Life Under The Shade

Enjoy Your Patio with Solar Shades
The weather is getting cooler, and the summer will soon be a memory. In between the sweltering, sticky days of summer and the bitter, frigidly cold days of winter, we have a season of pleasant temperatures in fall. Do you want to continue enjoying the great outdoors from the comfort of your patio this fall? Perhaps a chill runs down your back just thinking about the cool autumn breeze that could make that dream impossible. You should consider installing solar shades on your patio! Solar shades will extend your patio season and are... Read more...
Choosing the Right Awning Material
Adding an awning to a home or business can add style and function to outdoor areas. There are many considerations when choosing an awning, and among the most important is the type of material that the awning will be made from. Different materials may better serve different purposes and may affect the lifespan of the awning. Canvas Awnings Canvas awnings are common, and can be made from different materials such as polyester or cotton. Canvas awnings were once very popular and can still be purchased today, but these awnings have a number of disadvantages. Canvas... Read more...
Prepping Your Awning for Fall & Winter
With years of expertise in the awning industry, Eclipse Awnings has some fall and winter storage tips for awning owners. Window awnings can lower your overall cooling costs, according to the US Department of Energy. This heat reduction can save you massive amounts of money in energy bills all summer long. However, when you need that extra sun in the winter, tuck your awnings away. Before you tuck them away for the winter months, though, don’t forget to winterize them. Winterized awning fabric is well taken care of and will be more... Read more...
Save Costs with a Commercial Awning for Your Business
Commercial awnings are a great way for businesses to advertise their wares and really enhance the outdoor aesthetics of their brick-and-mortar storefronts. Awnings are fully customizable in terms of color scheme and design and allow business owners the chance to bring in more customers without sacrificing either curb appeal or energy efficiency. What’s actually remarkable is that commercial awnings can block the amount of glare and sunlight that permeates your store, which in turn reduces your energy, electricity and cooling costs since you’ve effectively reduced the heat gain. While heat gain in commercial buildings is... Read more...
Getting Your Eclipse Awning
Awnings are everywhere we look from store fronts to backyard patios. Awnings provide shelter from the rain and sun as well as create a welcoming and visually appealing addition to any home or business. THE DESIGN PROCESS At Eclipse Shading Systems, we offer guidance and input throughout the entire design process while still giving you the best realized version of your dream. Every customer receives a thorough consultation with one of our experienced designers and is allowed multiple iterations of drafts to make sure that everything fits with your needs and expectations.... Read more...
#ThrowbackThursday: Eclipse Shading Systems on Extreme Home Makeover
Ah, remember the early 2000s and Extreme Home Makeover? So do we! In fact, Eclipse Shading Systems was proud to donate solar screens and retractable awnings to an Extreme Home Makeover build in 2011. In honor of its 5 year anniversary, we’ve decided to relive the glory of helping those who need it most! Check out a few photos from our Extreme Home Makeover experience! Read more...
Prepping Awnings for Fall
Regular maintenance generally means a once-a-year cleaning and with the fall season just around the corner, it’s perfect time to do a little maintenance to keep your awning looking great. To keep the fabric looking fresh, awning fabric should first be hosed down to remove any loose debris. Using a soft brush with a mild natural soap like Ivory Flakes or Woolite in lukewarm water, no more than 100 degrees F,  remove any loose dirt and stains from the fabric.  Do not use detergent! Rinse thoroughly to remove all the soap... Read more...
How to Keep Your Awning Looking Brand New
Awnings are an investment in your home and exterior look and style of your home, so it’s always good to keep them looking brand new. But after hours of exposure to the sun and elements, what are the best methods for keeping an awning in great shape? Generally speaking, to keep awnings in their best shape, regular maintenance typically includes a thorough once-a-year cleaning. To keep the fabric looking fresh, the fabric should first be hosed down to remove any loose debris.  Using a soft brush with a mild natural soap... Read more...
Retractable Patio Awnings Add Shade, Save Money
During those hot summer months of the year, do you ever wish that you could get a little bit of reprieve from the heat and the sun? Perhaps your backyard doesn’t have any trees, so you can’t sit in the shade anywhere. If this is the case, then it’s time to consider residential retractable awnings. But which option is the right one for you? At Eclipse Shading Systems, we offer different options for you to choose from. Below are several benefits of retractable patio awnings for your yard. Protection from the Sun... Read more...
Stay Cool Outdoors This Summer With Exterior Solar Shades
Whether it’s to totally block out the light or filter the light and heat, Eclipse Shading Systems has a shading solution that will perfectly complement your home or business.  With a summer being so short, you’ll want to enjoy every moment that you can outdoors. Eclipse Shading Systems has solar shades, retractable screen doors, awnings, pergola covers, and offer the option of motorized or manual. With the click of a button, you can transform your patio into your desired outdoor living space.   Patio shades block heat, wind, and dirt, creating a great outdoor... Read more...
