Dear Jerry: We have a Cape Cod-style home. We have no shade trees and would like to purchase exterior awnings to shade the windows that face the south and the west to help keep the house cool in the ...

Awnings have been a source of shelter from the elements since the 1600s, when they were used in bazaars to protect perishables from the sweltering sun. By the mid-19th century, canvas awnings began ...