What are the advantages of Accent Awning Company's shade solutions?

Most sun-control window coverings shut off your view to insulate from the sun or, like security shutters, lock you in as well as lock the sun out. Now you can keep that fabulous view that you love, watch your children and the family swimming pool or open your house or office up to the “outside” without suffering from the intensity of the heat from direct sunlight.

Sun control is easier, more aesthetic, practical and efficient than ever before. Retractable shade products, such as window awnings, interior or exterior window shades, patio covers and shades, large umbrellas or a freestanding shade structure offer these advantages:

• Easier – Operate with manual cranks or motors, or automated with sun and wind sensors – even remote controls for special installations.
  
  
• Aesthetic – Awnings – are made right here in Las Vegas of Sunbrella acrylic awning fabric. Sunbrella cleans easily, won’t mildew and carries a 5-year warranty. Sunbrella woven acrylic awning and upholstery fabrics are unsurpassed in quality and designer colors.
  
  
• Practical – All types of shading provides cost savings, whether an awning, shade or patio cover. Removing the direct sun means comfort and dollars saved in air conditioning. Retractable products, when not extended in the winter or on cloudy days, will allow the sun’s natural warmth to be utilized.
  
  
• Efficient – View is an important requirement, whether for safety, such as watching the backyard pool or just enjoying the morning and evening views of the valley or the height of our surrounding mountains. See-through insulating shades and retractable awnings allow the choice to be totally yours. Shade when you want it, gone when you don’t!
  

Professional Awning Manufacturers Association
The Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA ) of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) is the only international trade association committed to the awning industry. It is one of 14 divisions and country sectors of the Industrial Fabrics Association.

The offer a terrific list of Questions & Answers on their website.

The Use of Awnings on Historic Buildings
Repair, Replacement & New Design

44 Preservation Briefs
Technical Preservations Services
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior

A shopkeeper rolls out an awning at the beginning of the workday; a family gathers under a porch awning on a late summer afternoon. These are familiar and compelling images of earlier urban and residential life in America. For two centuries, awnings not only played an important functional role, they helped define the visual character of our streetscapes. Yet, compared to historic photographs of downtowns and neighborhoods with myriad awnings, today's streets often seem plain and colorless.

Read more . . .

SOMFY Q&A

Q: Who Do I contact if my motorized Interior/Exterior window covering or projection screen stops working?

A: You should first contact the retail dealer or company that installed your system. If you can’t reach the company that you purchased the product from, then contact Somfy Systems customer service department at 1-800-22-SOMFY. They can put you in touch with a local customer that can either supply product or service to you.

Q: Does Somfy manufacture and sell Interior window coverings, awnings, rolling shutters, projection screens and other home products?

A: No. Somfy designs, manufactures and distributes motors and controls that make these products move.

Q: What home products can Somfy motorize?

A: Retractable awnings, shades, blinds, draperies, rolling shutters, projection screens, garage door screens, TV lifts, other roll-up products.

Q: Does the Somfy motor look like a garage door operator?

A: No. Somfy motors are blue in color, tubular in shape and are contained within a roller tube. Fabric, or other material is affixed to the roller tube…so the motor is hidden from view.

Q: Who will do the installation?

A: Somfy’s customer base has trained retail dealers that will install motorized awnings, shades, blinds, draperies, projection screens, rolling shutters and more throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Q: Why Should I opt for motorization?

A: Just as most people today choose cars with power windows, there’s a growing trend of homeowners purchasing motorized awnings, rolling shutters, projection screens, interior blinds, shades and more. The obvious advantage is ease of use and convenience. It’s simple to press a button to extend or retract an awning or open and close interior window coverings, projection screens or exterior rolling shutters. The easier a product is to use, the more you’ll use it and the more benefits you’ll realize…Like saving time and money. With the advent of home automation, you can now press one button and all the motorized interior and exterior window coverings in your home will open or close to block the sun or allow light to enter as you wish, so you can maximize the energy saving benefits of your home products with little or no effort. Motorization enables you to easily operate hard to reach window coverings via remote control or a decorative, wireless wall switch. It also adds to the life of a window covering or projection screen because the manual pulling and tugging is eliminated and the associated wear and tear on mechanical parts goes away. What’s more, motorization provides a measure of safety to a window covering because it eliminates hanging cords or chains which are potentially dangerous to small children and pets.

Q: What control options do you have for motorized interior/exterior window coverings and projection screens?

A: Remote control, wall switch, automatic controls (timer, sun/wind sensor)…In addition, our motors and controls can be easily linked to home automation systems so you can also operate window coverings and projection screens from a display screen in conjunction with lighting, audio/visual, security and heating/air conditioning systems.