Tips for Keeping Your Retractable Awning Looking Awesome
If you own a retractable awning, you want to keep it in the best shape possible. After all, it is outdoors and exposed to the elements constantly. Whether it’s harsh sunlight, rain and wind, or dirt, dust and outdoor animals like birds and squirrels, your awning is gets exposed to quite a bit day after day. That’s why it’s important to put a little time into caring for your awning and making sure it stays clean. Check out these tips for maintaining your retractable awning and keeping it looking great and... Read more...
Sun Safety 101: Enjoy the Outdoors Without Getting Burned
The weather is warming up, the days are longer and there’s more time to be outside doing all kinds of fun things! But if you’re going to be out in the sun, especially on a hot day, you need to stay safe. Let’s find out how. Don’t Get Burned Even though the sun is hot, it does cool things. It keeps us warm. It makes flowers and plants grow. It even gives us vitamin D so we can better absorb calcium into our bodies for strong bones. It does all these things... Read more...
A Great Way to Enjoy Your Summer Outdoors Comfortably & Safely
You’ve already planted your garden, completed the landscaping, bought your lawn furniture and have truly spent time enjoying the outdoors. You step outside on your deck, sit down with your beverage of choice, on your new outdoor furniture and it hits you. Oh no, the sun! It’s out in full force and it’s beaming down on you making you want a little shade. Fortunately, there is an easy solution that can enhance your home and allow you to enjoy your beautiful outdoors more than ever. The solution is simply the addition of... Read more...
Throw Shade All Summer Long Find A Local Dealer
Eclipse Shading Systems is a leading manufacturer of awnings in the United States. With hundreds of certified Eclipse dealers located across the country, Eclipse is your local provider for shading systems including retractable awnings, solar screens, and more. Generally speaking, the denser the material used in outdoor awnings, umbrellas or other protective structures, the greater the percentage of UV rays they’ll block. For example, the Skin Cancer Foundation says materials such as tile, metal or timber can block up to 100 percent of the sun’s rays, while other materials may block... Read more...
10 Ways to Stay Cool This Summer
If you’re worried about rising energy bills as we head into summer, don’t overlook alternatives to air conditioner and fans for staying cool. You may be able to save some money this upcoming season with a few tweaks to your diet and some simple lifestyle changes. Whether you need instant relief from the scorching heat or have the patience to complete a DIY project, here are eight refreshing – and unconventional – ways to keep your cool all summer long. 1. Learn a Yogic Breathing Technique You may not need to... Read more...
Sun Protection & Wind Protection – Eclipse SunRoof Plus
Sun Protection & Wind Protection – Eclipse SunRoof Plus
Enjoy the great outdoors with three-season protection and comfort under an Eclipse SunRoof Plus. The Eclipse Shading Systems® SunRoof Plus retractable awning is designed to provide protection from sun and rain.... Read more...
Best Awnings for Summer
Summer has arrived!  Is your yard or eating area ready to protect from the harsh sun?  Temperatures in throughout the country can reach outrageously hot levels, particularly during the summer months. To protect your family from the sun but still enjoy time outside, an awning could be a perfect solution.  But which type of awning is best suited for your needs? Eclipse Awnings can help make that decision for you, so you can spend more time enjoying the outdoors and less time worrying about the sunblock. Retractable Awnings If your space doesn’t always need... Read more...
Awnings Add Shade & Style to Any Property
An awning can give your home or business a unique look and style. Awnings are both attractive looking and practical. We invite you to consider just a few of the many benefits that you can receive from having an awning installed. Let’s start with living space. During certain seasons, your use of an outdoor patio may be limited by inclement weather. Sometimes this can be rain, but other times it may just be heavy sun that produces uncomfortable conditions on a patio or deck. Retractable awnings give you the flexibility to increase your... Read more...
How to Throw an Easy Summer BBQ Under the Awning
Ready to throw a barbecue under your new retractable awning? These tips from Eclipse Shading Systems will help make your event unforgettable. There are many reasons to add a retractable awning to your house, and one of the most fun reasons is for hosting a summer grill session. A patio awning is a grilling enthusiast’s best friend for a lot of reasons: The shade gives you a place to cool down while working on specialties with long cook times, such as ribs or brisket. Going low and slow is much easier... Read more...
The Best Things to Do Beneath the Awning
Awnings are a great addition for the home for a number of reasons, chief among them being that they provide the ultimate protection for your family and the sun’s harmful UV rays. But what else can you do beneath the awning? Without further adieu, here is our list of our favorite things to do beneath the awning! 1. Barbecue. The great American classic: a good old-fashioned barbecue is easily one of our favorite activities to do beneath the awning. Whether you’re flipping burgers and hot dogs or preparing a gourmet meal... Read more...
