Warning -- wind damage.....awnings!

I have for several years retracted awnings that have been left with no one home.

The ones that take the pull string off and place it in a compartment are the worst, all I coud do was try to roll the unit by hand until I could no longer hold on to it, then let go and hope for the best.

One day I retracted an awning on a toy hauler for a family that was visiting, and the owner came over and gave me a royal tonge lashind, so the next day when the wind started up I left it alone, whell it really bent all over and tore arms off, torque tube bent on top, A/C unit damaged and the refrigerator vent.

Then the Idot came to tell me why I had not done something, I reminded the idiot of the previous en****er and I told him that he was at fault not me.

Today I do not roll awnings in unless I have spoken to the owners first and ask them if they are ok with me rolling the awning in case of wind and to please leave the pull strap wraped on one of the arms.

It amasses me how many do not know how to use the awning correct.

navegator

Not just wind damage, but also water pooling on the awning. I had my awning correctly adjusted, ie. one side higher than other, thought I was OK, partway through storm I went to close my doors (water being blown in), and noticed pooling on my awning. I was quick to bring one side down to dump the pooling, but damage was done. It bent my roller. It still rolls up and down, but in a weird step by step pattern. Would love to know any tricks to unbending the roller ball! I'm going to keep using it from sun blocking, but not for keeping out of the rain. I'll use my trailer for that from now on! Always seems to be something to learn each day RV'ing! Still enjoy each day out!

I will put the anti flappers on and that's it. Never lights etc.

IMHO you need to be able to get an awing up in the least amount of time when a storm is approaching. So the less you have hanging, staked, screwed into the ground from your awning, etc the better chances you have of getting it up before the storm takes it off for you.

Ask the folks at the Cherrystone RV park near Cheriton, VA about what a bit o' wind can do. (Tornado last week, 2 killed, etc. You got the news, right?)

Seriously, if I'm not going to be in camp, the awning gets rolled up. If there's a storm on the way, ditto. The right wind can blow your kiester all the way to Kansas and back.

ours had the wind sensor (imo its worthless, rolls up at the slightest fart)....we roll ours up if we leave.
Ive forgotten to roll it up sometimes when we went to bed - storm rolled in, i heard it & hit the button !

i like the convenience of the electric awning.

I dont get it every storm in our state park one or more people lose their awning. When we first got a camper it did not have an awning but even I knew to put it away at night and if there is a hint of wind! I would love an electric one!!!!

Oh no...we roll that awning up at the mere threat of storms or any high winds. The button inside and thus the ease of rolling it up makes it rather silly not to. Don't have time or patience for such a misadventure.

I never tie ours down, always take in when we leave or at night, but then we've only stayed one place for more than four days. Once in a while when I haven't been paying attention the wind sensor will pull it back in when wind comes up.

Bill

Quit using lights attached to the awning a few years ago for this very reason. When leaving we always rolled up the awning, at the first sign of high wind, we always rolled up the awning.

Now that we have an electric awning, it's soooooooo nice to just push a button at the first sign of heavy rain or high wind and don't even have to go outside anymore! We still roll the awning up when we leave, even a short while. I may be insured, but I don't want to be inconvenienced with a broken camper!

Your story reminds me of those middle-ages gigantic catapults, flinging pumpkins through the air! 40 pound block of concrete landing on someones camper, or worse, hitting someone .... well ... THAT would just simply ruin someone's day now, wouldn't it?