be sure the manufacturer of that awning will be able to supply any replacement parts, should you ever have the need for them. Durasol, Eclipse and Sunair were founded in 1970’s and 80s’ and are the largest manufacturers of awnings in the United States. They each have over 100,000 square feet of floor space dedicated to the manufacturing of retractable arm awnings. Their size and depth enables them to have a large selection of replacement parts on the shelf, ready for immediate delivery. In fact, they continue to have parts availability for every awning they have ever manufactured. Be certain that any other awning you are considering has this type of factory support. You can get a feel for the stability of a potential manufacturer by asking:
1. If they have had significant turnover in ownership or key management positions in recent years, or months.
2. If they are currently up for sale, or have been so recently.
3. If they are currently profitable and have been over the last several years.
4. How long they have been in business.
The warranty put on a product is also indicative of the strength of the product and the company behind it. Durasol, Eclipse and Sunair warranty all components for 5 years and frame components for 5, 10, or 12 years.
An Established and Well Respected Local Dealer
Southwest Shade Solutions has been in business since 1993. We are the largest Durasol, Eclipse or Sunair retractable awning dealer in Texas. We have the experience and stability necessary to provide you with the peace of mind you want when making an investment in a retractable awning or solar screen system. We carry $2 million of liability insurance should any unusual or unforeseen circumstances arise. Ask the other companies how much insurance they carry. We are members of the Industrial Fabrics Association International.
A Flawless Installation by Factory Trained Installers
A poor installation is your worst nightmare. Improperly installed awnings can put you family at risk and the integrity of your home in jeopardy. In a windy environment like North Central Texas do not take chances, a poor installation can cause severe damage to your home.
You can purchase various systems from several dealers in your area. The best place for you to purchase a Durasol, Eclipse or Sunair awning is from Southwest Shade Solutions. We are factory trained and will ensure that your awning is professionally installed and serviced. Consider the awning will be mounted directly over the heads of your family. Do you want to risk having an installation failure? Why not leave your installation to the professionals? It’s money well spent. Durasol, Eclipse and Sunair dealers are selected to provide you with peace-of-mind. Knowing you have chosen a quality local company that stands behind their work and can provide references on request.
Buy a Quality Product, From a Quality Manufacturer, Installed by a Quality Company
Remember an awning is a long-term investment in your comfort and safety. Be certain that you are choosing the right solution to deliver these results.
Durasol, Eclipse or Sunair awnings are the best-engineered and designed systems for a basic retractable lateral arm awning today. These companies are some of the few if not the only awning manufacturers that are not concerned with how many dealers carry their product line. Instead they are more concerned with the quality of the dealers that they partner with. Not everyone can be a Durasol, Eclipse or Sunair dealer – only the best will do. That’s why we have over a 98% nation-wide customer satisfaction rate. Your investment in a quality long-term shading product that is installed by trained professionals will prove to be a decision your family will enjoy for years to come. We back your purchase with a factory-registered warranty, something unheard of in today’s market.
Colleyville, Southlake, Grapevine, North Richland Hills, Keller, Trophy Club, Euless, Roanoke, Westlake, Highland Village, Flower Mound, Farmers Branch, Parker, Heath, Rockwall, Rowlett, Allen, McKinney, Haslet, Mansfield, Fort Worth, North Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington, Coppell, Hurst, Bedford, Lewisville, Carrollton, Irving, Plano, Little Elm, Highland Park, University Park, Frisco, Richardson, Addison, Denton, Corinth, Granbury, Grand Prairie.
Southwest Shade Solutions
1904 Industrial Blvd Ste 102
Colleyville, TX 76034
Phone: 817-424-1299
or 972-329-4161
Email: info@southwestshade.com
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