Awning Questions

[Stuart_374391891]

I am relatively new to caravanning and would like someone to give me some advice on awnings.

I know a lot of campsites don't like you to have your awnings up all year round as they say they can blow about during the winter and cause damage to other vans in the area.

However is there any reason not to have your awning up all year round? I have now got my van sited at a nice site in Cornwall and would like to have it up all the time, but is there any pros and cons to this?

Also if I have to put it away at the end of season how do I ensure I put it away dry even in bad weather?

Are storm straps really that strong and reliable or is there something better out there?

 

[Guest]

A youv'e answered your own question.

B Put it away on a dry day, dont leave till the last day, look at forecast!

C No and No.

 

[Brailleman]

Not only will an awning blow away in winter, they can get blown away any time of the year. I have seen awning rails ripped completely from a caravan after strong winds. Personally I would not take the risk.

 

[Parksy]

Another problem beside the wind when leaving awnings up on seasonal pitches is that if there is a prolonged period of rain water can collect on the roof of the awning.

If no one is around to get it off you can end up with a mini lake when the awning panel stretches and this will bend the poles, cause the awning to partially collapse and could damage the side of your caravan.

When we had a seasonal pitch we saw that this happened regularly to those who left their awnings up.

 

[Heethers]

The mate l bought my last caravan off had left is awning up where he had a seasonal pitch.

The day he left for home was boiling hot and calm, the day after he had a phone call from the site owner saying that is awning had colapsed after a night storm causing damage to the awning and the side of the van.

NigelH

 

[Guest]

my friend keeps it caravan on a pitch in France, he had the bradcot thats recedence with the extra duty steel poles, that collapsed with the weight of snow on it.

 

[Mike_374341361]

Firstly I declare a vested interest in this subject as I sell Awning Companions,which were made to deal with this problem.

This is not an advert,so I will leave it to your judgement as to decide.

Tools of this nature tension your awning slightly tighter than you can get them by hand.The Awning Companion was developed for the very reason you describe.Because it's inventor had seasonally pitched awnings damaged along with his caravan!He invented his own tool,(latterly to become an Awning Companion)

There are other factors to consider,yes to storm straps and preferably some from of internal pole tethers,for peace of mind.

Even down to the sequence in which you erect your awning can make a difference,when putting it up, set your roof poles first and then get your 'A' Frame extended second,good practice is as much a deciding factor as anything else.

Also you need to bear in mind, that if you pitch on grass, there is a risk of your poles settling down and your awning coming slack.

It's fair to say that there are many regular awning users, who know exactly what to with their awnings, but for the less experienced user,it can be a major scource of aggrivation,not to mention cost.

Obviously at the end of the day, to resist bad weather,your awning fabric needs to be very tight to prevent storm water accumulating, once water settles on the fabric, you are in trouble, unless there is someone around to remove it quickly.

For obvious reasons, if you have 30 to 40 kilos of water hanging in your awning roof, it's unlikely that the best made poles will take that weight.

A word of warning, when you have your awning erected, take a few minutes to check the quality of the stitiching. Stitching will deteriorate over the seasons and can unexpectedly rip, if not checked.

 

[Heethers]

Mike thanks for the info, l have just aquired an Awning conpanion and wasnt sure whether you tensioned the A frame first or the roof poles, now l know.

Why don't the awning companies provide a video of how to erect their product correctly, l am sure their would be a call for one.

NigelH

 

[Stuart_374391891]

What exactly is the Awning companion then and hows it work?

 

[Heethers]

Stuart, the only way can describe it, it's like those guns they sell for dispensing mastic onthe outside of shower trays etc, only instead of a plunger that moves forward when you pull the trigger their are external clamps that fasten to the poles, squeeze the trigger and it pushes the poles apart to give you tension on the canvas.

Hope ypu can understand what l mean, excellent idea whish l had thought of it.

NigelH

 

[Stuart_374391891]

Thanks Nigel that does make sense.

Where can you get them from and what is roughly a good price for them?

 

[Sproket]

Stuart

try this link,

http://www.awningcompanion.co.uk/

 

[Heethers]

Thanks Nigel that does make sense.

Where can you get them from and what is roughly a good price for them?

Stuart got mine from Leisure sales in Sandbach, l think it was about