SUNSHADE'S EQUINOX LOUVERED ROOF BRINGS CUSTOMIZED LUXURY TO BACKYARDS
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals
Robert Weaver, owner and founder of Sunshade, has been around the world installing his and his brother, Dave Weaver’s, invention they named the “Equinox Louvered Roof System.”
A unique design that had started making an appearance elsewhere but not in Utah, so the brothers created their own version. Unique from stationary patio covers, the Equinox Louvered Roof System offers homeowners flexibility of how much light or coverage they want at any given moment.
THE BEAUTY, VERSATILITY OF THE EQUINOX LOUVERED ROOF SYSTEM
The slats in the cover are adjustable to allow full sunlight to full shade.
“The beauty of the louvered roof is it kind of gives you a taste of both of those worlds,” Weaver said, “you can select how much light and or shade you're getting.”
“You can angle it such that you're fully shaded, but you still have blue sky and open space above your head. So it's a nice outdoor ambiance, a nice feel.”
In the cold winter months in Utah, homeowners can open the slats to let the warmth of the sunlight in through the windows while in
Robert and Dave Weaver invented the Equinox Louvered Roof System and sold the system in 2000. (Courtesy of Robert Weaver)
the summer closing the slats allows for a cooler patio experience.
It was a concept that caught the attention of the largest patio cover manufacturer in the country at the time and around 1999 the two brothers sold the product.
“They bought our name, our equipment, our engineering—the whole enchilada,” Weaver said. “At that point, we then became consultants and dealers of the product, which they now owned, and we maintained our outlets.
“From that point forward, we were in the industry as dealers, selling our original product, and we spent a lot of time on the road, traveling all over the country, training dealers on how to install the system.”
Even after selling the product, the Weaver brothers decided to keep their original 10 year warranty in place, even though the new owner called them crazy.
“Over time, the warranties have improved, so today I tell my customers lifetime warranty on paint finish, materials and structure and a 10-year guarantee on motor and mechanism,” he said.
He invites everyone to come see the demonstrator cover he has on the front of his building to see the beauty of “no plastic, no rubber, no vinyl, no wood, nothing to rot out with the sun, nothing to be eaten by termites, nothing to rust away.”
OFFERING THE LOWEST PRICES, SUPERIOR SERVICE, UNMATCHED EXPERTISE
Although his brother is now retired, Weaver’s invention of the product comes with certain perks he chooses to pass down to his customers.
“Money is not the motivating force,” he said. “ I still do it because I enjoy working with my hands and I enjoy the satisfaction of the job well done.”
Because of his low overhead and passion for the job, Weaver can offer the lowest prices in the state while offering his unparalleled expertise of the product.
“I am typically 20% less than anybody else,” Weaver said. “I simply can offer lower prices where a competitor has a lease payment on his building, a sales manager, an office gal and a separate install crew, so it costs a bit more.”
With little to no overhead, he offers customers with an average home a price of around $3,000 to $5,000 less than his competitors, which equates to $85 a square foot rather than $100 and up per square foot.
Since he sold the system and acted as an advisor for many years, Weaver has consulted on projects around the world.
“Over my career, I've literally done jobs across the entire world—Europe, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, etc.,” he said.
These projects ranged from “small jobs at private residences” to “multi-billion dollar projects.”
“We did Trump Towers in Honolulu,” he said. “Years ago, we covered the entire mezzanine level of his hotel there and we did the entire Hawaii Visitor Center in Honolulu.”
An added benefit for local Utah customers now that Weaver has decided to scale back is it’s him on site with installation with maybe one other crew member. He prides himself on holding a tight schedule, not jumping from job to job and keeping open communication with customers to ensure they get what they want.
UPGRADES AND CUSTOMIZATIONS
As far as innovation goes, Weaver said he doesn’t expect anything better than the louvered system to come along anytime soon.
“At the end of the day, I don't see a a revolutionary new style of cover coming—there's only so many ways you can cover your head and block the sun,” he said.
But variations in color and additional customization… that’s something that is only going to grow.
Currently, he said about 80% of his system installs are average, but the other 20% “go to the moon” and customize it to match their home perfectly with all the bells and whistles.
Style-wise, all the rage in recent years has been a matte black finish, but Weaver said that could change with any given year. More and more customization incorporating stack stone, stucco, and big timber frames are all available.
