Posts Tagged ‘awnings’
Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 by admin
Here’s something that will catch the eye. Aluminum sunshades are one of our newest products and we’re very pleased to be offering them. Not only are they known for their durability and functionality, they will definitely give any building an architectural “wow” factor, providing a fresh and modern look.
The primary purpose of a sunshade is to control the amount of direct sunlight through your building’s windows, so where you install them matters. Southern, eastern, and western exposures of you building will derive benefits from solar shading. The southern exposure is the easiest to shade, as the sun exposure is the greatest in that direction, which is why shading this area will provide the greatest energy savings.
Occupants, however, will appreciate any reduction in morning sun glare (eastern exposure) and afternoon sun glare (western exposure). These exposure can generate significant energy saving as well. Northern exposures do not require solar shading, but in order to foster uniformity and balance in the building’s appearance, it’s highly advisable that you include shades there as well.
Should you have any questions about which types of awnings would fit your style and needs, please don’t hesitate to call us at 901-368-4477.
-Michael Folk, President of Parasol Awnings
Tags: Add new tag, aluminum sunshades, awnings, durability, energy savings, exterior, functionality, Parasol Awnings, solar shading, sun glare, weather protection
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Friday, September 30th, 2011 by admin
You didn’t think all awnings had to look the same, did you?
Louvered Sunshades are an attractive means to obstruct undesired sun and heat gain without sacrificing a natural flow of light into your building. While they are most commonly used as a kind of “shelf” placed above windows, louvered sunshades can also be mounted vertically in front of windows. Numerous blade shapes, blade spacing, and trim profiles allow for plenty of options to design your shades to suit your project requirements. The options are never-ending…
How’s this for year-round functionality and style? Shaded sun in the summer will keep cooling costs down, while full sun in the winter (because the sun is lower that time of year) will allow you to take advantage of every bit of sunlight. It’s a creative solution that gets the job done without forcing you to give up your sense of fashion or natural light!
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for friendly, professional advice on discovering the correct shades for you and your building at 901-368-4477.
Tags: awnings, blade shapes, building solutions, cooling costs, creative solution, heat gain, louvered, louvered shades, Parasol Awnings, sun glare
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Friday, April 29th, 2011 by admin
If you’re a downtown merchant looking to jazz up your property’s exterior with new awnings, but you’re strapped for cash, don’t lose heart. There may be funding sources in the form of grants or low-interest loans available.
Check with your local merchants association to make sure you’re not missing a funding opportunity. Check to see if your town has a Main Street program and how it works.
Also check with community banks. They sometimes have low-interest loans for exterior facelifts as part of their community outreach.
Ask your local Chamber about funding sources. They may know of loan or grant programs that may apply to your project.
Track down the preservation architects active in your area. They often know about more obscure funding sources.
If you rent your retail area rather than own, talk to the property owner about sharing the cost. Property owners know how hard it is to find and keep good tenants, so they may be willing to share in the cost of the awnings.
Michael Folk
President, Parasol Awnings
Tags: affordable, architects, awnings, community, downtown, exterior, exterior facelift, main street, Main Street program, Parasol Awnings, preservation, property
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Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 by admin
It’s not uncommon to see smokers huddled around a building’s entrance and exit. As uncomfortable as it is for the smoker, it’s worse for the person who is entering or exiting the building to have to pass through a cloud of smoke.
Many companies wrestle with wanting to provide a smoke free entrance, but not wanting to make their smoking employees outcasts or break the budget.
New materials are making it cost affordable for awning manufacturers to provide comfortable, weather resistant smoking areas. Clear plastic panels on the sides of a smoking shelter let light in and protect smokers from the elements. The panels can be removed during the warmer months for better ventilation.
Safety is also a concern. Employers don’t want their employees walking into a “blind” shelter where they may not be able to see who is inside.
If your employees who smoke are hacked off about their smoking conditions, talk to your local awning company. They may have an excellent and affordable solution.
Michael Folk
President, Parasol Awnings
Tags: awnings, Parasol Awnings, smoke free entrance, smokers, smoking areas, smoking employees
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Friday, January 21st, 2011 by admin
Most retail businesses have to keep the retail experience fresh if they want to maintain customer loyalty. It’s easy for customers to grow tired with what is old and look for something that’s new and shiny.
