#balkongmarkis

As the winters are finally here, individuals need to get ready for protecting themselves against the Swedish winters. This can be by walking in the daylight, wearing warm clothes, drinking hot coffee, or sitting in the house the whole day (Spoerer J., The Newbie Guide, HOW TO SURVIVE THE SWEDISH WINTER, 2016). Consider this, it is snowing outside, and one wants to drink a warm cup of coffee, while reading a nice book in the balcony. How will one be able to experience this, if the balcony is filled with snow? The answer to this will generally be a balkongmarkis.  Along with guarding the balcony against snow, harmful UV Rays, etc, an awning can also provide various other functions. The following are some of them:

Improves aesthetics: Markis can help in improving the aesthetic appeal of the balcony. These days, awnings are available in different styles and colors. Hence, one will be able to find a suitable match for their house. However, while selecting the color of awnings that blends with the balcony, it is always advisable to opt for light colored awnings. This is mainly because the darker the color of the awnings the more heat it will retain, thus, increasing the heat during summers. While many people opt for striped awnings, it is always vital to consider the individuals type of house. For example, wide-striped fabrics could be overwhelming in a small house and vice versa.

Saves energy: According to the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHACE), when awnings made out of fabrics are used it reduces the heat gain up to 55% to 77%, by blocking direct sunlight from entering the house (Gallaghers Awnings, AWNING BENEFITS, n.d.). That means one can reduce dependence on air conditioners by as much as 50%, thus saving money as well as energy.  

Protect interiors: Another benefit of using awnings is that it will help in protecting carpets, furniture, etc, which is placed in the balcony. Especially, if an individual is fond of collecting art pieces, such as, paintings, due to the direct sunlight it can fade and diminish its beauty. Protecting the house against any weather generally means that an individual would not face problems, such as, leaking through gaps, cracks and holes around the doors and windows, and other fixtures in his home.

After the electricity market, the heating market is the largest energy consumption market in Sweden. Single and multi family homes are the main consumers of the heating market followed by commercial premises and industries (Håkan Sköldberg and Bo Rydén at Profu, THE HEATING MARKET IN SWEDEN - AN OVERALL VIEW, 2014). Swedes pay more for each unit of energy consumed for heating as compared to citizens of UK (Association for the Conservation of Energy, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND EXCESS WINTER DEATHS: COMPARING THE UK AND SWEDEN, 2013).

Reducing energy consumption is a major concern for Swedes because Sweden has an ambition to achieve sustainable development (Håkan Sköldberg and Bo Rydén at Profu, THE HEATING MARKET IN SWEDEN - AN OVERALL VIEW, 2014). There are a few way home owners can reduce their heating and cooling energy consumption. Some of these ways are presented below:

Insulation

There are many areas in the home that are not heated. The attic, crawlspaces, the garage etc are all areas that are not centrally heated. Home owners should insulate these areas to reduce the amount of heat that is lost from the home to these areas.

Programmable Thermostat

Homeowners should install a programmable thermostat in their home. The temperature in the home can be kept low when home owners are away and adjusted when they return. A programmable thermostat will give home owners more control over the heating and cooling of their home.

Blinds and Curtains

Installing blinds and curtains can help reduce energy consumption. In the summer the blinds on the windows should be closed to reduce the heat coming into the home. During the winter blinds should be opened during the day to allow natural heating. At night, the blinds should be closed to reduce heat loss.

Balcony and Window Awnings

During the summer, window and balkongmarkis can be extended to provide shade. The awnings will reduce the amount of direct sunlight that hits the windows or balcony doors. This will prevent the sun from heating up the interiors of the home, thus reducing the need for cooling. In the winter, fönstermarkiser can be retracted to allow the sun to warm the home. Awnings may be manually or electrically operated. Installing manually retractable awnings will reduce energy consumption, while electric awnings are more convenient to use.