What are your rules for the awning?

[cestlaviethree]

Do you leave your awning out when you leave?

Do you trust wind sensors?

Do you use tie downs?

We love the awning's shade and versatility even more in the summer, but we have seen 4 RVs have their awnings ripped off in the last 2 months.


Thanks CLV3

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[phillyg]

I have an electric awning but it doesn't have a wind or rain sensor. If I'm in an open area where wind can be a factor, I pull in the awning for 15+mph steady winds, also if higher gusts are expected.

[2_Retired]

Awning is out, set up with a huge pitch to one side for drainage. We also have a center bar for extra support. We use awning "flappers" and a double strap - one goes across the entire awning, anchored on both sides, and each end bar has another strap that is anchored in front. In almost 40 years RVing we have never suffered damage to our awning. We also have put it up when strong winds are forecast and have done so very quickly in the middle of the night on a few occasions. Can't imagine not using it! Love sitting out under it with the sound of the rain!

[fla-gypsy]

Gee whiz, most of you should just opt out of an awning. I leave mine out with some precautions. Tilted heavily to one end and lowered as much as possible. Three times in 20 years I had to go out and bring it in during a storm but that was only because I became concerned with how hard the wind was blowing. I never leave my site without shutting the water off. I've seen firsthand how quickly that can go bad.

[Triker33]

Mine is out for 7 months straight in Florida. Only time it is put up. Is when hurricane warnings are out for the area.

I do use the tie downs with the ground corkscrew and heavy spring.
Plus 2 of those awning flappers on both sides.

No problem yet, but I have only done it the last 17 years.
Awning is on the East side of the MH pointed North.

[Jayco-noslide]

I've about decided that the awning is one of the more useless items on an RV. When I really need one (rain or expecting rain) to keep a dry spot around the door it's too risky to leave it out for fear of wind. Don't dare leave it up when in bed or away from the RV even if storms aren't close. We do like one sometimes for a sun shelter but still not sure it's worth replacing.

[icanon]

jfkmk wrote:

tmm2good wrote:
NO
NO
NO

X2
X2
X2

X3
X3
X3

[downtheroad]

Not ours....but...

[Oasisbob]

I may roll up or leave out depending on forecast, wind blockage. I have got up at night and rolled it up. How is this for vagueness? Given your track record I would look into a wind sensor.

[IND_navyvet]

lots2seeinmyrv wrote:
When we leave...close the awning and shut off the water at the spigot.

X1

[Bobbo]

Having seen wind damage, we never leave the awning deployed if not at the RV and awake.

[azjeffh]

Was in Rocky Point Mexico when a trailer pulled in with duct tape holding his awning to the side of the trailer.

He said the wind had picked up while in Yuma and tore it completely off at the trailer. He also didn't understand how that could happen since it was strapped down to the ground :S

[tenbear]

NO, NO, NO.

[jnharley]

We had just checked into Cherry Hill Campground right outside DC when a severe storm blew through. Even though the campground asked people not to leave their awnings out, lots of people did (they were site seeing) and there were dozens of damaged awnings after the brief (15 minutes) but intense storm blew through. Power was out in the area for several days from this storm. We rarely use our awning but if we do, we are there. We never leave it unattended.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

No, No, Sometimes.

We spent a week in a campground with trees very close, and what I thought was no possible way for much wind to get to the awning.

On the sixth night, I was literally thrown out of the bed as the wind got under the strongly tied down awning and lifted the side of the trailer.

Some I'm quickly out in the growing thunderstorm, cutting the tiedowns with a sharp kitchen knife so we can roll in the awning.

Looking at the event later - the tiedowns did their job. The outside tube of the awning never moved. But the sail area under the awning was great enough to lift that side of the trailer almost two feet.

As far as leaving the awning - we were in Connecticut for a volunteer job for six months. The first two months we were placed in a commercial campground with a lot of seasonal campers/ rigs. The ones which are placed on a spot and the camper stays their all summer. The family comes in for weekends mostly.

Twice we saw tied down, sloped awnings fail due to rain accumulation. I learned that in a hard enough downpour, even a sloped awning can collect and pool water, enough weight to either break the main tube, or rip the fabric.

[jfkmk]

tmm2good wrote:
NO
NO
NO

X2
X2
X2