Yet in America, only about three percent of homeowners choose to install awnings on their houses. Unfortunately, those who don't install them are missing out on a wealth of advantages only awnings can bring.

Read on to discover three compelling reasons to make awnings your next home upgrade.

1. Better Energy Efficiency

Most people would admit that awnings add an undeniable charm to a home's windows. Yet they still hesitate to make this upgrade because of the perceived costs of installing window awnings. What such people don't realize, however, is that awnings will gradually pay you back in the form of lower energy bills during the summer months.

The key here has to do with the relationship between sun exposure and energy efficiency. Simply put, awnings reduce the amount of time that the sun spends shining directly into your home. As a result, the amount of solar heat gain can be reduced by as much as 77 percent. This can lower the temperature inside of your home by up to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

That temperature reduction means that your air conditioner will not have to work as hard to cool your home, which means your monthly energy bill will make a relief-inducing plunge. In this way, your awnings may very well pay for themselves within just a few years.

2. UV Protection
Unwanted heat isn't the only thing that awnings will keep out of your home. Along with heat, sunlight also contains large amounts of ultraviolet, or UV, rays. While these rays cannot be seen with the naked eye, that doesn't make them any less devastating. As you likely know, UV rays are one of the chief causes of skin cancer.

You don't need to let UV rays take away your precious time outdoors, however. By installing a patio awning, you and your family can enjoy summertime meals and other outdoor activities without having to put yourselves at risk.

UV rays don't just pose problems for humans — they can be just as destructive when it comes to the objects inside of your home. UV rays will cause colored book spines to bleach and wood to dry out and crack. Furniture and wall decorations run an especially high risk of suffering damage as a result of repeated UV exposure.

Window awnings will significantly, and immediately, lower the risk of such damage.

3. Resale Value
The value of adding awnings to your home will continue to grow as time goes on. If the time finally comes to sell your home, those awnings will act to instantly boost the value of your home.

Potential buyers recognize the benefit of window awnings, as well as the expense involved in having them installed. They'll be more than willing to pay more in order to get a home that already contains this useful upgrade.

Buyers will also respond to the presence of awnings on a purely aesthetic level. Simply put, awnings boost the curb appeal of a home, meaning that prospective buyers will be more favorably disposed toward your home from the second they pull up. From a real estate perspective, the importance of such first impressions simply cannot be overstated.

If you have ever fantasized about adding awnings to your home, now is the time to act. For more information on what it will take to equip your Green Bay Area home with awnings, contact the home improvement specialists at Neville's Inc.