How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
If you live in Las Vegas, you already know that summer heat can completely change the way you use your backyard. How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
You may love sitting outside in the morning. You may enjoy having friends and family over for dinner. Maybe you have a beautiful outdoor kitchen, a pool, comfortable patio furniture, or a backyard that you have worked hard to make your own.
However, when the Las Vegas sun is beating down at 105, 110, or even 115 degrees, that beautiful backyard can suddenly become a place nobody wants to sit.
That is one of the biggest reasons we believe a quality patio cover makes such a difference.
As the owners of Palatial Patio Covers, we have seen firsthand how adding the right patio cover can completely change an outdoor living space. It is not simply about making your backyard look better. It is about making it significantly more comfortable and usable.
And when you understand what shade actually does to heat, the difference becomes even more impressive.
At www.palatialpatios.com, we help Las Vegas homeowners create outdoor spaces where they can spend more time outside, even when the desert heat is doing everything it can to send everyone back indoors.
Las Vegas Heat Is Not Just Hot—It Is Relentless
How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
First and foremost, Las Vegas is an incredible place to enjoy outdoor living.
We have sunshine almost all year. We have beautiful evenings. We have amazing sunsets. We have pools, outdoor kitchens, patios, fire pits, dining areas, and backyards designed for entertaining.
However, there is one obvious challenge.
The heat.
During the summer, Las Vegas temperatures regularly climb above 100°F. And while the temperature on the weather app may say 105°F, the surfaces around your home can feel dramatically hotter because they are sitting directly underneath the sun.
That is where shade becomes so important.
A patio cover creates a barrier between your outdoor living area and the direct solar radiation that makes everything feel so much hotter.
And the numbers behind shade are pretty impressive.
How Much Cooler Is Shade?
One important thing we want homeowners to understand is that there is a difference between air temperature and surface temperature.
A patio cover does not magically turn a 110°F Las Vegas afternoon into a 75°F afternoon.
However, that does not mean shade is not dramatically cooler.
In fact, research has found that shading can produce very substantial reductions in the temperature of surfaces exposed to the sun.
One field study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society found that shade reduced the temperature of impervious surfaces by approximately 18°C, or about 32°F, during peak afternoon measurements in the study.
Think about that for a moment.
A patio surface sitting in direct sunlight can become extremely hot. Move that surface into shade, and you can dramatically reduce the amount of heat it absorbs.
That is one of the reasons a covered patio can feel so much more comfortable.
You are not simply getting out of the sunlight.
You are getting away from a tremendous amount of radiant heat.
Why Does Shade Feel So Much Cooler?
How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
This is where things get interesting.
When you sit in direct sunlight, your body is not only experiencing the temperature of the surrounding air. You are also receiving radiant energy directly from the sun and from hot surfaces around you.
Your patio, concrete, furniture, walls, and other surfaces absorb sunlight throughout the day. Then, they release that heat back into the surrounding environment.
Consequently, even when the air temperature stays the same, the environment can feel dramatically different depending on whether you are standing in the sun or sitting underneath shade.
Research into outdoor thermal comfort has repeatedly demonstrated how important shade is in hot climates. One study conducted in the Phoenix area found that shading was the most effective strategy tested for improving thermal comfort, reducing mean radiant temperature by as much as 10°C, or approximately 18°F, during peak afternoon conditions.
That is a big deal.
Because ultimately, most homeowners are not asking, “What does my thermometer say?”
They are asking:
“Can I actually sit outside without feeling miserable?”
That is where a patio cover can make a huge difference.
A Patio Cover Can Make Your Backyard Feel Completely Different
As owners of Palatial Patio Covers, one of the things we love most is seeing what happens after a patio cover is installed.
Before the cover, a homeowner may have a beautiful backyard that rarely gets used during the hottest part of the day.
Then the patio cover goes in.
Suddenly, there is a shaded place to eat lunch.
There is somewhere to sit with a cold drink.
There is a comfortable place for the kids to play.
There is a shaded area next to the pool.
There is a place to entertain friends without everyone searching for the one tiny patch of shade.
In other words, the backyard becomes usable again.
And that is really what we are trying to accomplish.
Surface Temperatures Can Be Shockingly Hot
How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
Another reason patio covers matter in Las Vegas is what happens to outdoor surfaces.
Concrete, pavers, artificial turf, furniture, walls, and other materials can absorb enormous amounts of solar energy.
In research examining urban environments, unshaded impervious surfaces reached temperatures as high as approximately 64.5°C, or about 148°F, while the air temperature was around 106°F. Shade significantly reduced those surface temperatures.
That is something many homeowners experience without necessarily realizing what is happening.
You walk across a sunny patio and think, “Wow, this is hot.”
You touch a chair that has been sitting in the sun and realize it is almost too hot to sit on.
You step onto a section of concrete that has been baking all afternoon and immediately want to get back inside.
Now imagine placing a quality patio cover over that same outdoor living area.
