Do you need a patio awning for your lovely patio off of your backyard that only gets half the use it could because of rain or far too bright sun? Installing a patio awning to shade and protect it can be almost as good as adding a room to your home!

When choosing a patio awning, you'll need to consider a number of things ? the area that needs to be covered, the structure on which the awning will be installed (usually your house), the weather conditions in your area, the cost and the aesthetics. There are many types and styles of patio awning available to suit your needs ? once you're certain what your needs are.

The most often stated reasons for installing a patio awning are:

- Protection from Weather

A patio awning provides shade from the sun and cover from rain, to extend the usability of your patio and make it more comfortable at all times of the day.

- Protection of Your Investment

Patio furniture and wood floors or patio carpets are a substantial financial investment. A patio awning helps protect that investment from the damaging UV rays of the sun. In addition, if your patio has full glass sliding doors, the patio awning will also help protect the carpets and furnishings inside your home from those same harmful rays.

- Energy Efficiency

Besides shading the patio itself, installing a patio awning can reduce the heat of your home's interior by as much as 70%, which can be a major savings in electricity if you're paying for air conditioning.

- Low construction costs

Patio awnings ? even fancy retractable ones with built-in lighting and heating ? cost far less than adding a full room to your home, but in many cases, the effect is almost the same ? expanded living and entertainment space.

- Aesthetics

Patio awnings come in an almost limitless array of colors and designs. A well-made patio awning can add beauty to your home while providing shade and comfort for you.

What type of patio awning is best? That depends on your patio, where you live, and how you use your patio. Some of the most popular styles and their best setting are listed below.

- Fixed Patio Awning

Fixed awnings are not usually recommended as patio awnings. They're designed to withstand extremes of weather conditions, and cannot be rolled back. If you're planning a patio area that you'll sometimes want to expose to full sun, a retractable awning is a far better choice.

- Retractable Patio Awning

Retractable patio awnings are designed to be retracted during extremes of weather to prevent damage to the awning. They can be retracted via a hand crank or a motorized pulley, and some of the latest styles even feature automatic wind and rain sensors to close the awning whether or not you're there to push a button. You can choose patio awnings that retract completely into a compact 'cassette' frame, that have installed lighting or heating, as well as patio awnings that are specially constructed for windy areas or for full tilt-angle control to adjust your shade precisely.

A consultation with a professional dealer and patio awning installer will give you the best idea of what sort of patio awning will suit your needs best.

Garry John has contributed to several home improvement sites including http://www.uk-awnings.org.uk/awnings with details of http://www.uk-awnings.org.uk/patio.htmlpatio awnings