Construction & Contractors Blog
A patio cover gives you and your guests protection from the sun and rain while you're relaxing in your yard, and one of the most versatile patio covers you can add to your home is a motorized pergola.
A motorized pergola can be switched between a lattice-style patio cover and a flat patio cover by hitting a button. When the slats in the cover are open, sunlight can get inside your patio. Rotating the slats by hitting the button creates a perfectly flat surface that blocks the sun, rain, and snow. To learn why a motorized pergola is the most versatile type of custom patio cover you can install, read on.
A Motorized Pergola Can Be Opened to Partial Sunlight
Homeowners install pergolas because they want partial shade on their patios. A pergola lets in about half the sun's light through its slats, which helps keep the patio cool during the summer months. In addition, the shadows cast by the sun shining through the pergola's slats add visual appeal to the patio. The partial shade helps your patio appear brighter and more inviting than the full shade offered by a flat patio cover.
When It Rains or Snows, the Pergola Can Be Closed to Keep It Off Your Patio
One of the biggest downsides of a fixed pergola is that it won't block the rain. You won't be able to sit outside while it's raining, and you may have to bring in your upholstered patio furniture if a storm is coming. With a motorized pergola, you can close the slats to block out the rain, completely eliminating this issue. A motorized pergola can also be installed with an atmospheric pressure sensor that will automatically close the slats when it detects rain in the air, which keeps your patio furniture safe even when you're not at home.
A common solution to allow a fixed pergola to block rain is to install a motorized awning over it. The awning can be closed to prevent rain from falling on the patio. Unfortunately, a motorized awning is too weak to withstand the weight of snow. A motorized pergola's frame and slats are made of heavy aluminum, which allows it to support a heavy snow load.
Overall, a motorized pergola's ability to switch between a pergola and a flat patio cover makes it the most versatile patio cover you can install. You can open it to let in sunlight or close it to block out storms and snowfall. While installing a motorized pergola over your patio is expensive, its versatility often makes it worth the cost. If you're interested in installing a motorized pergola over your patio, contact a custom patio cover installer in your area and ask them to measure your patio — they'll be able to build one that protects your entire patio from the elements.
Share27 February 2023
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