Our dining/living area has a window wall on the east and south sides--the deck is on the south and we never used it cause just too hot in the summer and the summer sun kept the south windows pouring in heat too, even with darker curtains(which I hate having to use cause we live in the country and I love being able to look at the horses, etc). Last year we added a Sunsetter awning (14'x14') that is a retractable one. I was reluctant to get the automatic retractable due to price, but my husband insisted cause that way we could add the wind sensor--and we LOVE it. We get lots of wind and would have lost the awning without that sensor and auto retraction. DEFINITELY recommend it if you live anywhere there is wind. Plus our A/C bill has sure benefited!