Awning use?

[BradyBz12]

I've seen EZ ups twisted into unidentifiable piles of rubbish in no time if the conditions are right. Generally if you stake them down securely they're fine for most weather, but if a really nasty wind comes up, better to at least drop them as low as they'll go.

 

[retired and happy]

I set my awning out when i first got my MH...in my driveway. Went out for a couple hours and came back to a picture like the above. I got it replaced and took a trip. put out the awning and went out for an hour. Came back to a bent roller and many gallons of water waiting to drop on me if I moved anything. After my soaking, I was able to somewhat steraighten the roller, although it still has a little droop in the middle and a steretched fabric.

I now have a center support for the awning roller and use something called Awmbrellas, or something like that. They are arched aluminum "rods" that put an arch in the fabric to prevent water from gathering above. (They will also stretch your fabric if it is not already so.) They take some time to put up and a step ladder to put them in place, but for me they are worth it. I have four (2 sets) under a 19 foot awning. I usually have a screen room hanging under the awning at FW, so it makes for a pretty good addition to the MH. I think it also aids in keeping wind from taking out the awning...again.

Bottom line...I have never taken in my awning at the Fort, and never had a problem...yet.

 

[Lyndria]

What about the pop-up awings? Any of you take it down while going to the parks/ away for a day? These are a bit time consuming compared to a TT or 5er. With the weather in FL a storm can brew pretty quick, don't know if I should roll it up for the June trip.

We have a pop-up and we leave ours up all the time. We have pulled it down for one seriously nasty storm (but this was not while camping at WDW). It was a tornado (complete with tornado sirens and mandatory evacuation to the campground office basement) in WI. That was a fun trip. Two tornado's in one day.

 

[RocklandRVers]

I learned a trick from a camping neighbor in PA campground a couple of summers ago. He puts out tent stakes and then attaches ratchet straps to them and the awning. Just have to be careful not to overtighten the straps or you could damage the awning itself. The idea is to let the straps take the stress of the sudden gust of wind not the awning itself.

 

[ataylorrdh]

We are very paranoid about our awning. We have replaced 3. One was from another camper backing into our awning.

My husband places gator flaps and rachet straps for the wind issue. As far as water, he has it so slanted that I joke and say we don't need to make a tent right outside the door.

 

[mikmouse]

I would suggest putting the awning in if you're leaving for the day. I know that's more work but an awning costs about a grand to replace and I'd rather take the time to roll her in than come back to a busted awning. The slant idea is great, but usually our storms start with dark clouds, huge gusts of wind and then the rain lets go.

I saw a few awnings broken off at the Daytona 500 last weekend due to rain and wind. It's a sad sight to see.

Good suggestion. We had a branch poke a hole through our awning once while at the Fort. Of course that can happen anytime, but it just so happend that the branch fell down like a spear. Our luck