The use of awnings outside of your home provides the additional bonus of energy efficiency inside your home. The elements on your home most likely to be the source of lost energy are glass doors and windows. In fact, on a hot summer day, more heat energy enters your home in one square foot of glass than an entire insulated wall. When you utilize an awning over the windows or glass doors of your home, you reduce the solar heat your home absorbs. Reducing the sun’s ability to heat up your home in the summer means your home’s cooling system works less. The less your air conditioning system runs, the lower your utility bill and the smaller your carbon footprint. Installing retractable awnings to your home will save you money and energy come the hot summer days from Virginia Beach to Williamsburg, the Eastern Shore and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.