How To Choose The Right RV Awning

INSPIRED BY COMFORT How To Choose The Right RV Awning A FREE BUYER S GUIDE BY DOMETIC Inside This Buyer s Guide: Selection and Usage Guide HOW TO: CHOOSE the Right Awning: Power or Manual SELECT the Right Fabric MAINTAIN for Long-lasting Life BONUS! Dometic s Awning Lineup L-3521 Rev. 20150605

How To Choose The Right RV Awning Table of Contents RELAXING IN THE SHADE Relaxing in the Shade...2 How to Choose the Right Awning Type for Your RV Lifestyle...3 How to Select the Right Fabric...4 How to Keep Your Awning Looking and Acting Like New...5 Dometic s Awning Lineup...6 Awnings provide outdoor comfort For more than 40 years, RV awnings have been making outdoor spaces more comfortable. Awnings offer protection from sun and rain while increasing the useable square footage of an RV. The RV interior serves as a home on wheels for many families, but it is under their awning that they relax and experience nature first hand. Developments in awning technology over the last few decades have led to a vast variety of awning styles and features available in a wide range of sizes and colors. However, these options can generally be broken down into two types: Manual awnings or Power awnings Your choice of awning type depends on many factors, such as: How and where the awning will be used Type of vehicle Ease of use Access to power What optional accessories are desired Location of windows and other obstacles Manual awnings are what started everything, and have remained relatively unchanged for many years. The manual awning is a robust, versatile, and proven product that will provide outdoor comfort for many years, and requires only elbow grease to get set up. Power awnings extend and retract at the touch of a button. Through advances in motor technology over the past several years, power awnings have become increasingly more affordable and as a result, the majority of RV manufacturers are electing to provide the operating ease of a power awning on new equipment. Many even offer multiple power awnings on the same vehicle. As the trend toward power awnings has spread, many RV owners are upgrading their manual awnings to powered versions. When you learn about the benefits of each style of awning and the associated features they offer, as well as how to safely operate and maintain your awning, you can relax with the knowledge that you will make a wise investment in your family s comfort for years to come. 2

A FREE Buyer s Guide by Dometic HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT AWNING TYPE FOR YOUR RV LIFESTYLE In an ever expanding sea of options, RV owners are asked to make increasingly difficult decisions when selecting an awning. At Dometic, both manual awnings and power awnings are designed and built to the strictest standards for quality and longevity. Both types are available in vinyl, polyester, or acrylic fabric, as well as in a variety of colors to harmonize with any vehicle s exterior. However, there are some very important questions that must be answered to make the best choice: 1. How easy is it to operate? Warning: It is not advisable to leave any awning extended in bad weather or when bad weather is expected. The best of both worlds: Check out Dometic s G-Series Geared Awning that uses a manual crank handle or a power-driven ¼ screw gun to open and close. Manual Awning - Operation of a manual awning, while not complicated, can be physically demanding. Depending on the awning model, opening and closing the awning will either require rotating a hand crank or pulling on a strap with forces up to 30 lbs. Also, the operator must raise or lower the awning to get the desired pitch by lifting each end of the hardware independently. There are also steps that must be followed when closing the awning to ensure that it is secure when not in use. If any of this concerns you or another member of your family, you are probably a candidate for a push-button power awning. Power Awning - The power awning can be deployed or stowed with the push of a button, and requires no further involvement to adjust awning height. The power awning even has an adjustable pitch feature that will prevent water pooling in light rain. 2. What is the layout of your RV s exterior walls? Some RV manufacturers utilize curved sidewalls on their vehicles. Still other vehicles require that awning hardware be mounted on top of windows or doors. These scenarios, though not necessarily show stoppers, may limit the options available to the RV owner. Dometic has available several standoff and roof adapter kits to help fit the awning to these unique applications. G Series Manual Crank In addition, Dometic offers a full line of manual awning hardware that is specifically designed for mounting on curved walls. Additionally, Dometic s manual hardware is ideal for applications where a window or hatch lid may interfere with mounting. Though a power awning may not work in each of these applications, you can rest assured that you can still benefit from the cooling effects of a manual awning. 3. Do you have or plan to get an awning room? There are thousands of accessories marketed for RV awnings, many of which will enhance your RVing experience. One such accessory is an awning room like Dometic s Patty O Room which maximizes your usable living space when camping. These enclosures utilize the awning as a roof to provide shade and protection from rain, then provide either vinyl or mesh walls that enclose the area. This offers privacy as well as protection from insects. Awning rooms are available in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and configurations. G Series Manual Crank with Power Screw While patio rooms are available that work with both manual and power awnings, if your intent is to use your awning primarily as a room, you will be better served with a manual awning due to its capability of going into carport mode. This provides a much more rigid structure. 4. Do you have 12-volt power available? Another option to consider when deciding between a manual awning and a power awning is your anticipated access to power. As most new RVs are wired throughout with 12-volt power, installing a power awning can be almost as easy as installing a manual awning. However, in upgrading an older vehicle, the wiring required for 12-volt power can be the biggest part of the expense. You must also consider if the areas you will be camping in will have power available, or if you will have alternate power sources. 12-volt power will also allow you to install an optional LED light kit which will provide light onto your patio for enjoyment during the evenings. Power awnings only need the touch of a button 3

