Ideas for Awning and Shade Structure Applications in Phoenix

Awnings are traditionally thought of as shade and weather protection for doors and windows. Although that basic function is still relevant, the use of awning technologies, fabrics and shade maximization techniques has improved by leaps and bounds.

Things like cabanas and tents aren’t exactly new, but the fabric and structures used to make them have become more durable and more reliable in recent years.

The Importance of Shade

We know more about sun damage and UV risks today than we did three or four decades ago. The 77 percent increase in the diagnosis of nonmelanoma skin cancer between 1994 and 2014 wasn’t entirely due to people spending more time in the sun. It’s mostly attributable to improvements in diagnostic tools and a better understanding of skin cancer, its causes and the risks it can pose.

The vast majority of skin cancers – approximately 90 percent of nonmelanomas and 86 percent of melanomas – are attributable to sun exposure. Approximately 3.6 million cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) are diagnosed in the United States every year. At the current rate, roughly one in five Americans will be diagnosed with some type of skin cancer by their 70^th birthday.

Skin Aging

While no one wants skin that’s prematurely aged due to sun exposure, the aesthetic problems are far from the most serious. Young people shouldn’t flout the risks posed by UV rays just because they’re decades away from a possible skin cancer diagnosis.

About 90 percent of skin aging is due to sun exposure, and only 23 percent of lifetime exposure is accumulated before the age of 18. Although it’s possible to mitigate about 24 percent of skin aging with sunscreens that are SPF 15 or higher, sun exposure will still result in noticeable aging.

Shade Is Easy and Affordable

There are many outdoor activities that can be done in safe, UV-protected shade provided by the right patio awning, shade sail or shade structure. Shade structures can be built over everything from playgrounds and picnic tables to pools and lawns.

There are very few limits to the areas in which a company like Arizona Awnings can construct a shade solution that eliminates the vast majority of cancer-causing, skin-aging UV rays.  

Pool Shade

There are several different options when it comes to making your pool a shady, safe and cool place to swim. Installing a shade enclosure, shade sails or a shade structure over your Phoenix pool doesn’t just protect swimmers from harmful UV rays. The shade can also dramatically lower the temperature of your pool’s water and make it much more comfortable for swimming, even on particularly hot triple-digit days.

Alternatively, you can add shade structures over just part of your pool or pool decking, creating a shaded sitting area while your pool remains open to the sun.

Playground Shade

It’s never too early to begin protecting your children’s skin from harmful UV rays. Sun damage is cumulative, which means sun damage suffered in adolescence might contribute to skin cancer decades down the line.

Playground shade structures are worth the investment given the extremely dangerous potential side effects of excessive sun exposure. As with pools, there are several potential shade cover options for playgrounds. Multiple shade sail structures can overlap for a visually compelling and practical shade solution, or a more traditional four-legged shade structure can be constructed around a playground area.

Not only will those shade structures prevent children from absorbing dangerous UV rays, but they will also prevent playground equipment from overheating and burning little hands. Shade can also lower temperatures by 15 degrees or more, making playing outside more comfortable for much of the Phoenix spring and summer.

Outdoor Seating Areas for Businesses and Schools

There are significant portions of the Phoenix year when sitting outside would be preferable to sitting inside were it not for the unrelenting sun. This is especially true in the COVID-19 era. Workers, customers, students and people in general will often opt for sitting outside, even when the temperatures are in the 80s or low 90s, if there’s good shade available.

Installing shade sails, patio awnings and other shade structures over seating areas is an easy way to increase your home, business or campus’s usable space. It’s also a safer alternative to having dozens of people sitting in close proximity and potentially spreading airborne viruses in an enclosed environment.

Get the Perfect Shade Solution for Your Home or Business

Arizona Awnings has decades of experience developing high-quality shade solutions for clients in the Phoenix area. We may be best known for the hundreds of business and retractable patio awnings we’ve designed and installed throughout the Phoenix metro area, but we also fabricate and install all types of standalone shade structures for seating areas, playgrounds and pools.

Call us at 602-252-3430 to schedule your free awning or shade structure installation estimate.