Keep it running right
Care & Maintenance
A made-to-order awning or screen doesn't ask for much — a little routine attention keeps the fabric bright, the tracks smooth, and the motor happy. Here's the short version. And the standing rule: when something seems off, stop and call us rather than forcing it.
Fabric & mesh
- Brush before you wash. Knock loose dirt, pollen, leaves, and cobwebs off with a soft brush or broom while the fabric is dry — most debris never needs water.
- Rinse gently, clean mildly. When it needs more, rinse with a garden hose and use a mild soap solution and a soft brush. Skip pressure washers, harsh solvents, and abrasive pads — they can damage fabric coatings.
- Let it dry before it rolls up. Whenever practical, leave an awning extended or a screen down until the fabric is dry to the touch before retracting it for a long stretch.
- Mind what sits against it. Trim back branches and vines that rub the fabric, and keep grills and fire features far enough away that heat and smoke don't reach it.
Frame, housing & tracks
- Keep tracks clear. Screens seal and travel best in clean tracks — clear out leaves, grit, and insect debris so the bottom bar can seat properly.
- Wipe the housing and frame. An occasional wipe-down with water and mild soap keeps the cassette housing and aluminum frame looking right.
- Look while you clean. Use cleaning time to glance over fasteners, arms, and cables. If something looks loose, bent, or frayed, don't operate the unit — call us.
- Don't lubricate on your own. If operation feels stiff or noisy, that's a diagnosis call, not a spray-can fix — the wrong lubricant attracts grit into the mechanism.
Motor & controls
- Let the motor do the work. Don't push, pull, or force a moving awning or screen — and never force one that has stopped or is binding.
- Stop at the first odd sound. Binding, sagging, or unusual noise means stop using the product and call us. Continued operation can turn a small fix into a big one.
- Power outage? Use the override. Motorized awnings include a manual override for power outages — ask us to walk you through yours if you're not sure where it is.
- Leave repairs to us. Alterations, third-party repairs, or parts we didn't supply can void the manufacturer's coverage. If something needs attention, call us first.
Storm prep
When severe weather is forecast: retract and secure
Retract awnings and secure screens before the storm arrives. Our products are engineered to published wind ratings, and damage from conditions that exceed them isn't a product defect — a retracted awning rides out weather that an extended one shouldn't face.
If you have a hurricane screen or wind abatement screen, deploy it as designed — that's the job it was built for. After any major storm, look your system over before operating it, and call us if anything seems off.
Something not right?
Don't troubleshoot alone. Materials are covered by the manufacturer's warranty and the installation by our workmanship guarantee — one call to us handles both. The warranty page walks through exactly what to do.