How To Choose The Right RV Awning FABRIC TYPES AT A GLANCE o Vinyl Most widely used o Polyester Woven fabric, lower cost o Acrylic Woven fabric, higher end HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT FABRIC Now that you have determined which type of awning will best suit your needs, your decision making is almost complete. The next step is to determine which type of fabric best suits your needs. Dometic offers three types of awning material and each has its own advantages and disadvantages: Vinyl Fabric Vinyl is the most-used awning fabric industry wide. Vinyl fabric consists of a woven polyester base layer which is laminated between two sheets of vinyl. The vinyl is then inked on one or both sides, and receives a clear protective coat. The vinyl fabric is formulated to resist fading and contains anti-fungal properties to prevent mold and mildew. However, because vinyl fabric is made up of many layers, there is a risk that the fabric can delaminate over time. Woven Fabrics Polyester and acrylic awnings are woven fabrics. This means that, much like clothing, the material is made by weaving various colors of yarn to form a color, texture, or pattern. These fabrics offer a premium look and feel, but also carry a higher price tag. Polyester is the lower cost alternative woven fabric and acrylic fabric is primarily used on higher end vehicles only. Both fabrics are coated to resist staining, discoloration, and water penetration, but neither is as resistant to water intrusion as vinyl. Choose from a variety of colors, patterns and fabrics Additionally, because of the way they are made, woven fabrics, much like clothes, can start to unravel if not properly cared for. To aid in preventing this, all woven fabrics are sold with a metal Weather-Shield which protects the awning from the elements when it is rolled up. The Dometic Patty O Room adds versatile walls to your awning 4

A FREE Buyer s Guide by Dometic HOW TO KEEP YOUR AWNING LOOKING AND ACTING LIKE NEW Your RV awning is designed to be a low-maintenance product that enhances your enjoyment of the outdoors, but there are a few simple steps you should take to ensure you get the most out of your investment. Cleaning SAFETY FIRST Weather can change suddenly, so be prepared. For safety, always close your awning when you re not around or when windy or rainy weather is expected. Hardware The awning hardware has a durable powder coat finish. As such, it can be washed in the same way you wash your vehicle. Fabric Caring for the fabric is a necessary step to maximize the life of your awning. Regardless of the type of fabric you have, the most important rule to remember is to never put the awning away wet. Even though the fabric is designed to resist water intrusion, mold, and mildew, stowing a wet awning is asking for trouble. Inspection It is important to inspect the awning at least once per year to look for cracks or tears in the fabric that might affect the integrity of the fabric assembly. Keep in mind that it is less expensive to replace a worn fabric assembly than to replace an entire awning that has failed due to a poorly maintained fabric assembly. Always retract your awning before a storm hits Lubrication In the rare event that you develop any sticking or minor squeaks, a small amount of silicone spray will typically cure the problem. Weather One of the most common mistakes RV owners make is leaving their awning open in inclement weather. Whether going to the store, taking a hike, or turning in for the night, it is always best to stow your awning in any situation where it is not being watched. Wind gusts as low as 30 mph can damage the integrity of your awning or the structure it is mounted to. Rain can also collect on the fabric causing it to stretch. It s recommended to slope your awning by lowering one side (usually away from the entry door). This will prevent rain water from accumulating on the fabric. 5

