Let’s take a look at some attributes of a manual retractable awning. A manual retractable awning does not use a motor to retract. Instead, the manual retractable awning must be manually operated by hand.
Because of advancements in awning construction, modern manual retractable awnings do not require a lot of human strength to operate. They also don’t require an energy source. This means when the electric goes out, you can still operate your manual retractable awning.
Manual retractable awnings are also very simple in terms of construction. This means that if your awning does need servicing or repair, a manual retractable awning will be a much simpler fix compared with a motorized awning.
Let’s dive in and take a look in detail at manual retractable awnings and also motorized awnings. Then you can decide which type of awning will best meet your needs.
What Is the Difference Between a Manual Retractable Awning and a Motorized Awning?
Just from the name description alone, you may be able to guess what the main difference is between a manual retractable awning and a motorized awning. If you guessed that one requires an outside energy source while the other is human-powered, you are correct. A motorized awning requires the use of electricity or a battery whereas a manual awning does not.
Let’s look in detail at the differences between these two awning types.
Motorized Awnings
If you prefer taking the route that requires the least amount of physical work when it comes to retracting your awning, you may want a motorized awning. With a motorized awning, you can simply operate a control and let the motor do the rest of the work. Motorized awnings take less time to open and close compared with a manual awning. Simply have a seat with a cold or hot beverage in hand and enjoy watching your awning open or close with little effort on your behalf.
Motorized Awnings Are Fantastic for Elderly or Disabled People
Motorized awnings are perfect for disabled persons or people who may be getting advanced in age. Because motorized awnings are so simple to operate, a motorized awning is used more than manual awnings. This type of awning is especially popular with people who are not able to easily operate a manual retractable awning.
Motorized Awnings Have a Clean Look With Telescoping Arm Support
Motorized awnings have telescoping arms as opposed to vertical supports on a manual awning. This type of design has a cleaner and less-complicated look than a manual awning. For this reason, a motorized awning may tend to blend in better than a manual awning.
Wind Sensors Can Be Added on to Motorized Awnings
More bells and whistles such as front screens or wind sensors can be added on to a motorized awning. If you would like the freedom of leaving your awning down while you are away from home or while you’re at home and not paying attention to the weather, a motorized awning may be the way to go. A motorized awning equipped with a wind sensor will retract back in a windstorm.
Manual Retractable Awnings
A manual retractable awning may seem old school compared with a motorized awning, but manual retractable awnings have their advantages. Let’s take a look at some of these advantages.
Less Can Go Wrong With a Manual Awning
With a manual awning, the construction is much simpler than with all the motorized components of a motorized awning. This also means that if something needs to be repaired on a manual awning, in general, you will pay less in repair expenses than to have a motorized awning fixed. This is, of course, assumes you couldn’t fix your awning yourself. But even if you are handy with repairs, in general, a manual awning is simpler, faster and less expensive to repair.
A Manual Retractable Awning Will Work Even When the Electricity Goes Out or the Battery Is Dead
Because a manual retractable awning requires no other energy source other than human muscle power, it will run when all other power fails. A dead battery or having your electricity go out means a motorized awning will fail to work. This could be a compounded problem when electricity is out. Let’s say, on a hot summer day, the electricity goes out. This means your air conditioner goes out. If you have a manual awning as opposed to a motorized awning, you could still open it and thus keep your house cool.
Manual Awnings Cost Less Than Motorized Awnings
If you want to buy the least-expensive awning, go with a manual awning. There will be no need to wire a manual awning to an electric system and no need to purchase a battery.
Manual Awnings Are More Stable
Because manual retractable awnings have vertical support rods, this means that they are more stable as compared to the telescoping arms of a motorized awning. Additional support is especially a good thing if an unexpected gust of wind were to arrive.
Manual Retractable Awning Summary
In this article, we explored the differences between a manual retractable awning and a motorized awning. Some advantages of a manual retractable awning include lower price, easier to fix, being more stable and being operable even when the electricity is out or a battery is dead. Some advantages of a motorized awning include no human power required to open and close, a cleaner and simpler look and added benefits such as a wind sensor.
Of course, the choice about which type of awning that will be right for you is ultimately your decision.