The Sun, Skin Care & Awnings
Protect yourself against damaging UV rays with a retractable awning from Eclipse Shading Systems. Anyone who has spent a day at the lake knows how important protection against the sun’s rays can be. As wonderful as a warm day can feel, the sun’s rays can cause damage such as a painful sunburn. And repeated exposure can lead to skin cancer. Even the sun worshippers among us, who get in as much sunbathing as they can, know about the value of shade. That’s why we bring umbrellas or party tents when we... Read more...
Why Restaurants Choose Red Awnings
Ever noticed how many restaurants in urban areas opt for a red or warm-colored awning to extend their dining areas and attract customers walking down the street? It’s not a mistake — red awnings are some of the most popular choices for restaurants. Why? Well, here’s some psychology behind the choice. A lot of research has been done to study the connection between colors and eating habits. A few of those findings have been relatively universal, such as that blue and purple awnings can result in a loss of appetite... Read more...
Indoor Solar Shades Combine Style & Function
Most folks try to integrate their unique styles into their personal spaces, which makes sense. One area that may be overlooked is you windows. Did you know that more heat and cold is lost through windows than any other part of the home? What are you doing to maintain your home’s energy efficiency while simultaneously retaining some stylistic appeal? Transparent solar shades maintain the open feeling of a room. They give full vision out while providing daytime privacy. They come in different densities that allow you to control the amount... Read more...
Understanding The Utility Of Retractable Awnings for Businesses
Retractable awnings and solar shades are an integral part of any urban home or apartment. With a wide range of hues and patterns available in a multitude of fabric, awnings help bring vibrancy and recognition to businesses and residences throughout the neighborhood. Awnings are instrumental in blocking the direct rays of the sun but allowing air-flow. Restaurants use them to create seating arrangements in the open, giving it a very romantic look, and residential applications allow retractable awnings to extend outdoor living space while also offering a shaded escape from the sun. Moreover, retractable awnings increase... Read more...
Choosing the Right Retractable Awning Company
Retractable awnings are great accessories to keep in mind if you’re looking to redecorate. They improve the look and feel of your home, adding style and class to the windows and doorways of your home or business. And more than that, retractable awnings can be a great way to spruce up the windows or doorways to your home or business. But awnings vary greatly in quality and style, so here are a few ideas to help you in your search for a retractable awning company. A GOOD COMPANY SHOULD HAVE STRONG, DURABLE PRODUCTS... Read more...
Retractable Awnings Help You Enjoy the Outside in Any Weather
April showers bring May flowers and sadly, strong rains can ruin your patio furniture, interrupt a barbecue and force you to quickly move your party indoors. Retractable awnings are a great way to take the edge off the weather. Retractable awnings make sure your patio stays dry in the rain and keeps you in the shade during the summer. Even more importantly, retractable awnings can dramatically increase your patio outdoor living space. They even help reduce energy costs by blocking the sun from getting to your windows. And, if it’s too windy, motorized retractable awnings have... Read more...
Create Your Backyard Living Room This Summer
With a retractable awning installation backyard living “room” is more than just a storage area for your deck, grill, pool and patio furniture; it’s an outdoor living and entertaining area you can turn into a livable, fun and functional part of your home. It can extend your existing entertaining area into your backyard or create an entertaining area if you don’t already have one. Don’t you want your backyard to look like one of these? Contact an Eclipse dealer and professional awning installer to help you decide what’s best for your backyard. Remember, your... Read more...
Awnings Create the Ultimate Outdoor Living Space
For many of us, our back deck becomes the most popular outdoor living space in our homes during the summertime. To make those backyard barbecues and lazy summer afternoons even more enjoyable there is one addition that will make your patio the ultimate summer space: a retractable awning.  Most retractable awnings can be installed on any wall surface, including wood, brick, stucco, aluminum and vinyl siding. Best of all, adding an awning to your deck or patio makes the space more usable and therefore can add value for resale. Either way, be sure to consult... Read more...
5 Things to Ask Before You Buy a Retractable Awning
Eclipse Shading Systems has answers to the most common questions about retractable awnings for your property. Since 2002, we’ve helped myriad customers enhance their properties by creating new outdoor living spaces. A high-quality patio awning helped turn space in their back yard into their family’s new favorite room. In the process, they’ve had a lot of different types of questions. Our awning experts have answered every one of them, because we believe informed customers will be happy customers. So you’re in the market for a retractable awning? That’s a wise choice! But it’s... Read more...
Choosing the Right Retractable Solar Shades
When looking for retractable solar shades, it’s easy to become confused or bewildered at the wide variety of options, brands, manufacturers, and companies that overwhelm the market. So how is the average consumer supposed to choose the right solar shades? We’ve put together a few things you should consider in choosing the right retractable solar shades for your home or business. Which room are you purchasing retractable solar shades for? Depending on whether you’re looking to buy solar shades for your living room, bedroom, or a single doorway, the room you’re purchasing solar shades for will dictate... Read more...