As inflatable caravan air awnings have become more popular, are they really the best choice as compared to a conventional pole awning?
How durable is an inflatable Air Awning?
The first firm to create the concept of the inflatable awning was Vango using the Air Beam concept.
The design of the air tubes is built on canvas materials, with a robust PVC inside tube. You may be wondering how long it will last. PVC air tube to withstand punctures, for example?
Well, from the feedback I’ve received from guests pretty robust. I’ve had only one guest mention to me a beam that had a slow leak.
But it was an old purchase on eBay therefore it comes with the standard. They were successful in resolving the issue however, fairly quickly.
Of those who purchased their inflatable air awnings at the time of purchase from new, I’ve not seen any horror stories of air beams that leak.
One thing I know is that inflatable air awnings have a better chance of dealing with the wind.
Inflatable caravan air awnings are superior at dealing with gusts of wind.
A normal pole-awning (depending on the brand and how it was put up) the poles could move out of place.
However, inflatable caravan awnings move with the wind, and then snap into position!
This doesn’t mean I would not still suggest decent weather straps as well as pegs that keep the awning in place.
Does An Inflatable Air Awning Have a heavier weight?
This is a point that few people who have used an inflatable air awning have expressed concern about. Yes, an air awning is heavier than a pole awning.
The reason is the “all in one’ design the air awning. For a pole awning you have two separate bags. One is filled with the fabric used for awnings and one for poles.
In the case of it to be an airawning it’s just one thing, and there’s more fabric/PVC to be involved.
In general, an inflatable air awning can weigh more than an ordinary bag of awnings.
Is it possible for a single person to set up An Inflatable Air Awning By Theirself?
So this carries on quite well from the question that was asked earlier. Air awnings that are inflatable can be easier to put up by yourself.
But, the extra weight of an air awning inflatable must be taken into consideration. Make sure you lift it using your legs, not on your back.
According to the design and manufacturer, there will either be an air valve for each pole or an air value (cross-beam). I’ve heard many times from a guest about an awning being a ‘divorce-in-a-bag’.
Thus, if you’re trying to set up an air awning on your own, then you should consider a cross-beam design.
With a cross-beam awning, it’s simply a case of setting it up then connecting the pump an air value. After a couple of pumps your awning will be up and divorce can be avoided!
To make it easier for just one person to put up an awning, you might look into an easy Awning Pulle
Tips: One of the most difficult aspects of setting an awning in your own home is getting it into the rail. You might be in a rush to use a tiny bit of WD40 or a similar product to help lubricate the rail.
Yet, WD40 or detergents can actually de-nature the weatherproofing material of the awning.
So, buying a tiny container of the lubricant for awnings is the best option. With proper lubrication, it can be feasible for a single person to pull the awning along the caravan rail.
How often do you need to pump up an inflatable Awning?
Once set up correctly Once you’ve got it set up correctly, you won’t need to take the pump out every now and then. I’ve witnessed a few visitors checking the pressure on their air beams once a week, along with perhaps the rare pump.
The majority of manufacturers, like Kampa, advise a pressure range of 8-11 psi.
If the poles appear to be dropping, its usually not due to a crack in the air beam, but an unfitting. These are the dark-grey tubes with cross-beam awnings which join the air poles.
While in storage, packaging as well as assembly could be damaged or ruined. Kampa provides a 2-year warranty for air poles. It is possible to fix the beams using an approved tape and adhesive kit.
Its very important that the air beams of the awning don’t come to pressure.
Does an Air Awning Expand When The Temperature Of The Air Rises?
This is a reasonable one, since you do not expect to sound a big thud as the sun sets and see your air canopy down on the ground!
Kampa the company that is one of the top manufacturers of air awnings, says temperature rise is not an issue.
The recommended pressure for inflation is between 8-11psi, but they are tested to 22psi. Kampa offers a graph to explain the relationship between pressure changes and temperature.
The pressure chart Kampa makes use of to illustrate the relationship between temperature changes and pressure changes.
In the UK, no matter what time of the year it is, temperatures more than thirty degrees Celsius is quite rare occurrence.
If you are able to set the temperature at 20 degrees and the temperature climbs to the 30 degree mark in the following couple of days, that’s not more than one psi difference in pressure.
That’s why you shouldn’t be worried about your inflatable caravan air awning popping in the summer heat. This is why there aren’t pressure relief valves fitted.
This will only increase the expense and also create a potential leak point.
Can I Use An Electric Pump To Raise An Inflatable Awning?
Most inflatable air awning manufacturers include a manual pump with the purchase, or provide the pump as an additional option.
With a manual pump it can take a minute or for it to reach the required pressure, but it’s not too challenging. However, some may be interested in using an electric pump that can do the work for them.
Many of the inflatable awning manufacturers have the pumps themselves which are set at 11psi. Would you be able to use your own pump?
But only if you can set the pressure on the pump. You don’t want to use one that will just keep trying to build pressure until it explodes!
You could pretty easily cause damage to the awning, which could make it impossible to honor the warranty.
It is not advised to make use of a 12V compressor for inflating an air awning unless you are able to limit it to 11 psi.
A majority of our guests prefer to purchase Kampa Air awnings. Kampa is a popular brand on the outdoor leisure market as well as many popular caravan kettles.
While Vango initially created the principle and has a substantial presence in the inflatable tent market however, Kampa is dominating the inflatable caravan awning market.
Are there any other brands that offer Inflatable Airawnings?
Apart from Kampa, there’s other air awnings inflatable that are available by companies such as Quest, SunnCamp, Outwell, Outdoor Revolution and, of course, Vango.
Conclusions On Inflatable Caravan Air Awnings
So after preparing this post in combination with the feedback I’ve received from guests, I do feel that air awnings can be a viable option worth looking into for many.
I believe the area the best way to showcase air awnings is with larger sets that include multiple annexes and porches.
This is why putting an awning that is based on poles can be a major problem. It is also possible to repair an air awning when your air awning is ever damaged by a leak.https://www.autoleisure.co.uk/brands/outdoor-revolution-products
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