As the inflatable caravan air awning are becoming more and more popular, are they really the best choice over a standard pole awning?
How Durable Is An Inflatable Air Awning?
The first firm to create the concept of the inflatable awning was Vango with its Air Beam concept.
The design of the air tubes is based on outer canvas materials with a thick PVC internal tube. You might be wondering, how tough is this PVC air tube that can withstand punctures, etc?
Well, from the feedback I’ve received from guests 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 therefore it comes with the standard. They were successfully sorted however, fairly quickly.
Of those who purchased their inflatable air awnings for the first time from the new model, I’ven’t heard any horror stories of air beams that leak.
One thing I know is that air awnings made of inflatable have a better chance of managing wind.
An inflatable caravan air awning is a lot better at handling the rumblings of wind.
A standard pole awning (depending on the brand and how it was set up) poles may move out of place.
But inflatable caravan awnings simply bend with the wind and then snap back into place!
It doesn’t mean that i do not recommend good storm straps and pegs that keep the awning in position.
Does An Inflatable Air Awning Have a heavier weight?
This is something a handful of people who have rented an inflatable air awning have remarked on. The air awning weighs more than a traditional pole awning.
The reason is the “all in one’ nature the air awning. When you have a pole-based awning, you have two separate bags. One bag contains the fabric used for awnings and one for the poles.
For the air-awning it’s all one thing. But there’s a lot more fabric and PVC.
In general, an inflatable air awning can weigh more than the standard awning bag.
Can a person set up an Inflatable Air Awning By themselves?
This is a continuation quite well from the previous question. Inflatable air awnings are more simple to set up on your own.
However, the additional weight of an air awning inflatable must be taken into consideration. Remember, lift with the legs and not with your back
The design and manufacture There will be an air valve on every pole or just one air value (cross-beam). I’ve heard a lot of jokes from a guest about an awning being a “divorce in a bag’.
If you’re looking to build an air awning on your own, you must consider a cross-beam design.
With a cross beam awning, it’s a matter of placing it in the right place then connecting the pump an air value. A couple of pumps later and your awning is in place and divorce-free!
To make it easier for just one person to put up an awning, look into an easy Awning Pulle
Top Tip: One the toughest aspects of putting an awning yourself is to get it in the rail. Now, you may be tempted to use a bit of WD40, or a similar product to help lubricate the rail.
It is true that WD40 and detergent-based products may actually cause deterioration of the weatherproofing that is applied to the fabric of your awning.
Therefore, investing in a smaller container of the lubricant for awnings is a better option. If the lubricant is properly applied it is feasible for a single person to pull the awning along the railing of the caravan.
How Often Do You Need To Inflate An Awning?
When you’ve set it up correctly You shouldn’t need be getting the pump out once more. I’ve witnessed a few guests who check the pressure of their air beams once a week, and maybe an occasional pump.
Many manufacturers, including Kampa, suggest a pressure between 8-11 psi.
If the poles do appear to be falling, it’s most likely not due to a break in the air beam but an insecure. These are the dark-grey tubes that have cross beam awnings that join the air poles.
When they were stored, packed as well as assembly could have been damaged. Kampa offers a two-year guarantee for air poles. But, it’s possible to repair the beams with an approved adhesive tape and kit.
Its very important that the beams of air in the awning are not put to pressure.
Does An Air Awning Expand when the Temperature Of The Air Rises?
It’s a sensible issue, because you don’t want to hear a loud bang when the sun is out and you’re able to see your air an awning over the ground!
Kampa, one of the top brands for air awnings, says temperature rise isn’t an issue.
As mentioned, the recommended inflation pressure is between 8-11psi. However, they can be tested up to 22psi. Kampa has a chart that can explain the relationship between temperature and pressure fluctuations.
The pressure chart Kampa makes use of to illustrate the relationship between temperature and pressure changes.
So in the UK, at times, even during summer temperatures higher than 30 ° Celsius is not a common occasion.
If you start at 20 degrees and the temperature climbs to the 30 degree mark over the next couple of days, that’s less than 1psi increase in pressure.
That’s why you shouldn’t need to worry about an inflatable awning popping in the summer heat. So, there aren’t any pressure relief valves that are fitted.
It will add to the cost and create another potential leak point.
Can I Use An Electric Pump To Raise An Inflatable Awning?
The majority of inflatable air awnings manufacturers either offer a manual pump with the purchase, or provide an option to purchase one as an accessory.
With a manual pump it takes about a minute or in order to get to the required pressure, however it’s not terribly demanding. Some people might be interested in an electric pump to complete the job for them.
Some of the inflatable air awning makers have the pumps themselves with a pressure of 11psi. Can you make use of your own pump?
But only when you are able to set the pressure on the pump. It isn’t a good idea to use the electric motor that can continue to try to increase pressure until something pops!
It is possible to cause damage to the awning, which could void the warranty.
It is not advised to employ a 12V air compressor to fill an air awning unless you are able to limit that pressure up to 11 PSI.
The majority of our customers are choosing to purchase Kampa Air awnings. Kampa is a very well-known brand in the market for outdoor leisure as well as a range of popular caravan kettles.
While Vango initially created the principle and has a substantial presence in the market for inflatable tents, it’s Kampa that is dominating the market for inflatable caravan awnings.
Are there other brands that offer Inflatable Airawnings?
Other than Kampa, there’s also inflatable air awnings offered by brands such as Quest, SunnCamp, Outwell, Outdoor Revolution and, of course, Vango.
Conclusions On Inflatable Caravan Air Awnings
So, after writing this post along with the feedback I’ve received from my guests I think air awnings can be a viable option worth looking into for many.
I believe the area where air awnings particularly shine is with larger sets that include multiple annexes and porches.
This is the reason why setting an awning that is based on poles can be a genuine problem. It is also often possible to fix an air-based awning if the awning does develop a leak.
