“We’re now enjoying our terrace even more.”

Michael Vanlangenaeker’s home was originally built in 1976 and was extensively renovated in 2016. The purpose of the renovation was three-fold: to create a large living space indoors, allow more natural daylight in by way of a new glazed section and unfettered outdoor access via a sliding window.

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Sun protection

The most efficient way to keep the indoor living climate nice and comfortable during the summer, including during the ever more frequent heat waves, is to go with exterior sun protection. It stops the heat of the sun from entering the home via the glass panes. “We want to be able to walk in and out at all times, so screens are not an option for us”, Michael explains. We don’t even have fly screens. We simply accept the insects as part of the deal, taking the rough with the smooth. Our choice fell on an automated folding arm awning by Harol.”

If at all possible, weather permitting, we’ll have the windows open from May through to October. We spend as much of our time as we can on our terrace. But there was one thing we hadn’t reckoned with. The large sized terrace windows meant we were letting in a huge amount of sunlight with indoor temperatures running up accordingly.

Michael – homeowner

Perfect installation

The folding arm awning makes up a seamless whole with the exterior joinery. Michael is delighted with the smooth-paced installation of the folding arm awning. “They did a quick and efficient job, without destroying anything. They first secure the support for the box into the wall by screw thread and a chemical anchor. Using a special lift system, the protective casing is inserted into the support, connected to a power outlet and Bob’s your uncle.” ”We were keen to have a canvas that tied in with the dark colour of the exterior joinery. Another fun element is the integrated and dimmable LED strip. This gives me plenty of light if I fancy reading a book of an evening. As you can tell, we’re now enjoying our terrace even more than before.”

Indoor temperature

The sun shade canopy is not just an asset outdoors. “The difference in indoor temperature is huge: inside things are at least 5° C cooler thanks to the canopy,” Michael explains. What if it rains? “If it’s just a trickle, we’ll gather up underneath the canopy. Obviously, I give it time to dry out before rolling it back in.” One final benefit? “It’s 100% Made in Belgium. Harol is a great company to do business with. They supply top notch quality and the same applies to their service delivery. Buying locally and supporting sustainability is now more important than ever before.”