How to protect shades in rain and wind.

Shades are great for protecting us from the harsh effects of the sun. In the climate of the middle east, we have year-round sunshine. However, at certain points of the year, monsoons carry over from India and the UAE sees strong winds and heavy rain and flooding. Protecting shades in such scenarios become hard. How to protect shades in rain and wind to avoid damage? We explain.

Windspeed

As mentioned in previous articles, wind is what damages shading systems. This happens when the windspeed exceeds the designed limits of the shading system. Therefore it is important that the owner either close the shading system or have a method to ensure that when the windspeed is met that the shading system is automatically closed. This is possible with motorised shading systems such as awnings and motorised shade sails and even giant umbrellas.

For centre pole or cantilever umbrellas without the motorisation element, then vigilance is the key. Close your umbrella when not in use. This is particularly prevalent for hotels and restaurants. Staff should close umbrellas when no guests are present.

Smart Sensors for protecting shades

As mentioned, there are a range of smart sensors available for awnings and other shade systems to control when the system is closed. Somfy, offer a brand of motors and additional smart controls to allow the system to close when certain thresholds exist. The Wind Sensor measures wind speed and closes the awning based on a certain wind speed being reached. The shake Sensor reacts to vibrations. Additionally the Awning can be controlled via an app so that it can be closed by the user from anywhere.

It is important to understand that these are not a install and forget systems. Users should always be vigilant and close shading systems when not in use and when strong winds and rain storms are expected.