subject: Choosing And Buying A Canopy For Home Use [print this page] Many people will choose a canopy when it comes time to buy outdoor shades for the home. There are a number of reasons, among them is the desire to enlarge the usable space of a home a bit. Outdoor shades can also be used to shelter door and window openings which helps keep down the heat and saves on energy costs. In the past canopies were very staid and boxy looking. Nowadays there are a number of choices for the discriminating consumer who wants to select from high tech fabrics, composite materials for the frame and many other options.
In general canopies can be used in three ways. Non-portable, fixed-structured kinds are placed in residential areas where they can give shading to people who are trying to enjoy the outdoors. Portable, mobile canopies are very light and good for family or other kinds of outings. Car canopies help protect cars either at home, or at some other venue which requires the car to remain still for long periods of time. The three kinds of canopies are quite different in terms of size, style of construction, and of course price.
Fixed canopies near a home overlap in functionality with other types of home outdoor shades, such as awnings, gazebos, pergolas, arbors etc. However, while awnings specifically shield window, door and patio areas, canopies create new space away from the immediate boundaries of the house. They can be set up in the middle of the backyard, much like gazebos. A deck canopy is usually placed abutting the house, much like a pergola or awning. In these two cases, the canopies are playing different roles.
Different from the static, fixed canopies are the portable, collapsibles which are easy to set up, easy to put away, and easy to store. Why would someone want outdoor shades that are a bit flimsier than the fixed canopies? The reason is because these can be placed anywhere, at a big gathering on the beach for example, or in the street during a street fair. In fact, businesses often get one that is emblazoned with the company logo which helps build brand awareness and shelter employees, customers alike.
Car canopies or garage canopies are used for housing vehicles, perhaps more than one. There are simple roof-only versions as well as completely covered versions. The function is pretty much like a little garage for the car, or in the parlance of outdoor shades, these are "portable car ports". For those living in condominiums or town houses where space is a commodity and there is no garage, these vehicle canopies are a real life safer. Over the long term they help protect the car.
Canopies can cost a lot of money mainly because they are large, bulky items with a lot of material. The kind of the fabric of these outdoor shades can have an impact on the cost, with uv resistant, microbe resistant, composite fabrics costing the most, and vinyl or polyesters costing the least. Expensive fabrics should get good cleaning attention and care. When the canopy is put into storage in the garage, for example, it should be wiped down periodically and covered with a tarp to protect it. A special detergent cleanser is recommended and is available likely from the manufacturer of the canopy.
