How Durable Is An Air Awning?

As inflatable caravan air awnings are becoming more and more popular, are they really a better choice in comparison to a traditional pole awning?

How Durable Is An Inflatable Air Awning?

The first company to come up with the concept of an inflatable awning was Vango and their Air Beam concept.

The construction of air tubes is based on outer canvas materials with the dense PVC inner tube. You may be wondering how long it will last. PVC air tube that can withstand punctures, etc?

Well, from the feedback I’ve received from guests, it’s pretty robust. I’ve only had one person tell me about the beam had a slow leak.

However, it was an unrepaired purchase from eBay, so that comes with the territory. They were capable of resolving it however, rather easily.

Of the people who bought their inflatable air awnings at the time of purchase from new, I haven’t heard any horror stories of air beams that leak.

One thing I know is that inflatable air awnings are much better at handling the winds.

Inflatable caravan air awnings are much better at managing the force of wind.

With a typical pole-awning (depending on the brand and the way it was set up) the poles could get out of the way.

But inflatable caravan awnings just turn in the breeze and then snap into position!

However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t still recommend decent storm straps and pegs that keep the awning in its place.

Does An Inflatable Air Awning weigh more?

This is something a few guests with an air awning inflatable have expressed their opinions on. An air awning does weigh more than a traditional pole awning.

The reason is the “all all in one’ character of an air awning. For a pole awning you’ll have two bags. One is filled with the awning fabric and one for the poles.

Well, for the air-awning it’s all one thing. But there’s more PVC/fabric involved.

Yes an inflatable air awning can weigh more than a normal bag to hold an awning.

Can One Person Set Up an Inflatable Air Awning By themselves?

So this carries on quite well from the last question. Air awnings that are inflatable can be simpler to install by yourself.

But, the extra weight of an inflatable air awning needs to be a consideration. Be aware that you should lift it with your legs and not your back.

The model and the manufacturer depending on the design and manufacturer, there could be an air valve on each pole or an air value (cross-beam). I’ve often heard the joke from friends about an awning being a ‘divorce-in-a-bag’.

So if you’re planning to install an air awning of your own, you should consider a cross-beam design.

With a cross-beam awning, it’s as simple as placing it in the right place by connecting it to an air value. A couple of pumps later, your awning is up and divorce is avoided!

To make it easier for a single person to put up an awning you could look into an easy Awning Pulle

Tips: One of the toughest aspects of putting an awning in your own home is putting it on the rail. Then, you might be tempted to use a bit of WD40 or some similar product to grease the rail.

It is true that WD40 as well as detergent-based solutions may actually cause deterioration of the weatherproofing fabric of your awning.

So, buying a tiny bottle of awning rail grease is the best option. With proper lubrication it is possible for one or more people to push the caravan air awning along the railing of the caravan.

How Often Do You Need to pump up an inflatable Awning?

If you have it set up properly Once you’ve got it set up correctly, you won’t need to be getting the pump out to check it again. I’ve witnessed a few guests who check the pressure of their air beams at least once a week, along with perhaps the unusual pump.

A majority of manufacturers, including Kampa, advise a pressure range of 8-11 psi.

If the poles appear to be dropping, its most likely not due to a break in the air beam but a loose-fitting. They are dark grey pipes with cross-beam awnings which join the air poles.

In the course of storage, packing and assembly might have been tampered with. Kampa gives a two-year warranty on air poles. However, it’s possible to repair beams using a certified tape and adhesive kit.

It is vital that the air beams of the awning are not put under too much pressure.

Does An Air Awning Expand when the Temperature of the Air Increases?

It’s a sensible question, after all, you don’t expect to sound a big bang when the sun comes out and you can see your air shade in the ground!

Kampa which is one of the leading brands for air awnings, says temperature rise is not an issue.

As stated, the recommended inflation pressure is between 8-11psi. However, they are tested to 22psi. Kampa has a chart that can show the relation between temperature and pressure changes.

The pressure chart Kampa utilizes to illustrate the relation between temperature and pressure changes.

In the UK, no matter what time of the year it is, temperatures above thirty degrees Celsius is an extremely rare phenomenon.

If you begin at 20°C and the temperature rises to 30 degrees in the following couple of days, that’s less 1psi increase in pressure.

That’s why you don’t have to worry about an inflatable awning popping during hot summer days. This is why there aren’t pressure relief valves fitted.

This would just add to the expense and also create a possibility of a leak.

Can I Use An Electric Pump To Raise An Inflatable Awning?

Most inflatable air awnings are either sold with a pump that is manual in the purchase, or provide an option to purchase one as an accessory.

With a manual pump, it takes around a minute in order to get to the required pressure, but it’s not terribly demanding. Some people might be interested in an electric pump to do the job for them.

Some of the inflatable air awning manufacturers provide an electric pump which are set at 11psi. Would you be able to use your own pump?

But only in the event that you can control the pressure on the pump. It isn’t a good idea to use one that will continue to build pressure until it explodes!

It’s possible to cause damage to the awning or end the warranty.

It isn’t recommended to use a 12V air compressor to pump up an air awning, unless you are able to limit the pressure to 11 psi.

Many of our guests are choosing to purchase Kampa air awnings. Kampa is a very well-known brand in the outdoor leisure market They also offer a range of popular caravan kettles.

While Vango was the first to develop the concept and has a substantial presence in the inflatable tent market but it’s Kampa who seems to be ruling the inflatable caravan awning market.

Are there any other brands inflatable air awnings?

Other than Kampa, there’s other air awnings inflatable that are available by brands like Quest, SunnCamp, Outwell, Outdoor Revolution and, of course, Vango.

Conclusions On Inflatable Caravan Air Awnings

After preparing this article along with the feedback I’ve received from guests I think air awnings are an option to consider for a lot of people.

I would say that the best way to showcase air awnings is on larger structures with several porches or annexes.

This is when putting up a pole-based awning could be quite a issue. It is also possible to fix an air awning if your awning does develop a leak.