Did you know an awning can reduce solar heat gain by 65-77 percent? Kool Breeze provides a variety of shade structures that are custom-made to suit your home’s needs and your personal desires. Some shade structures come with membrane canopies, portable canopies, retractable awnings, and more. Several customers have created outdoor rooms by covering their patio with large awnings and screen enclosures. Most people think about shade issues in the summer, but the sun in the winter can still pose problems for your home. Certain shade structures and patio accessories are seasonal and need to be properly winterized to prevent snow from destroying the structure.

Inspect Shade Structures

With the unusually warm winter of 2014-2015, we have noticed several customers are keeping their shade structures up in the winter.  Things will wear out and the sun is always going to be your worst enemy as it does cause things to age quickly. Look over your shade structure, awning, and other accessories to ensure they are protected. Are the structural fittings, fabric, and frame intact? Tighten any hardware that is loose, or call Kool Breeze to come take care of any concerns. One thing we look out for is loose fabric, tears and worn spots. The stitching needs to be tight to provide you with protection against the shade. Hard wind and weather causes movement to occur over time.

Cleaning

A strong awning will have no problem holding up against the harsh winter weather. We recommend you care for your awning with a regular cleaning. Dirt occurs in the outdoors, especially with a hard rain or snow storm. When the temperature rises above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, plan on using soap and water to spray off your awning. Our awnings do not require weather-proofing like other awnings do as we use only the finest materials and construction methods to prepare them to withstand the elements.

Avoid using harsh chemicals when you clean an awning or shade structure as it can cause stains. The other concern with chemicals is that it can alter the coloration of an awning or shade structure. You can use a leaf blower to dust off any of the leaves and dirt that has dried on the awning.

How do you clean a screen? This is actually not as hard as you might think! Simply use some soap and water on your shade screens to wash them down. It will remove the dirt and bird poop! You can use a sponge to clean up the shade screen that has other things stuck to it that are hard to get off. Keep your power washer on a lower setting so you do not damage the screen when you clean it.

Repairs

If you find a problem with your awnings, windows, exterior rooms, or sunshades, call Kool Breeze. We need to make repairs right away before it leads to serious problems. Never ignore damage from the snow, trees, or other elements as it can cause your structure to become unstable. You want to inspect your structure after a major snowstorm or windstorm as we have seen severe wind gusts force trees into homes and awnings.  What starts as a small repair problem can lead to a major repair that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars if you do not take care of it immediately. Sun shades and screens are easy to fix with simple tear repair kits, but a metal or solid structure requires work from our team of professionals.

Store Away Fabric

One of the other important things you need to do with your screen rooms and rolling canopies is to store them away during winter. Some have areas attached to the awnings where they will be stored away for the winter, but others will need you to place them in a shed or garage during the winter months. You want to carefully roll them up and place them in protective gear to prevent tears and rips. If you are not sure if your screen is designed to handle the winter months, call Kool Breeze and we will let you know what you can do to protect your screen in the winter months.

All patio furniture must be properly stored or it will have problems with the snow and sun in the winter months. Contact Kool Breeze to learn about our different patio accessories including grills and chairs. Storing these items will prevent serious damage from occurring. The other way to keep these items protected is with a nice cover for tables and chairs.

For more information about preparing your awning for winter, contact Kool Breeze today!