RV awnings help you stay comfortable in all types of weather when you want to spend time outdoors at your campground. They prevent the sun from burning your skin on the hottest days and keep you warm and dry on rainy days. Your awning will require DIY RV maintenance or repair occasionally, just like any other part of your RV. Although you can save a lot of money and time by completing the work yourself, you also need to know when to seek assistance from a professional. We present information on both options in this blog.
What Causes RV Awnings to Tear?
Age and repeated exposure to harsh weather conditions are the most typical reasons that RV awnings need repair. Contact with sharp-edged debris, like rocks, sticks, and stones, can also cause problems. Loose threads and/or poor quality of manufacturing by the company that made the awning are additional reasons you might need to repair it while on the road.
What You Should Know About Repairing an RV Awning
You should not attempt to remove the spring-loaded ends of your RV awning because you could sustain significant injury. Fortunately, you do not need to remove these parts for a repair as simple as patching a hole or tear in the awning. You should expect to perform RV maintenance on your awning sooner than anything else since it must stand up to all types of weather elements.
An RV awning tear or hole is easy to overlook in the rush to pack supplies for camping and get on the road. Most RVers do not discover the problem until they get to their destination and set up camp. We recommend preparing a basic RV maintenance kit and bringing it with you to avoid the frustration of trying to find repair supplies in an unknown location. Be sure to include the following items in your repair kit at a minimum:
- Clear RV awning repair tape
- Extra awning material that you can purchase from the same dealer where you bought your RV
- Water-resistant glue
- Water-based, non-abrasive fabric cleaner to remove dirt, mildew, and mold from your awning before you attempt to repair it
You are ready to repair a small to mid-sized hole or tear once you have gathered all your materials together.
How to Repair My RV Awning
The first step in repairing a hole or tear in your RV awning is to clean the top and bottom near the site of the repair with a non-abrasive and water-based cleaning solution. Be sure not to use an oil-based solution because it may not remove the dirt, mildew, and mold as well as you need to. You will then need to dry the awning before moving on to the actual repair.
Next, place a board or something else with a flat surface underneath the tear and apply the clear RV awning repair tape along its entire length. Since this type of tape is extremely adhesive, refrain from applying pressure to it until you feel certain it is in the right location. If the tape forms any bubbles underneath, you can smoothen them out with your hands.
You will not be able to remove tape you have already applied without ripping your awning even more. Should you discover that you affixed any portion of the tape at a wrong angle, place another piece over it at the correct angle instead of trying to remove it. When one side of the awning has the amount of tape it needs, flip it to the other side and replace the board underneath to repeat the process.
Bring Your Awning to a Professional if the Tear is Over Two Feet Long
While it is possible to complete DIY RV maintenance on a larger tear, you will need the right types of fabric if you want your awning to match once you have completed the repair. You also run the risk of applying the repair tape at the wrong angle or making another type of common mistake.
An RV awning is a simple piece of equipment that fulfils a big job. Taking the time to learn how to maintain it properly should pay off for years to come.