It’s springtime! Finally, you can ready your porch or patio for another season of great outdoor living with family and friends. As you prepare, you may notice that the fabric on your retractable awning looks less attractive than when it was new. Or perhaps you want to reinvent the space with a new color scheme. In either case, you may ask yourself, “Can I easily replace the fabric on my retractable awning?”
You’ll be happy to know that replacing the fabric on a SummerSpace® retractable awning is a fairly simple process. So, if it has lost some of its luster after years of use or if you’re thinking “New year, new color,” you can, indeed, refresh your favorite shade solution with new, high-performance fabric.
Who Can Replace the Fabric on My Retractable Awning?
Once you make the decision to replace your awning’s fabric, your next item of business will be determining who will perform the replacement. While you could replace the fabric yourself, we highly recommend you hire a professional to do it. Here are three important reasons why.
- Safety. The awning’s extendable arms are configured with high-spring tension. If handled improperly, the arms’ spring mechanisms can engage at a time when the user is not expecting it, making it a safety hazard — especially when the awning is not on the ground floor of a building. A trained professional, however, knows exactly how to operate the equipment to minimize such safety risks.
- Hardware adjustments. In certain situations, minor adjustments to the frame may be necessary for the new fabric to open and close properly. A qualified technician can do this as smoothly as possible.
- Motor adjustments. In general, the motor limits on a motorized retractable awning will need to be reset once the new fabric is mounted. Again, this is most easily accomplished with the help of a technician.
How Long Does It Take to Replace the Fabric on My Retractable Awning?
Replacing your awning’s fabric is a fairly quick process, especially when you have a professional do it. A technician trained in SummerSpace products can replace the awning fabric in about an hour. They can do this so quickly because they have the special tools and knowledge to do the job. Gone are the days of taking your awning to a shop to have the whole thing reconfigured. A SummerSpace pro can, typically, complete the job while the awning frame is still mounted. If, however, the awning is positioned between two side walls, the frame will possibly have to be removed temporarily and taken to an open space where the fabric has room to slide off of the frame.
In any case, the process is not all that time consuming when you have the right tools and expertise on your side.
How Long Will My New Awning Fabric Last?
SummerSpace’s retractable awnings are made with marine-grade Tempotest® fabric which is 100% acrylic and comes with complimentary enhancements such as a Teflon® Extreme treatment and a Hi-Clean® finish. These applications make the fabric the most fade-resistant material used in the shade industry. These extras also make the fabric repel water, grease, and oil while resisting fungus and rot.
Because of the product quality, your awning fabric should last in excess of 10 years when properly cleaned and maintained.
What Is the Warranty on My Awning Fabric?
Awnings in SummerSpace’s Simple Shade Series, Pro Series, and Performance Series come with a 10-year limited warranty on the fabric and seams.
What Are My Awning Fabric Choices?
The Tempotest fabric used in SummerSpace’s retractable awnings comes in over a hundred colors, patterns, and textures. Not sure what color scheme is best for you? Read our blog How to Choose the Right Color Retractable Awning for Your Home. Then, get in touch with a SummerSpace dealer who can help you identify the perfect fabric for your awning’s specifications.