Q: Can I motorize my existing interior window coverings as well as my retractable awning and exterior rolling shutters – or do I need to replace everything?

A: As long as you’re satisfied with the design and condition of your window coverings, it’s easy for a dealer/installer to motorize them. With the advent of Radio Technology SomfyTM a local retail dealer can easily motorize a manual retractable awning or rolling shutter. That’s because Somfy motors have built-in radio receivers which allows for remote control without additional wiring. The ideal way to motorize for interior window coverings is to utilize our battery powered motors with Radio Technology Somfy controls – This requires NO wiring at all.

Q: Who do I contact or where do I go to buy motorized interior window coverings, awnings, rolling shutters, projection screens, and other lift-up home products?

A: For awnings you can go to our awning section and get a list of suppliers that have dealers in your area. For all other products you can contact Somfy customer service at 1-800-22-SOMFY or complete/submit the contact form under the Where to Buy section of this website or check your local yellow pages for dealers that sell and install these motorized home products.

Sunbrella Q&A
You may have a few questions, and hopefully the following will provide answers. If not, fill out our contact form, and we'll be glad to help you.

Q: Is Sunbrella fabric waterproof?
A: Because Sunbrella Furniture fabrics are designed to be breathable, they are water repellent, but not completely waterproof. Over time, the water repellency can be refreshed by using 303 High Tech Fabric Guard™.

Q: Will Sunbrella fabric mildew?
A: Mildew will not grow on Sunbrella unless there is food, dirt or other organic matter on the fabric. Keeping Sunbrella clean is the best defense against mildew. Bleach and other mildew removers do not affect Sunbrella, so cleaning mildew is easy if it becomes necessary.

Q: Can I hose down Sunbrella fabric?
A: One of the best ways to keep Sunbrella fabrics looking good and to delay the need for deep or vigorous cleaning is to hose fabrics off on a monthly basis with clear water. This practice will help prevent dirt from becoming deeply imbedded in the fabric and eliminate the need for more frequent vigorous cleanings. In most environments, a thorough cleaning will be needed every two to three years. Remember after hosing down the fabric to allow the fabric to air dry.

Q: How can I clean bird droppings on my awning?
A: For those stains that are beyond our normal care and cleaning instructions, such as bird droppings, roof run-off, acid rain, pollution, rust, tree sap, insect stains, etc., we suggest the following products: an off-the-shelf product such as Goo Gone Grease Cutter (a hand cleaner), Greased Lightning, Clean Rite Purple Power (available at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc.) or Release (available through Awning Rejuvenation Systems International in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; 800.776.5664). Rub product into fabric, allowing penetration. Brush with a soft brush, rinse THOROUGHLY and repeat if necessary.

Q: In your cleaning instructions, you use the term "Mild" or "Natural Soap". What is "Mild" or "Natural" soap?
A: By "Natural" or "Mild" soap we mean Ivory Snow, Dreft or Woolite. These gentle soaps rinse out easily and will not diminish the water-repellent "finish" applied to the fabric.

Regular laundry detergent will not harm the fabric, but the water-repellent "finish" will be removed sooner (laundry detergents do not affect the stain and UV resistance). BE SURE to use cold water and to air dry the fabric when using laundry detergent. In addition, after several cleanings you will need to retreat the fabric with a water repellent product, such as 303 High Tech Fabric Guard™ (www.303products.com).

Q: Do Sunbrella fabrics provide UV protection?
A: Sunbrella fabrics have been tested and proven to provide up to 98% UV protection from harmful effects of the sun when used in shade applications. Sunbrella fabrics have been awarded the "Seal of Recommendation" by The Skin Cancer Foundation, an international organization dedicated to the prevention of skin cancer (www.skincancer.org). Whites and lighter colored fabrics provide less protection than darker fabrics, which have more depth of color. This protective factor is inherent to the product and will not be reduced by usage and/or fabric exposure to the sun.

Q: How does Sunbrella lock in color?
A: Sunbrella fabrics are made from 100% solution-dyed acrylic yarns. Solution-dying is the manufacturing process of adding color to acrylic fibers while they are in a liquid state. This unique feature of Sunbrella fabrics allows them to lock in color, be easily cleaned and provide you with a long life.

Q: Where can I get awnings made with Sunbrella fabric?
A: You can find the fabric you're looking for by going to the Where to Buy page in the Awnings section of this site. Simply choose your location from the options shown to find names of companies in your area that manufacture awnings made with Sunbrella fabric.