Chris Dougherty Tech Tips
RV Awning Care

RV awnings and slide out covers are great inventions that dramatically increase the livability of our RVs. Keeping a few pointers in mind will help to keep the awning serviceable for many years.

RV Awnings come in various sizes and designs.

First, be sure to follow the recommendations of your awning's owners manual for tips on extending, securing, and retracting your awning. Also, it should have advice for cleaning the fabric (ie. What cleaners to use, etc.).

Wind and water, which an awning is not designed to protect us from, happen to be its worst enemies. While an awning, if tilted properly, can shed rain, it acts merely as a sail in wind, and as a pool if water is allowed to collect upon it. So, the first tip for awning care is: Don't let water accumulate on it, and make sure it is properly secured for wind.

All manual awnings have the ability to be adjusted for a "rain release" setting. In other words, setting up the awning so that one end is lower by several inches than the other. Most automatic awnings do not have the ability to be placed in this setting, making them more susceptible to heavy water damage. There are devices sold in the aftermarket for averting this problem, like awning bows, but they will stretch and distort the fabric. If you intend to leave an automatic awning extended for a long period, this MAY be a solution.. that's up to you. At least one awning manufacturer makes a "full timer" awning, which comes with the bows, and is made of a heavier fabric. This awning is designed for full time setup.

Wind can be a tricky foe to overcome. It is well advised to be prepared for wind at all times, when it comes to awning setup. There are, in this case, several commercially available tie-down kits which work well. The biggest downside to these are the stakes that come with them;they break or bend after awhile. I made a set using a one foot long rebar, drilled out, with an eyelet bolted through. I clip the rope from the awning tie down to this using a "carabiner" type connector, which is available at a hardware store or building supply center.

Keep the hardware clean and lubricated for long service. I have had good luck with the "Slide Out Lubricant" products, or some other "Super Lube" synthetic type product. If the hardware is frozen with rust, try a good rust breaker, like "PB Blaster" to free the parts. If they don't free up, cut them off and replace them. Awning parts are commonly available at most RV service and parts centers or online.

Most RV awnings have two springs for retracting the awning back into the coach. These springs not only retract the awning, they help keep it tight against the coach while traveling. If you are having trouble rolling up the awning, it could be due to a mis-adjusted or broken awning spring. Have it looked at by a qualified technician as soon as possible. While we're on the topic, what if your awning spring fails while you're out on vacation? Well, I carry heavy duty zip ties in my coach for just such an occasion. I would roll the awning up manually as tight as possible, lock the arms in place, then put the zip ties on the arms, toward the top of the arms. They'll help keep the awning in place until you can get it to the repair facility. Just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't catch the wind and flag up.

Slide toppers are great for keeping excess materials of the roof of the slide box. They should be maintained in much the same way as regular awnings. One difference. They will collect water. Perfectly normal. Do yourself a favor: if you've had a heavy rain, go out with a wash brush, or broom, or similar soft object and pull down gently on one end of the topper to release the water, while standing off to the side so as not to get a bath!

Lastly, keeping the fabric clean is important as well. Vinyl awnings attract mildew. Period. There are numerous cleaning methods and materials out there, and I won't spend time here dissecting them all. The awning manufacturers have recommended cleaners, so check with them, or your manual, for more information. As a side note, be careful what cleaners you use. It may be fine for the awning, but if it gets onto the side of the coach and the paint and/or graphics, you may have a problem.

So, with just a little effort and care, your awning can remain a serviceable enjoyment on your RV for years to come.

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