Tips For Keeping Your Home's Awning In Great Condition
Posted on: 6 November 2015
Awnings are common additions that can help to provide your family with ample amounts of shade during the blistering summer days and protection during rain storms. Also, a well-maintained awning can help to improve your home's curb appeal and value. However, many homeowners make the critical mistake of failing to properly care for their aluminum awnings. In addition to making the awnings an eyesore, this error can also drastically reduce their lifespans. To avoid this outcome, you should follow these two awning care tips to keep your home in the best condition possible.
Weatherproof The Awning
The awning will be subjected to an intense amount of wear from the weather. As a result, it is critical for you to make sure that it is as protected as possible. For example, you will likely want to apply a waterproof sealant to help prevent corrosion. Also, the sun's blistering rays can weaken the aluminum over time, and you will need to make sure that the waterproof sealant also reflects solar rays.
To ensure that the awning stays protected from these hazards, you should apply this coating at least once every few years. While an inconvenient maintenance step, this type of work can save your awning from suffering these types of damages.
Use Gentle Cleaning Solutions
In addition to sealing the awning against the elements, you will also need to regularly clean it. Over time, algae, mildew and mosses may start growing on the awning. While this may seem harmless, these substances can strip away the sealant and cause major damage to the metal. Unfortunately, if you use a harsh cleaning solution, you may find that this also can weaken the protection being offered by the sealant.
Avoiding this type of problem will require you to use a gentle cleaning solution. To this end, you can use a mixture of dish soap and water. The dish soap will be able to effectively loosen these substances, and you can remove them by rinsing the awning using a pressure washer.
Maintaining your home's awnings is important for preserving both the look and functionality of your home. However, it is an unfortunate fact that many homeowners may make errors in caring for this part of the house. Avoiding the mistakes of failing to properly waterproof the awning and using harsh cleaning solutions can help you to greatly prolong the life of your aluminum awning, which will help ensure you get the most from this investment in your home. Contact a company like Allied Awning for more info.
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