How To Choose The Right RV Awning What to Look for Look for an awning that is: - Durable - Easy to operate - Blends with the aesthetics of your RV What to Avoid Avoid an awning that: - Can t withstand years of exposure to the elements - Is so difficult to operate that you choose not to use it - Has structural ground supports that can be a tripping hazard DOMETIC S AWNING LINEUP When you buy an RV awning from Dometic, you are buying quality based on decades of experience in developing innovative awning products. Dometic s complete line of patio, door, and window awnings help improve the comfort level in and around your RV. Add a screen room for extra living space at your camping spot or install a SlideTopper to keep debris from interfering with the operation of your slideout. WeatherPro Power Awning The Dometic WeatherPro Power Awning out-thinks the elements and uses a wind sensor to close the awning automatically when it detects high, sustained winds. An exclusive Knee Action Design allows the awning to automatically flex in moderate wind. WeatherPro Awning In the event of rain, a unique springarm mechanism automatically flexes to release accumulating water away from the door. Special hardware is available for mounting the awning over slideouts and on 5th wheels. 9100 Power and Manual Awnings Accessories attach directly to the 9100 Power Awning which also powers them If simplicity is important, look no than the Dometic 9100 Power and Manual Awning opens and retracts with ease by pressing a wall-mounted switch, while the manual version opens with a crank. It features stylish and rugged singlesided or double-sided vinyl fabric. 9100 power channel awning further Awnings. The 9100 Power In addition, the 9100 Power Awning has the PowerChannel option which lets you attach a variety of 12 volt Dometic accessories (such as lights, fans, speakers, and more) anywhere along the roller tube with no cords or wires. It also includes an independently operated LED light strip. 9500 Power and Manual Case Awnings Awnings with integrated lighting are an easy way to illuminate your camp site The Dometic 9500 Power and Manual Case Awnings offer easy deployment, rugged construction and style, with heavy-duty, double-sided vinyl Linen Fade fabric. Lateral arms are designed to withstand heavy use, and the pitch set by the installer helps 9500 manual awning you enjoy the maximum amount of shade. Powered models come with a convenient handheld remote and an automatic wind sensor to retract the awning in inclement weather. 8500 Manual Awning The 8500 Manual Awning features heavy-duty polyester-reinforced doublesided vinyl fabric and can be ordered with an optional aluminum weather shield for added protection. It is available in straight or curved hardware to fit virtually any vehicle, and utilizes Universal hardware for effortless oneperson operation. 8500 manual awning Complement your patio awning with Deluxe Plus or Elite window awnings, made from the same top-quality multi-ply Linen Fade fabric and matching universal hardware. 6

A FREE Buyer s Guide by Dometic Oasis II Power and Manual Door Awnings The Dometic Oasis II door awnings provide welcome shelter while you lock or unlock the door. Its 48- or 56-inch wide canopy provides cover for the door and side window. For power assist, the Oasis II Elite model Oasis II operates at the touch of a button, usually mounted just inside the entryway, and also by remote control when used in conjunction with a WeatherPro Power Awning remote control. KEEP YOUR RV COOLER Awnings can help keep the interior of your RV cooler throughout the day. Put awnings above doors and windows. SlideTopper EZ Awnings The Dometic SlideTopper EZ awnings keep debris and rain off of the top of your slide room and blocks the sun which keeps your RV cooler. It offers a high-flex multi-ply vinyl fabric with special additives to prevent against the elements. Elite Window Awning Slide Topper Matching door and patio awnings give your RV a cohesive look and extra protection from sun and rain The Dometic Elite Window Awning protects your furniture and draperies from sun damage, cools the interior of the RV, and allows open windows during gentle rains. It offers a durable metal weather shield and hardware (available in 4 colors) and patented, easy-to-use PermaLoop pull strap. Patty O Room The Dometic Patty O Room makes your RV patio awning into a comfortable screenedin enclosure free from flying insects, and increases your living space. Setup is fast and simple, and the Patty O Room starter set includes both end panels, one 3-foot door panel, skirting, wheel-well cover, hardware kit, Patty O Room and zippered storage bag. Or, reduce the sun intensity by more than 50 percent with the simple-setup Patty O Shade, which comes in a kit with all tie downs and stakes in 54-inch heights and 10- and 15-foot lengths. Fabric and Hardware Colors All of today s Dometic awnings feature new double-sided Linen Fade vinyl fabric that comes in a wide range of crisp colors. The new Linen Fade is also available in Universal Replacement Fabrics that fit any awning, even non-dometic models. Single-sided colors range from Summer Shade Cranberry to Bamboo. Double-sided colors include the new Linen Fade Sandstone, Bark, Onyx, Meadow Green, Azure and Maroon, with specialty designs Race Flag and Rodeo. Hardware choices for awnings include Polar White, Silver, Black and Champagne. Awning Hardware Colors 7

Dometic is the world s largest supplier of innovative and technologically advanced comfort systems for RVs, offering the broadest product range of air conditioning systems, toilet systems, awnings, refrigerators, and more. A specialist supplier to OEM, refit, and repair, and the aftermarket, Dometic has an unmatched sales and support network. FDD CUSTOMER SERVICE 2320 Industrial Pkwy Elkhart, IN 46516 Phone: 800-366-3842 Fax: 574-294-8628 Email: FDD@dometicusa.com Dealer: L-3521 Rev. 20150605 ISO 9001:2008 Environmentally Responsible