The Complete Awning Maintenance Guide for Colorado Homes and Businesses

A quality awning should give you 10 to 15 years of service in Colorado – but only if it gets a modest amount of care. This is the maintenance program we recommend to every customer, condensed from 45-plus years of installing, repairing and re-covering awnings along the Front Range. None of it is difficult; most of it is simply knowing what to look at, and when.

Your awning maintenance calendar

The rules that prevent most damage

Three habits prevent the large majority of awning damage we are called to repair:

• Retract before wind. Retract a manual awning whenever sustained wind or gusts exceed roughly 20 mph. Better, let a wind sensor do it – it reacts to the gust front that arrives while you are away.
• Retract before storms – every storm. No retractable awning is rated to carry hail or snow. Retracted, the fabric rides out weather inside its hood or cassette.
• Never roll it up wet. Trapped moisture is how mildew starts. If rain catches the awning extended, reopen it to dry at the next opportunity.

Fabric care

Regular rinsing and an occasional wash with mild soap and a soft brush keep acrylic fabric looking new – our full step-by-step is in the awning cleaning guide. Two additions:

• Re-treatment: when water stops beading on the fabric, apply a fabric-appropriate water- and UV-protective treatment. Apply in moderate temperatures – not in direct summer heat and not below cool-morning temperatures – so it cures properly.
• Refresh option: if the fabric is tired but the frame is sound, you can replace the fabric alone – new color, new pattern, roughly half the cost of a new awning. See the signs you need fabric replacement.

Hardware and frame

Twice a season, look over the parts that do the work:

• Lateral arms and springs – extend the awning and watch for hesitation, sag, or uneven tension side to side
• Mounting brackets and fasteners – snug, square, no wall cracks or pulled anchors
• Frame finish – touch up chips on painted steel; aluminum needs only a rinse
• Pivot points – a light silicone lubricant on moving joints once a season; avoid oil-based sprays that attract grit

Motorized awnings

Motors and sensors need their own quick checks: run the awning through a full cycle monthly and listen for new noises; test the wind sensor’s auto-retract; replace remote batteries each spring; and if the motor strains, stops mid-travel, or the limits drift, book service rather than forcing it. Motor and operator replacement is routine work for us – forcing a failing motor is how gears strip.

Spring start-up and fall shutdown

Spring: inspect for winter damage before first use – check fabric seams, arm tension and mounting; clean; test the mechanism twice; re-treat fabric if needed. Working through a readiness check beats discovering a problem during your first barbecue.

Fall: deep-clean, dry completely, then retract for the season. For full winterization – including the fabric-versus-metal protocols and snow management – see our winter awning maintenance guide.

Commercial awning maintenance

Commercial awnings work harder: more exposure, signage to protect, and liability to manage. Post-installation best practice is a documented quarterly routine – clean (vinyl wipes down easily), inspect frames and anchors, photograph condition, and schedule professional service annually. A maintained awning is also a maintained sign: fading and grime on a logo awning costs storefront credibility daily.

When to call a professional

Call us rather than DIY when you see: bent or hesitating arms, fabric tears longer than a few inches, motor or sensor faults, loose mounting, or any damage after hail. We service awnings we did not originally install, including fabric replacement on most major brands.

Since 1979, Best Awning Company has kept Front Range awnings working. Repairs, fabric replacement, service: 303‑816‑2303.