Awnings are expensive investments that help to shield our homes away from the heat during the spring and summer months. Now that fall and winter is around the corner, it is time to plan to take these items down.
If you continue to keep your awning up doing the colder months, then you could be blocking heat from your home. The sun in the fall and winter may not provide as much heat as it does in the spring and summer months but it does make a difference. When your awning blocks the sun in the fall or winter months, the shaded area will be cooler than the rest of your home. This will require your heating system to work more in order to heat that particular area. Other times that it would be necessary to retract your awning is during times of heavy winds. Winds above a certain speed could cause damage your awning. So instead of spending more on your utility bill or a new awning use the steps below to properly take down your retractable awning..
Before you close your awning up for the season it is important to do a visual check to see if retractable awnings maintenance is needed. Perform a thorough check of your awning to make sure that it is does not have any mildew, holes, or tears. If you notice any wear or tear on the awnings fabric, make sure to get the fabric repaired so that further damage does not occur while the awning is closed up for through the fall and winter. If you have noticed mildew on the awning clean it off with cold water and detergent or recruit a professional to wash it. Corrosion is another thing to check for when doing before closing your awning for the colder months. Make sure that all hardware is free from any signs of rust or corrosion. If rust or corrosion is present recruit a professional to clean and retouch that particular area or do it yourself.
Once you have verified that your awning is in top of the line shape, you can now close it. Some retractable awnings are controlled by a remote. With push of a button your awning will close with ease. If you have a manual awning then a little effort will be needed in order to turn the crank that closes the awning.