Two Maintenance Tips For Your New Exterior Motorised Awning

As a first time homeowner, having motorised awnings installed on your home is a wonderful step towards cool summer living. Motorised awnings expand quickly and easily to provide your family with a tight canvas shade cover for lazy summer dining or casual catch ups. However, as with all motorised devices, it is important you know how to look after your new awning so that you get years of life out of them. Make a note of these two maintenance tips now so you can avoid having to prematurely repair your awnings later:

Cleaning The Awning

It is important you regularly clean your awning to prevent a buildup of mould and mildew on them during the cooler dark days of winter. Mould spores near the home are particularly bad for family members who suffer respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Contact your awning manufacturer to find out what material your awning is made of and how best to clean them. Most fabrics can be scrubbed with hot, soapy water and rinsed clean with cold water.

Make sure the awning is laid out flat to dry, and that it dries completely before you reattach it to the awning frame. If it is put back up wet, mould and mildew could begin to grow in the awning crevices which means you are going to have to clean them all over again sooner rather than later.

Open Regularly During Winter

If you don't plan to use your awning regularly over summer, it is still advisable to open it at least once a week to keep the motorised components moving regularly. During the winter, when it gets cold, extra moisture appears in the air. While new motorised awning components are well oiled and designed to withstand years of being outside, excess moisture can lead to the start of internal corrosion over time. By opening and closing the awning once a week, you make sure that the interior parts regularly move so there is no chance for them to seize up due to rust.

If you feel that the awning is not opening and closing as smoothly as the day it was installed, contact the awning manufacturer so they can send a representative to inspect the awning for you. These products are designed to last many years, but on rare occasions, the product may require closer inspection to ensure nothing has gone wrong during the manufacturing process.

Knowing these two maintenance tips for your new awning mean you will be able to keep it looking and working like a new product for many years ahead.

Contact a company like somfy for more information and assistance.