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Awning Installation?

6K views 14 replies 4 participants last post by  Tom Struble 
#1 ·
I have multiple 12 ft wide retractable awnings were the awning material is rubbing on the cover/cassette when the awning is opened/closed.

I have talked with the mfg and they claim that the installer should have used header boards between the awning and the house. The installer used 3 brackets attached directly to the house through vinyl siding.
As the the mfg claims the problem was with installation, the mfg warranty will not cover repair.

Can anyone with awning experience confirm that a header is needed?

Thanks for your assistance!
 
#2 ·
Can you access the installation instructions? It should say right in there how it's installed.
Since the instructions will vary from company to company, it might help to ID which one you have.
Ron
 
#4 ·
I have not be able to access the installation instructions. The awnings are manufactured by CraftBilt (Craftbilt.com). The original proposal describes them as Cottage Cassette motorized retractable awnings. The mfg website references window awnings from Aristocrat including a Manor model retractable full cassette awning.

Oldest story in the book, the distributor that sold us the awnings and installed them went out-of-business after twenty years in the business.

After I sent a buch of photos to Craftbilt they arranged for another local distributor to look check out the problems. The distributor said that the installation instructions only show the three brackets; however, they also said that any reputable installer should know to install a header. That also seems to be the position of the mfg.

Crafbilt is willing to replace the awning material for one of the awnings that is frayed. The distributor/installer wants app. $600 per awning to take them down, install vinyl clad headers and reinstall the awnings. To reinstall 5 of the 6 six awnings is a wooping $3,000. Three awnings are 12 ft wide with 47" projection, one is 11 ft x 47", one 9 ft x 32" and one only 5 ft x 47". Might only do the 4 widest awnings.
 
#5 ·
This photo shows the 3 brackets at bottom of cassette. It's hard to see in this photo but the bottom of the cassette is bowed at each of the brackets.



Different angle of same awning



Closeup of one awning. Center seam rubbing against cassette.

 
#8 · (Edited)
The installation was about 2 years ago and the distributor/installer when out-of-business within the first year. I've been pursuing it with the mfg for a long time. One of the principals from the distributor installed the awnings and was allegedly pushed out by his partners before they when belly up. He offered to fix some of the problems but actually just strung me along for a year. Finally PUSH the mfg and they set me up with another distributor that "seems" to be saying the right things.

BTW: Scuba_Dave, are you a diver? Wife and I got into scuba about 15 years ago. Haven't done any lately.
 
#14 ·
Basically makes sense but note that the fabric is rubbing on the cassette, not on the siding etc.. It is my understanding the header will provide more support and remove the "bowing" of the bottom edge of the cassette. Guess I need to make sure they anchor the 1x into enough studs for stability?
 
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