After the very hot weather we have experienced this summer, you may be looking more closely at the rooms in your property that have been struggling most in the sun.
You probably know the type: a bedroom becomes unbearably warm by the evening. A home office is uncomfortable by lunchtime. Your shop display sits in direct sunlight for hours, or your balcony offers little protection from the afternoon sun.
In these situations, shading the window from outside can make a noticeable difference. Our Italia Slim drop arm awning is designed to provide adjustable external shade for windows, balconies and shopfronts, helping to limit solar heat gain before the sun has a chance to reach the glass.
If you have a problem room that receives too much direct sunlight throughout the day, the Italia Slim could provide the targeted shade you need. Unlike a conventional patio awning, it doesn’t need a large area in front of the building in order to provide useful shade. You could install it on any floor of your house or on your shopfront.
Table of Contents
- Why do some rooms overheat so easily?
- What is a drop arm awning?
- Italia Slim: our compact drop arm awning
- How does the Italia Slim control solar heat gain?
- Are drop arm awnings suitable for balconies?
- Drop arm awnings for businesses
- Should I choose a drop arm awning or folding arm awning?
- Manual or motorised operation?
- A practical response to hotter summers
Why do some rooms overheat so easily?
How warm a room becomes depends on several factors, including the direction it faces, the size of its windows and the amount of direct sunlight it receives. South-facing rooms may be exposed to the sun for much of the day. West-facing rooms can become particularly warm during the afternoon and early evening, just as you return home or want to use the space.
If you have large windows, this often makes the problem worse. Once sunlight passes through a window, some of its energy is absorbed by the floor, walls, furniture and other internal surfaces. That energy is then released as heat inside the room.
This is known as solar heat gain. It explains why opening a window or closing an internal blind may not always be enough during very hot weather. By the time sunlight reaches an internal blind, much of its heat has already passed through the glass.A drop arm awning shades the window from outside. It helps prevent some of that direct sunlight from reaching the glazing in the first place.
What is a drop arm awning?
A drop arm awning works differently from the folding arm systems generally used above patios and terraces.
Instead of extending horizontally to create a large area of shade below, its pivoting arms lower the fabric at an angle in front of your window. This provides targeted shade while leaving space between the fabric and the glass.
You can adjust the angle according to how much coverage you need. This allows you to block strong sunlight without necessarily covering the whole window or losing your view to the outside world. When you no longer need the shade, the awning retracts neatly into its cassette.
Italia Slim: our compact drop arm awning
The Italia Slim is our compact drop arm cassette awning designed for windows, balconies and shopfronts.
Its spring-loaded pivot arms help keep the fabric under tension and support smooth operation. When the awning is closed, the sculpted front rail fits neatly into the slim cassette to protect the fabric and arms.
The system is available in widths from 1.2 to 4 metres, depending on the selected arm drop. You can choose from three drop sizes:
- 0.8 metres for smaller windows
- 1.2 metres for standard applications
- 1.6 metres for larger windows and balconies
The angle can be adjusted from approximately 0 to 150 degrees. This gives you plenty of flexibility to tailor the coverage to your window, its orientation and the position of the sun.
How does the Italia Slim control solar heat gain?
During the British summers of the past, you may only have needed occasional window shading. However, this year’s prolonged spells of very hot weather have shown how quickly exposed rooms can become uncomfortable when there is nothing to stop direct sunlight reaching the glass.
The Italia Slim can be particularly helpful if you have rooms that:
- Face south or west
- Receive direct sunlight for several hours
- Have large or unshaded windows
- Become uncomfortable during the afternoon
- Have limited options for temperature control
- Need shade without losing all their natural light
Because the awning is adjustable, you can respond to changing conditions. You can lower it during the hottest or brightest part of the day, then retract it when the sun moves away from the window.
A drop arm awning will not remove every source of heat or replace suitable ventilation. However, it can help tackle one of the main causes of overheating by reducing the amount of direct solar energy reaching the glass.
Are drop arm awnings suitable for balconies?
Yes; balconies are one of the main applications for drop arm awnings, particularly in apartments and properties where space is limited.
A standard folding arm awning projects outwards and needs a clear area beneath it. This may not be practical on a compact balcony or upper-storey elevation. A drop arm system remains closer to the building and shades the window, balcony door or glazed opening directly. The compact design of the Italia Slim makes it a useful option where a larger projecting awning would not fit.
Drop arm awnings for businesses
Drop arm awnings also provide targeted shade for shops, offices, hotels and other commercial buildings. If your shop window receives direct sunlight for long periods, an awning can reduce glare and help protect merchandise or displays from prolonged exposure to strong light. It can also make the area beside the window more comfortable for customers and employees.
In an office, external shading can help reduce uncomfortable hot spots near the glazing. This can be particularly useful where large windows receive direct sun for several hours each day.
You can choose fabric and frame colours to complement your building. Printed signage is also available for commercial projects, allowing your window awning to become part of your shopfront and wider brand identity.
Should I choose a drop arm awning or folding arm awning?
That depends on what you want to shade.
If you want to cover a patio, terrace or outdoor dining area, a folding arm awning will usually be the more suitable choice. It projects away from the building to create a larger shaded space below.
If the main problem is sunlight entering a window, heating a particular room or causing glare, a drop arm awning may be a better fit. It concentrates the shade where you need it and requires less space in front of the building.
Before choosing, think about which room becomes hot, when the sunlight reaches it and whether you also need shade over an outdoor area.
Manual or motorised operation?
The Italia Slim is supplied with a crank handle as standard. Manual operation may be suitable for accessible windows and individual awnings that you only need to adjust occasionally.
Optional Somfy motorisation is also available. This can be particularly helpful for upper-storey windows, larger installations or properties with several awnings. Grouped control allows you to operate multiple units together. Sun and wind sensors can also be added if you would benefit from automated control. The best option will depend on where your awning is installed, how often you expect to use it and how accessible the window is.
A practical response to hotter summers
This summer has made many of us more aware of how vulnerable certain rooms can be to solar heat gain. Once you have identified a bedroom, office, shop or balcony that receives too much direct sun, external window shading can offer a practical response.
The Italia Slim provides targeted, adjustable shade without the projection of a full folding arm awning. Its compact cassette, range of drop sizes and choice of manual or motorised operation make it suitable for a wide variety of residential and commercial properties.
If you are struggling with an exposed window, an overheating room or an uncomfortable balcony, contact our team to discuss the Italia Slim and find your nearest dealer.