The challenge for retailers with physical locations grows tougher as they go head to head with online stores. Last year Cyber Monday sales totaled more than $1 billion dollars and are expected to continue to increase.
The point is, if you expect a consumer to get in the car and drive to your location, you’re going to have to give them a pleasant experience when they get there. That means something attractive inside and out.
Awnings are a great, affordable way to update a retail exterior. Adding awnings over doors and shop windows can transform a dreary exterior, signaling there’s something fresh and exciting inside.
If your location already has awnings, it’s even more economical. You can change your colors and, literally, change your stripes. Keeping the awning’s frame but updating the fabric and finishing style can infuse your exterior with a new energy that will get customers’ attention.
If you’re scrambling to capture more of a shrinking marketplace, shake it up with a facelift that includes awnings.
Michael Folk
President, Parasol Awnings
Tags: affordable, awnings, customer service, exterior, marketplace, online stores, retail
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Tuesday, December 21st, 2010 by admin
Everyone today wants to save money. We don’t believe in cutting corners. We do believe in offering options that allow people on a really tight budget to add awnings to a home or building.
Many customers don’t realize that part of the cost of an awning is the time it takes for a salesman to go to the location, measure and review options with the customer. An additional cost is for the crew to travel to the site and install it.
For customers on a budget, Parasol offers pre-made awnings in our most popular fabrics and sizes, ready to go. You can pick it up and install it yourself at a significant savings.
The workmanship on both the frame and fabric is the same excellent quality you would get from Parasol if you custom ordered it.
Another advantage is no waiting. Parasol always sets the standard on producing orders fast, three to four weeks on custom orders. With our pre-made awnings, the gratification is instant.
Michael Folk
President, Parasol Awnings
Tags: awnings, budget, Parasol, pre-made awnings, save money
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Thursday, July 29th, 2010 by admin
Many times we hear from contractors or builders that they had a great idea for a building’s exterior design but had to abandon it because of expense.
My immediate reaction is always, why didn’t they call us first?
I may be a fourth-generation contractor, but I’m also an accountant. At Parasol Awnings, we are often able to make suggestions that make seemingly impractical projects practical.
For example, we worked with an architect on a church addition. The addition went over budget, and the contractor thought he would have to eliminate the covered drop-off aspect of the structure. With the church’s elderly population, a covered drop-off was important for safety and comfort.
The original budget for the drop-off structure was $250,000. At Parasol, we were able to create a covered drop-off and walkway for $25,000. That was 10% of the original cost.
A few years later, the church had the funds to replace the canopy structures with a permanent build.
Michael Folk
President, Parasol Awnings
Tags: awnings, building solutions, canopies, materials
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Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 by admin
On March 2, 2010 President Obama outlined energy efficient improvements that would qualify for the new HomeStar® Program. Sadly, awnings were not mentioned.
Like the home improvements he did include in his speech, awnings reduce energy consumption. A study by the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota determined awnings could save more than 20% of a structure’s cooling costs.
President Obama also referred to the work created for small business through the HomeStar® Program. Many awning companies are like mine, small, family-owned shops that manufacture awnings and canopies on site with local craftsman and then install them using local labor.
At a time when Americans rarely manufacture anything in America, the awning and canopy industry is proof we can.
With an energy credit for awnings and canopies, we could reduce energy costs and create jobs.
Tell your lawmakers you want energy-saving canopies and awnings included in the HomeStar® Program. Write to me at michael@parasolawnings for a sample letter you can send to the people who represent you in Washington.
Michael Folk
President, Parasol Awnings
Tags: awnings, canopies, energy conservation, energy credits, materials, reduce energy costs, tax credits
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Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 by admin
Most industry outsiders think canopies and awnings haven’t evolved since they were installed on their grandparent’s house 70 years ago. Those of us in the business know better.
Canopies and awnings are continually evolving to answer today’s engineering, design and energy-conservation challenges. Here and across the country craftsmen and designers are pursuing innovative applications, experimenting with new materials and pioneering new processes.
In this blog, I will share with you some of these inspiring projects. You’ll be able to read about the latest advancements in energy conservation, cost savings, extended wear and durability, new fabrication techniques and configurations as well as bold graphics. If you know of an inspiring project, email me the details.
Michael Folk
President, Parasol Awnings
Tags: awnings, canopies, cost savings, energy conservation, extended wear, innovation, materials
Posted in From the president | 1 Comment »
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