“The goal is to make it look appropriate for the home,” he said.
Additional customization comes in the form of upgrades or adding other features such as heaters, fans, misting systems, lighting and the most common request, a roll-down shade screen— typically the westside, to block the sun late in the day when it's getting low on the horizon.
We spend a lot of time in our homes, especially when the weather takes a turn toward the colder side come November through March.
During the winter months, people spend as much as 90% indoors, where inside air quality can actually be worse than outside, per the American Lung Association. ALA reported indoor air, found in homes, places of work and school, is typically two to five times more polluted than outdoor air and can be up to 100 times more polluted.
What causes poor indoor air quality?
Michael Ehinger, a field expert of 14 years and owner of Apex Clean Air Heating and Air Conditioning, said several factors contribute to poor indoor air quality.
Everyday household products, like candles, essential oils and cleaners can stick in the air and release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that stay in the air and are “terrible chemicals to be breathing in,” Ehinger said.
By Rebecca Olds | rebecca.o@thecityjournals
Apex service professionals can help homeowners with their indoor air quality by providing air duct cleaning, air purifier installation, HVAC diagnostics and whole home air filtration services. (Photo courtesy of Apex Clean Air)
The old system setup before Apex Clean Air replaced and updated the machinery. (Photo courtesy of Apex Clean Air)
The new system setup after Apex Clean Air replaced and updated the machinery. (Photo courtesy of Apex Clean Air)
Dirt, dust and other build up sit in a customer vent. (Photo courtesy of Apex Clean Air)
An after picture of the same vent following the vent cleaning service of Apex Clean Air, clean vents contribute to healthier indoor air quality. (Photo courtesy of Apex Clean Air)
“It's like the same chemical that's in Roundup that everybody knows causes cancer and whatnot,” he said. “A lot of those same chemicals and things are used in our common everyday household items and products.”
ALA adds moisture, fuel-burning appliances, and smoking or vaping to the list.
As more and more homes become more energy-efficient, he said, they also become more efficient at trapping air in the home. With no new air to circulate, all the contaminants are circulated throughout the house over and over again, day after day.
“Your home circulates, on average, five to seven times per day,” Ehinger said. “It just becomes a constant circulation of germs, bacteria, VOCs, pet dander and pollen—none of that ever gets out of the home and it's just all harbored in your system and spread throughout the house.”
HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST INDOOR AIR POLLUTION?
Maintaining adequate air ventilation, temperature and moisture in the space while controlling airborne contaminants is the best way to healthier indoor air, Ehinger said.
Something everybody can do is replace their air filters regularly, which helps to get particulates out of the circulation system and make the air flow more smoothly throughout the space.
I don't think very many people realize how much of a direct correlation there is between with a lot of the symptoms they might experience inside their home and their air quality.
Michael Ehinger
But when it comes to the quality of the air filter to install, Ehinger said to pay attention to what is called the minimum efficiency reporting value or MERV rating.
“The higher you go, the better the filtration system,” he said, noting the scale goes anywhere from 1 to 16. “Most households these days have filters that are anywhere from like a MERV one to MERV four, maybe that's stopping less than probably 20% of the contaminants that are in your air.”
“If someone has bad allergies, getting a better filter (higher MERV rating) alone can help alleviate that a ton, because it's going to start pulling a lot of the particulate matter out of the air or a lot of the dust in the air that causes that.”
Ehinger also recommends using less aerosols, candles or scent diffusers, and cleaning products.
For more professional services, Ehinger and his team of service professionals can clean and treat total HVAC systems and install filtration systems or humidifiers to better the air.
After a good vent cleaning to remove dirt, dust and other build up, Apex can treat the ductwork with a "hospital-grade sanitizer" to prevent germs, bacteria and viruses to keep sicknesses at bay during any season. This is only a temporary fix though and must be maintained and reapplied regularly.
A more permanent solution would involve installing an air purifier, which Ehinger recommends to everyone if it’s in the budget.
Apex is the only company in Utah and Colorado that can distribute air purification devices manufactured by RGF Environmental Group, which carries one of the best air purification systems on the market called the Reme Halo.
More information on indoor air quality and the services Apex provides can be found at apexcleanair.com/indoor-air-quality/.
