Retractable Awnings and Solar shades

[JC]

Does anyone have any experience with Beauty-Mark Maui retractable awnings and SunSetter retractable awnings? There is a big price difference. Beauty-Mark costs a lot less. SunSetter seems to have a bigger name?

Also is getting a motorized one necessary or is manual enough? I'm looking at an 18 feet wide one.

Also I'm looking at sun shades to mount outside a window to block the heat from the sun before it enters the house. Does anyone have any to recommend? I am currently considering the SunSetter Easyshade and the Coolaroo Exterior Window Shades.

Please let me know if you have any good/bad experience to share.

If you have any other suggestions on how to keep the heat out of sliding patio doors with full sun exposure, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks. JC

[MoM]

I honestly don't know what brand ours is. We bought it at Home Depot and it is manual crank. I checked out some others at a home show and I could see no discernible difference in any of them. It is the same fabric as the one on our motorhome and I can't see that motorization would make very much difference except in price.

[bumtracks]

Might look at

- their HEAT CONTROL PLATINUM Just bought and installed some from homedepot here in Florida for about 65 sq/ft of north facing windows on one wall and wow. Such a difference. Meets or actually exceeds what Florida Solar Energy Center specs tell you to look for too.

[JC]

I'm leaning towards the Beauty-Mark Maui Awning from Home Depot now. It's $800 for the motorized and $600 for the manual for the 16' width. I haven't been able to find anywhere to test out whether I can handle the manual. What do you think? I'm a 5 ft lady and I plan to only open it when we're out there. Is it difficult to crank?

Thanks! JC

MoM wrote: