Winters is the season associated with warmth, coziness, and family gatherings. It’s the season of bonfire parties, BBQ parties, and outdoor evenings. With winter just around the corner, now is the perfect time to prepare your garden, patio, or outdoor space for the cold season.
With winters come strong winds, rain, and falling debris. If you have a retractable awning covering your patio or garden, you must take care of your awning. Here are a few tips on how to maintain and take care of your awning this winter.
1) Use a wind sensor
Retractable nj awnings are very durable and strong, but you must take care of them during the windy season. Retractable awnings are designed to withstand strong winds and air pressure but to a limit. If the wind strength crosses a particular force, the awning might become unstable and must be put away immediately in order to protect the awning fabric and framework.
An automatic wind sensor detects changes in wind strength. If the wind strength gets too high, then it automatically closes the sensor. An awning wind sensor uses a vibration sensor or an anemometer to detect the change.
2) Avoid using your awning during rainfall
Awnings can provide protection from a light rain but are not designed to withstand heavy rain. So it is highly recommended that you avoid using your awning during heavy rainfall. It might be attractive to flex your retractable electric awning to provide shelter from the rain, but heavy rain can damage the fabric, and if the rainwater accumulates on top of the fabric, then the fabric may become too heavy and fall.
This may cause a serious health hazard. The collected water may even damage the motor system. Using a rain sensor is a great way to protect your awning from heavy rainfall. The rain sensor detects wet weather and will automatically retract your awning inwards when the showers come.
3) Keep the awning fabric dry
If your awning fabric gets wet, do not panic. Simply roll it open on a hot sunny day to allow it to dry. If water accumulates in the center of the awning fabric, then use a broom to push the water outward from underneath. If you retract or roll up a wet awning, then it can cause moisture to get trapped inside and cause the growth of mildew. This can damage the fabric of the awning and can lead to the formation of rust on the metal frame. Let your awning dry before you roll it up. This way, you will extend the lifespan of your awning.
4) Clean the awning regularly
During the autumn and winter season, there are a lot of leaves that may fall onto the awning. This is why you should clean the awning regularly and remove any excess debris, leaves, and twigs in order to protect your awning. By maintaining your awning and cleaning it, you can extend the lifespan of the awning and increase its efficiency. Some awnings have inbuilt brushes that allow them to automatically remove dust, debris, and dirt from the awning.
5) Add some decoration
In order to evoke the spirit of winters, decorate your awning with fairy lights and lanterns. Simply hang fairy lights around the corners of the fixed awning. You can also decorate your garden to give it a beautiful finish. On your patio, you can keep glass lanterns with candles inside to light up the place. You can also purchase an awning light bar to enjoy light under your awning during the cozy nights of winters.
If you plan on hosting a family dinner or evening party in your garden, an awning along with light decorations can give it a festive ambiance. Turing on the garden lights will allow you to have a fantastic BBQ party. Fire tables and umbrella awning are a great combination for winters.
6) Get winter plants
Your winter garden can be as good as your summer garden. You just need to get the right plants. You can easily purchase winter plants such as Winter Jasmine, Snow Drops, Cyclamen, and Jacqueline Postill. Or you can even hang a Mistletoe in your garden from the corner of your non-retractable awning. Plants and trees provide natural shade and help to lower down the temperature during the summers. In the winters they provide you fresh air.
7) Make it warm
Beat the winter breeze with an infrared awning heater which provides instant heat underneath the awning so you can relax and enjoy the cold nights with your loved ones. These heaters are very efficient and will war up the entire place without adding dollars to your electricity bill.
What are the dangers to awning frames in winters?
The metal frame of the awning can become rusted due to moisture or water accumulation from rainfall in winters. The joints may also develop friction and become stuck due to the malfunction of the lubricant. If you do not open and close the awning for a long period of time, they may become jammed.
Additionally, the metal frame of the awning is designed to support only a specific amount of weight. If the awning is left unattended during heavy rainfall or heavy snow, snow or water can accumulate on top and increase the weight on the fabric.
As a result, the fabric may become damaged, or the support arms may bend, so if you see a heavy snowstorm approaching, retract your awning. The metal frame may become rusted. Metals oxidize, producing small pits and holes in the metal.
Different types of fabric react differently with cold weather. Acrylic awning fabric handles low temperatures the best. It performs well with cold temperatures and is able to handle moisture easily.
Other materials such as vinyl and canvas may not perform that well with cold weather, so it is recommended that you retract your awning during winters. If you decide to take off the awning during winters, then surely it will take longer to reinstall it in the summers, but this is the best way to increase the lifespan of your vinyl awning.
In a nutshell
Just because winters are coming and the temperature has begun to drop does not mean that you stop using your awning. An awning can be used during the winters as well. It adds a decent look to your patio or garden and helps you host outdoor events and activities such as dinners, bonfire parties, and BBQ night. In order to enjoy your awning during the colder months, follow the above-mentioned tips. They will help you set the atmosphere right and allow you to enjoy your outdoor space.