You are stopping direct sunlight from constantly heating those surfaces.
That can make an enormous difference in how the space feels.
Insulated Patio Covers Can Take Comfort Even Further
Of course, not every patio cover is exactly the same.
That is something we always tell homeowners.
The design, materials, orientation, amount of shade, and type of patio cover all matter.
For homeowners who want an even greater level of temperature control, insulated patio covers can be an excellent option.
At Palatial Patio Covers, we offer insulated patio cover solutions designed to reduce heat transfer and improve outdoor comfort. Our website explains that insulated systems are specifically designed for temperature control and are particularly well suited to the Las Vegas climate.
That can be especially helpful if you spend a lot of time outside.
Maybe you work from home and want an outdoor workspace.
Maybe you love hosting family gatherings.
Maybe you have an outdoor kitchen.
Maybe you have a pool and want a comfortable shaded area nearby.
Or maybe you simply want somewhere to sit outside without immediately feeling like you are standing inside an oven.
An insulated patio cover can help create that environment.
Shade Means More Time Outside
How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
This is probably the biggest benefit of all.
A patio cover is not really about the structure itself.
It is about what the structure allows you to do.
Without shade, you may look at your backyard during the middle of summer and think, “It is just too hot.”
With shade, you may think, “Let’s eat outside tonight.”
That difference is huge.
Instead of avoiding your backyard, you start using it.
Instead of waiting until the sun goes down, you can enjoy it earlier.
Instead of having everyone squeezed inside the house, you can spread out into the outdoor living space.
And instead of thinking of your patio as something you use only during certain months of the year, you can start thinking of it as an extension of your home.
A Patio Cover Can Help Protect Your Outdoor Investment
There is another benefit that should not be overlooked.
The sun does not only make your patio uncomfortable.
It can also be hard on outdoor furniture, finishes, fabrics, and other materials.
Constant exposure to intense UV radiation can contribute to fading and deterioration over time.
Therefore, providing shade can help protect the things you have invested in.
Your outdoor furniture.
Your cushions.
Your entertainment area.
Your outdoor kitchen.
Your patio flooring.
Even the exterior areas of your home can benefit from reduced direct sun exposure.
So, while the primary reason homeowners install a patio cover is usually comfort, there are plenty of additional advantages.
Why We Build Patio Covers for Las Vegas Homeowners
How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
At Palatial Patio Covers, we understand the Las Vegas climate.
We know that homeowners are not simply looking for something attractive.
They want something that works.
They want shade.
They want comfort.
They want durability.
And, most importantly, they want to be able to enjoy the investment they are making in their backyard.
That is why we offer different patio cover styles and materials, including Alumawood and Elitewood systems. According to our website, our Alumawood products combine the look of wood with aluminum construction, while our Elitewood options use premium aluminum construction designed for long-lasting performance.
We also understand that every backyard is different.
Some homeowners want a solid patio cover.
Others prefer a lattice design.
Some want an insulated system.
Others need a freestanding structure away from the house.
That is why we focus on creating patio covers that fit the home, the backyard, and the way each family wants to use its outdoor space.
Imagine Your Backyard on a 110-Degree Day
How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
Now imagine it is 110°F outside.
Without shade, you may look at your backyard and decide that it is simply too hot.
But underneath a professionally designed patio cover, you have something completely different.
You have protection from direct sunlight.
You have significantly cooler surfaces.
You have less radiant heat beating directly onto your body.
You have a place to sit.
You have a place to eat.
You have a place to entertain.
You have a place to relax.
And suddenly, that backyard you thought was unusable during the hottest part of summer becomes a place your family actually wants to spend time.
That is the difference shade can make.
At the End of the Day, Shade Changes Everything
How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?
Living in Las Vegas means accepting the heat.
But it does not mean you have to give up your outdoor lifestyle.
In fact, we believe the opposite.
With the right patio cover, you can make your outdoor space significantly more comfortable and usable.
Research shows that shade can reduce surface temperatures by tens of degrees under certain conditions, while studies in hot desert environments have found meaningful improvements in thermal comfort beneath shaded areas.
Those numbers are impressive.
But what matters most to us is what those numbers mean in real life.
They mean sitting outside with your family.
They mean having dinner outdoors.
They mean enjoying your pool without baking in the sun.
They mean entertaining friends.
They mean drinking your morning coffee outside.
They mean turning your backyard into a place you actually use instead of a space you avoid for half the year.
That is why we love what we do at Palatial Patio Covers.
We are not just building patio covers.
We are helping Las Vegas families enjoy being outside again.
If you are ready to make your backyard cooler, more comfortable, and more enjoyable, visit www.palatialpatios.com to learn more about our patio covers and schedule a free consultation.
Because in Las Vegas, sometimes the best way to beat the heat is not to stay inside.
Sometimes, you just need the right shade.
How Much Cooler Can a Patio Cover Make Your Backyard?