A FW awing question

[kkwis2]

So, again, we will be at FW in June for the 1st time in our new-to-us MH for almost 2 weeks.

Do you leave your awning up the whole time?

My husband is thinking that it should be taken up when we are expecting to be gone all day at a park just in case a storm rolls through that has big wind gusts. I have no idea, so I told him that I would pose the question to the experts on the boards.

TIA

 

[retired and happy]

You will likely get two or three different answers. Yes, no, and tie it down. We leave ours out at the Fort, but we have a screen room hanging from it which helps weight it down. We also have Awnbrellas under the fabric which gives it an arched top to help runoff. We tied it down once, but it didn't seem to be very tight, so we haven't bothered since. We have never had a problem at the Fort, but did have it flip over the roof at our daughter's in a big storm....no real damage, but some bent parts.

 

[LynneyPooh]

DH and I learned the hard way last summer- We were newbies with our own camper- both had camped growing up-
while camping at the beach (which I do realize is different from FW) a thundestorm came up while we were gone- We came back to a ripped awning- bent poles and damage to the side of our camper. Not to mention- everything soaked- so a visit to the laundry also had to take place-
We just replaced everything a month or so ago- expensive lesson to learn -IMHO- don't take chances- either roll it down or angle it down to avoid a potential budget buster

 

[gillenkl]

We're in the "no" category and will use an easy-up canopy instead. In the past we always put out the awning at FW, but have read about several people having their awning torn off during a storm. We usually spend most of our time in the parks not the campsite.

 

[Tigger1966]

Leave it out
Set a good pitch so it won't hold water and tie it down and you should be fine.

 

[2goofycampers]

We leave it out with a good pitch, unless storms/winds are predicted.

 

[rapriebe]

We NEVER leave our awning out when we go to the parks. I have seen too many awnings destroyed at the fort either by high winds or sudden downpours. Even though our awning has the wind sensor on it, so it will automatically roll up if high winds should occur, we don't take the chance. We also use an E-Z-up so we don't have to worry about the camper awning getting damaged.

 

[John VN]

On previous MH I secured both ends with tie downs and angled the rear down. If weather was supposed to get windy later in the day, up it went.

New awning is wind sensitive so I can leave it down but up it goes if high winds are predicted.

 

[martymarty]

So, again, we will be at FW in June for the 1st time in our new-to-us MH for almost 2 weeks.

Do you leave your awning up the whole time?

My husband is thinking that it should be taken up when we are expecting to be gone all day at a park just in case a storm rolls through that has big wind gusts. I have no idea, so I told him that I would pose the question to the experts on the boards.

TIA

I was wondering the same thing, I dont think
ill take a chance, our awning is a BIG ONE, would be very exspensive to replace, it will go up when we leave for the parks or tied down

 

[Cousin Ed C]

We stay for the winter. Our new MH has an auto awning; we leave it set on the most sensitive setting and it never went in all winter. At home where it is windy all the time it retracts often. On the one before we tied it down and put it in for big storms.

 

[DisCamper]

I don't use my awning anymore I just use 2 E-Z-ups instead

 

[luckycharm19335]

We leave our awning out. Ours has a wind sensor on it. It is set on the lowest setting. A 12 MPH gust will send it in. Just remember not to hang anything on the awning that would cause damage if it did go in automatically.

 

[dblr]

We were there last yhear over the 4th of July week,we just got our new Cedar Creek eith the electric awning,never had one of them before, found out it was just easier & piece of mind to retract it when we left. The neat thing was the remote that when we got close I could just put the awning out as we walked up to the camper. Sorry big kid with a new toy just had to play with it.

 

[Teamubr]

WOW! Automatic awnings!

Mine is still old school... manual. I leave it up with heavy spring loaded tie down straps. Never had a problem. If they put out severe storm warnings and we are there, I'll put it in.

If it rips off, that's what insurance is for... Then maybe I'll get a new, fancy automatic one.

j

 

[Tigger1966]

WOW! Automatic awnings!

Mine is still old school... manual. I leave it up with heavy spring loaded tie down straps. Never had a problem. If they put out severe storm warnings and we are there, I'll put it in.

If it rips off, that's what insurance is for... Then maybe I'll get a new, fancy automatic one.

j

That's about the way I feel about it. Just use it and if it breaks I got enough spare parts at home to replace it a few times. Even got one of those fancy electric ones if I could ever find a good use for it.

 

[kmccain]

Leave it out
Set a good pitch so it won't hold water and tie it down and you should be fine.

agree

 

[dtum]

Got this tip from someone on here several years ago. We leave it out. Attach those long straps with the winches on them to one end of each side of the awning roll, run the strap down to the landing gear and attach other end of strap, pull up the winch (be careful not to make it too tight) and it's not going any where. So far it's worked great! Never liked to have ours in because when we were there last time it was over 100 degrees each day and the awning gave a little shade to our fridge to help it run better.

 

[kkwis2]

WOW! Automatic awnings!

Mine is still old school... manual.
j

This is exactly what I thought! I didn't even know they have automatic awnings! Obviously ours is manual, too.

I have a feeling my husband might learn about some MH gadgets at the Fort that I will wish he didn't know about.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone!

 

[Tigger1966]

The only neat thing about an electric awning is the button to operate them Unless you have one of the high dollar ones with the wind sensor you can't leave them out safely when you are gone. There is no way to tie them down like a manual awning. And if you don't leave it out where are you going to hang your awning lights Also who wants to return to the RV in the rain so everyone can stand there and get wet while someone gets the door open?

 

[kkwis2]

The only neat thing about an electric awning is the button to operate them Unless you have one of the high dollar ones with the wind sensor you can't leave them out safely when you are gone. There is no way to tie them down like a manual awning. And if you don't leave it out where are you going to hang your awning lights Also who wants to return to the RV in the rain so everyone can stand there and get wet while someone gets the door open?

Excellent arguments for me to use when DH decides he wants one.....thanks! Any chance you'll be there in June to talk my husband out of all the other stuff he's going to see and suddenly "need"??!!