Anyone who has installed a deck onto their house in Calgary knows that this transitional space can be a game changer once all the snow has melted. Not only does a deck make for a visual break between your home and your garden, but it gives you a focal point to gather friends and family to make the most of the warmer months in the city. However, as all Calgary residents know, the 300 or more days of glorious sunshine are also offset by some of the strongest and most persistent winds in Calgary and there’s always the pop up rain showers that come along to spoil the fun. This is why you need to breathe new life into your deck this year with a patio cover.
What is a Patio Cover?
Like all the best home improvement projects, a patio cover is exactly what it sounds like – a cover for your patio to keep you and your family protected from the worst that the Calgary weather has to throw at you. Patio covers almost always attach to your home and stretch out over most, if not all, of your deck. The size of the patio cover will be over to you and your budget, but in most cases, you’ll need to have supporting posts at the outer edge of your patio cover to provide strength and support. They are typically made from aluminium, and are sloped downwards away from your home to help rain and debris run off easily.
Why You Need a Patio Cover
A patio cover is a great investment for any deck owner in Calgary as it helps to give your existing deck a fresh lease of life with the following benefits:
- Summer protection – the most obvious way that a patio cover upgrades your deck is that you get protection from the worst of the Calgary summer. You’ll be able to enjoy your deck without worrying about overheating in the midday sun, and you’ll be surprised at how your new patio cover acts to change the wind patterns on your deck, keeping you cool without being blown away.
- Extended evenings – it’s tempting to only see your deck as a day time only space to hang out, but a patio cover gives you the opportunity to spend sheltered evenings outside. The solid roof allows you to hang lights and even speakers for music, while also giving you the protection to put cushions and soft furnishings out to help you make use of the longer evenings.
- Winter-proof your deck – even though you typically wouldn’t get out on to your deck in the long Calgary winter, a patio cover will keep the worst of the snow and ice off your deck while you’re inside waiting for spring. This will speed up your spring deck maintenance, and reduce the wear and tear on your deck from snow and ice removal.
