Apart from the caravan itself, your awning is likely to be the most valuable item you take with you when on a touring caravan holiday, and as such it's vital you protect your investment against an all too common problem - storm damage.
Storm damage is caused by extreme weather conditions such as high winds or very heavy rain or snow, and often results in bent poles or ripped seams but in a worse scenario can mean an awning that is broken beyond repair and a severely damaged caravan.
However, there are some simple precautions which you can take to minimise your risk of storm damage, the easiest of which is to avoid severe weather conditions in the first place!
By simply keeping an eye on the weather reports prior to and during your caravan break, you should be able to spot any warnings about high winds or storms in the area and either avoid putting the awning up in the first place, or take it down before the bad weather's due to hit.
If you think the weather is taking a turn for the worst, but are certain there are no extreme weather warnings, then a heavy duty awning tie down kit, also known as a 'storm strap' is a good way to keep everything anchored down securely. These tend to feature heavy duty stakes, extra strong nylon straps and a sprung mechanism at one end which allows the awning to flex slightly - meaning that under very strong winds the stakes are less likely to be pulled out.
Most awning 'storm' straps are designed to go directly over the top of the awning on the outside, meaning they are in direct contact with the material of the cover and may cause wear over time. It's for this reason that awning 'storm' straps aren't advisable for use over long periods of time and should only be used when absolutely necessary.
Your choice of awning is also very important, as for year round use a heavier duty awning with strong (but heavy) steel poles from a respected manufacturer might be a safer option. If you're worried about weight then top-end carbon fibre poles are strong and light, but remember that if they are pushed beyond their limits they will snap rather than bending over as a steel pole would. Most aluminium poles are light weight, but in general don't offer the same amount of strength as steel or carbon fibre - that said some manufacturers make fantastic aluminium poled awnings so be sure to shop around and read lots of reviews.
If the worse happens and none of your safety measures have worked, then it's important you're awning and caravan are adequately covered by a specialist caravan insurance policy. Some caravan insurers don't cover damage caused to an awning during a storm, so ensure that you choose a policy which includes what is normally referred to as 'storm damage to awnings cover'. That way, if you ever do get caught out by the weather and a storm hits before you get chance to take down your awning, damage to the awning and damage caused by the awning blowing into your caravan will be covered.
Remember that it's not just the damage to your caravan that needs to be insured, but also the awning itself, and as such be sure to add its value to your total sums to be insured when taking out an insurance policy.
Caravan Guard Limited specialise in insurance for caravans in the UK. To find out more about storm damage cover, visit http://www.caravanguard.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=H_Robinson
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