By JACK BULAVSKY

If your summer plans include spending time outdoors, then finding shade is essential — especially during the day when the sun beats down and temperatures rise.

Cole Frick knows the importance of shade. He is president of Dura-Kool, a local, family-owned and operated company that builds patio covers and sunroofs. The company was started more than 50 years ago by his grandparents.

“Shade isn’t a luxury here, it’s a commodity,” Frick said. “If you have a home with a backyard, a patio cover is needed just to sit and watch the kids play or swim or for you to relax in the early morning or evening.

“There are coverings for other parts of the home including the carport. We know what the blistering desert sun can do to a vehicle’s paint and our Dura-Kool aluminum carport shelter can protect your car, boat or RV from the harsh elements. We also build sunrooms, screen rooms, pool enclosures, window awnings and door hoods,” he said.“

“A solid patio cover is not just to make the backyard nice,” he said. “With an aluminum patio cover, the area can be 20 degrees cooler and at the same time increase the value of the home. Aluminum retains the heat that escapes into the air above the cover.
“I can also enclose the patio with 3-inch-thick aluminum panels filled with foam that decreases the heat or cold. The unit can also be built with tinted windows and doors, a skylight and recessed lighting along with a fan. Basically, the patio becomes an extension of the home. It’s like adding another room.”

According to Tom Drew, each patio cover is a different work of art.
“The thing to know about a patio cover is that you want to go out as far as you can,” he explained. “Two important aspects of a cover are projection and height. I have built 10-foot-by-10-foot covers and have gone as large as 115 feet by 30 feet.

“My recommendation for the best shade and comfort is an 8-to-12-foot-high patio cover extending out about 8 feet. This protects the patio most of the day and gives more shaded living space to enjoy as the sun traverses to the west and over the mountains.”

After meeting with customers and getting approval on a patio cover design, both Frick and Drew obtain all necessary city and county permits and drawings. They can even prepare and send paperwork needed for approval by home owner’s associations.

“It’s up to the homeowner to tell me what he or she wants,” Tom said. “If you want something small, I can do that. If you want something elaborate like the Taj Mahal, I can do that.”

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