Tips to Extend the Life of Your Retractable Awning
Craft-Bilt awnings, shades, and canopies are a worthy investment. Once installed, make sure to care for these products properly to keep them in the best condition possible. Since they are featured outdoors, your fabric shade is vulnerable to its surrounding environment such as the weather and wildlife. Over time, these factors can have a negative impact on your awning, shades, or canopy if you fail to maintain them properly. While the hardware, frame, and fabrics are thoughtfully designed and constructed to be long-lasting, following a few easy maintenance tips will help extend the life of your shade products.
Betterliving brand awnings for windows and patios are made in North America.
5 Ways to Maintain Your Retractable Fabric Patio Awning
Continuous exposure to the elements can take its toll on your beautiful canopy. Here are 5 simple ways you can maintain your shade fixture:
- Clean It – One of the best ways to care for your shade product is to maintain a regular cleaning schedule. Cleaning can take place without removing the fabric from the fixture. This act will help prevent stains, and the accumulation of dirt and debris from your roof. To keep the fabric looking fresh, use a soft bristle brush to remove any loose particles, hose it down, and clean with a mild, natural soap in lukewarm water. Make sure to thoroughly rinse the fabric and allow it to air dry before retracting. Avoid using harsh detergents and immediately drain any pools of water that collect on the surface.
- Inspect Framework – This product is manufactured in a way that maintenance is typically not required. However, at the start of the outdoor season, hose down the framework and wipe it clean using a soft cloth. Moving parts should be lubricated every year with a dry silicone spray to keep them running smoothly.
- Operating Your Awning – Before putting your awning to use, read all operating instructions. Carefully turn the gear using the crank handle to extend and retract the fabric shade as necessary. When your awning is not in use, the crank handle can be removed.
Be sure to not overheat the motor. The motor has many small gears inside that generate a lot of heat. The heat dissipates very slowly since it is concentrated in a small roller tube and insulated by the fabric roll. You can operate the awning in and out once or twice but then the internal heat sensors will prevent any further usage until the motor cools down. This can take 30 minutes or more.Finally, a retractable awning should not be used to protect the home or homeowners from inclement weather. If your area is experiencing high winds, hail, rain, or snow, retract your awning immediately. It is not designed to withstand these extreme conditions.
- Tighten Bolts and Screws – Since your shade product will undergo repeated use, make sure that your mounting bolts and screws have not become loose over time. If you discover an issue with these parts and are not sure how to tighten them on your own, it is a good idea to schedule a maintenance tune-up from your provider.
- Winter Storage – If you want to extend the life of your awning fabric, make sure to store it correctly. Take time to dust and clean the material and roll it up only when it’s completely dry to avoid encouraging mold and mildew growth. Your awning is designed for permanent installation on the wall, no need to take it down in the winter. The framework will not corrode and will maintain it’s original paint finish for a very long time. Check our warranty for complete details.
Quality Retractable Fabric Awnings for Your Home in Canada
With 5 models featured on our site, you are sure to find the perfect one for your home. At retractable-awning.ca, we create beautiful, one of a kind products for customers across Canada. Visit our corporate site at craft-bilt.com to see our many other products including sunrooms, railing, decking, patio covers, and of course retractable awnings. Located in Ajax, ON, our 40,000 square foot facility offers a vast array of options to meet your fabric shade product needs.
For more information on our retractable awnings, call us at 1-800-668-6430 or contact us online and we will be happy to assist you.