Love ‘em or hate ‘em, RV awnings see a lot of abuse. When you use them, they’re exposed to the sun’s UV rays, get beaten up by the wind, catch heavy rain, and keep your RV cooler on sunny afternoons. But even if you leave them rolled up, your awnings can still get damaged. Letting that damage go unaddressed before storing your RV for the season can make problems worse. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to prep your awning for storage before dropping your RV off for the season.
Give Them a Good Cleaning
Awnings can collect a lot of dust and pollen during the spring and summer months. Though it might not damage the awning itself, it can make it look dirty. Instead of leaving it, give your awnings a good deep cleaning. Use a dedicated awning cleaner with UV protection for best results and scrub the top and bottom of each awning you can reach. Rinse the awning thoroughly and let it dry.
Make Sure the Awning Is Dry
Before you roll your awning up, especially for the final time at the end of your camping season, you’ll want to make sure it’s completely dry. Remember, awnings roll up tightly when stored. If there’s even a trace of moisture on the vinyl, it can lead to mold and mildew growth. Ideally, you’ll let your awnings dry completely after every camping trip. Even a small amount of mold or mildew can spread across the entire awning in just a few weeks in storage.
Patch Any Tears You Find
Tears will happen and when they do, they can spread. Even a light breeze can cause minor tears to turn into massive rips. Rather than waiting until spring to patch any tears, do it before you put your RV in storage. This way, you won’t be caught off-guard on your first camping trip of the season. Try to use awning repair tape that matches the color of your awning if possible. This tape is durable and won’t break down as quickly as duct tape in the sun.
Make Sure It Retracts Fully
If you’re storing your RV in an open storage spot, it will be exposed to wind. If your awning is still partially popped out, the wind can cause it to extend fully and may end up breaking it completely. While awnings can be replaced, it’s expensive and it’s far better to make sure the awning is fully retracted before putting your RV in storage.
Protect Your Rig During the Off-Season
No matter what type of RV you have, you’ll want to keep it in great condition for as many years as you can. Keeping your awnings in good shape is just one thing you can do to keep your RV looking great. But you’ll still want to find a safe place to store your RV when you’re not using it.
Outrig RV Storage Locations
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At Outrig, you’ll find storage spaces for RVs of all sizes and covered and uncovered storage. Save your space today!