The awning, is it the greatest RV accessory ever? I’ll tell you that it’s at least in the top three. Here’s why I think that. Now when it’s Summer here in Texas, well it’s just dumb not to have some way to manufacture shade. But what about now? It’s no secret, I love Autumn and here we are just rolling into the Fall season Leaves are changing colors and a cool light wind are blowing. There is simple nothing like sitting out underneath our RV awning as if on Nature’s stage enjoying milder weather. Plus, any time you can knock out direct sunlight, even during the cool months, you are going to have a much more pleasant time by keeping your RV even cooler by keeping direct sunlight out of it.
With that being said, I have seen so many RVs out on the road recently that have holes, tears and pieces missing from it. I don’t know, maybe they are thinking, “Meh, it’s getting cooler out, I probably don’t need it.” Or, “I’ll change it when the Summer RV season is here”. Well, then guess what happens? They forget and are without a good awning for their first trip of summer.
I make sure to take good care of mine, simply for the fact that here in Texas, you want that shady spot, What I do is, before I head out for a vacation, I unroll my awning and wash both sides and allow it to dry totally before rolling it back up. Then I’ll check it for punctures and holes. Small holes can be patched using a dab of vinyl adhesive. Larger punctures and rips will likely need vinyl repair kits. Take care of it before it gets worse, and trust me, it will get worse. I also make sire to clean all of the hardware and check all of it to make sure it is all still working properly, if not, I’ll replace it.
Here’s another tip. If it’s windy outside, I’m talking 15-20mph gusts, roll it back up. Winds that strong can tear holes and rip through awning materials like a hot knife through butter. Finally, don’t let rain pool on your awning for too long. Leaving collected water on your awning for an extended period of time could bend your hardware and tear the fabric.
That’s all I got for now. I’ll bet you are wondering what the other 2 top RV accessories were. Huh? Well that’s entirely up to you. I just know that RV Nana can’t live without her awning.