Whether awnings are retracted to warm a home or extended to provide shade, they are a worthwhile investment aesthetically and help you save money. Here are a few things about how retractable awnings can help you spend less on your heating and cooling costs.

According to energy.gov, retractable awnings are useful for cutting heat loss in the wintertime and preventing heat gain during the summer months.

Window treatments, such as curtains and blinds, are also helpful in this respect.

However, you need to weatherstrip or caulk windows to keep them air-tight and reduce any escape of air if you want your awnings to help you realize the maximum amount of savings on the cost of heating and cooling your home.

Awnings installed over west-facing windows have been shown to decrease heat gain by just over 75 percent.

When they’re put over south-facing windows, awnings can reduce heat accumulation for by as much as 65 percent.

While awnings in the past were either made of canvas or metal, they are now made with fabrics that are mildew-resistant, water-resilient and fade-resistant too.

Awnings are also made with light-colored polyvinyl laminates and acrylics with a tight weave to keep out more of the sun’s light.

To help get the most out of your awning, you should have one installed that uses one of these newer materials.

Hot air becomes trapped around a window if the awnings you select do not feature the proper ventilation.

As a result, canopies are often made with eyelets called grommets to increase ventilation or are designed with open sides to vent out any hot air.

Use adjustable awnings so you can pull in the awning during the winter to permit the sun to warm up a room or extend it during the summer to keep a room shaded and cool.

If you’re budget-conscious, you may want to choose a manual retractable awning design. Hardware, in the form of lateral arms, makes retracting or extending the awning a simple process.

Or you could go for electric retractable awnings. These models come with a higher price tag, but are conveniently operated with a remote control.

If you use awnings to save on energy, just think how much you can save if you also install blinds, curtains and draperies.

Along with all of these ways awnings can save you money, keep your windows caulked and weather-stripped and you’ll see an easy return on your heating and cooling costs.