Can Retractable Awnings Withstand Wind?

Retractable awnings are a great outdoor shade solution that can greatly enhance the comfort and style of your patio or deck. If you’ve been thinking about investing in a retractable patio awning for your home, you may be wondering how well it will hold up. In particular, many homeowners are concerned about how well retractable awnings can withstand the wind. First, it helps to understand how retractable awnings function. Then, we can explore how you can expect them to perform in high winds and what to do if you have a windy day in your forecast.

How Retractable Awnings Work

Retractable awnings feature a lot more versatility than fixed awnings to provide you with more options for your outdoor living space. When extended, they can offer plenty of patio shade for your space, to keep you protected from the harsh rays of the sun and even light rain. Retractable awnings can also be fully retracted as the name suggests and are typically enclosed in a cassette affixed to the home when not in use.

How Retractable Awnings Perform in Windy Conditions

When it comes to wind, retractable awnings will naturally be able to withstand high windows when fully retracted. Since the large expanse of fabric is rolled up and tucked away against the side of the house, even high winds won’t be able to get caught up and potentially pull your awning off of your home. Of course, this assumes that your retractable awning was properly installed by trained and experienced professionals to ensure safety and proper functionality.

But what about when your retractable awning is extended? When you choose a patio awning from a reputable manufacturer, you can expect it to be engineered to hold up in winds up to a certain speed. Many retractable awnings are built to hold up in wind speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. If you find that you’ve left your retractable awning extended on a particularly windy day, chances are your awning will be able to hold up just fine.

Care and Maintenance for Your Retractable Awning

Of course, if you know it’s going to be a windy day, you’re best off retracting the awning ahead of time, especially if you’re not planning to spend time outside during the high winds anyway. While your awning may be able to hold up in these high winds while extended, some proactive care and maintenance will go a long way in maximizing the lifespan of your patio shade.

Investing in a Retractable Awning for Your Home

Thanks to their exceptional durability in windy, rainy, and sunny conditions, retractable awnings are a great option for adding patio shade to your home. At Proficient Patios & Backyard Designs, we proudly offer and install retractable awnings for homeowners throughout the region. You can rely on us for highly durable and reliable retractable awnings, a professional installation to ensure your new awning is properly affixed to your home, and personalized service from start to finish.

Contact Proficient Patios & Backyard Designs today for more information on the features and benefits of retractable awnings.