​As awning customers, we want to be sure our provider is selling us more than just a smile and a handshake. We want to know that our provider is fair, knowledgeable and available. Here are some things you should know when it comes to finding the right awning provider and what to look for in the customer service provided:

Mesh fabrics are flexible when it comes to allowing light to pass through and more. The fabrics are designed to maximize your skylight awning’s versatility. The mesh fabric also creates a different ambience than a standard awning would. The skylight awning can be retracted but with the use of a mesh fabric, you don’t always have to retract it to allow light through. ​

Mesh fabrics are great for skylight awning because they allow:

• Breathability: air flow can circulate through the mesh of the fabric.
• Light: a small amount of light is allowed through the mesh, but you’re still protected from the harmful rays of the sun because the fabric is UV ray resistant.
• Flexibility: you can choose when you want to use your mesh fabric panels or when you just want to keep your skylight closed.
• Creativity: you can combine a mesh skylight awning with a pergola or other shade structure and create something so unique, your friends, family, and even customers will remember it. 

​​Remember, mesh fabrics can also be used for drop screens, which would work great in combination with your skylight awning. Remember, you don’t have to cut into your roof if you want a skylight, you can always use a skylight awning. These shade structures extend your living or business footprint and allow you the flexibility of taking it down whenever you want. 

​​In 2015 it was also observed that metal awning sales increased and represented 15 percent of all awnings sold in the U.S., according to that IFAI report.
 
But what does this all mean? It means that as the economy recovers, businesses are seeing growth. This also means that now is the time to think about installing a shade structure like an awning, patio cover, or canopy for your home or business. Just as the IFAI report shows, property values are increasing and now’s the time to think about sprucing up the old homestead or giving your business a fresh new look.

​In 2015, the awnings and canopies industry grew 2.5 percent in the United States and Canada, according to a report by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). The growth is due in part to an increase in home values and new home sales jumping by 18 percent, according to the report.
 
The growth in the awnings and canopies market is set to continue in 2016. Homeowners are taking advantage of the increase in their property value and remodeling their houses which is contributing to the growth in the awnings and canopies industry. Sales in the U.S. and Canada are set to increase by 3 percent, according to the IFAI report.