Making Your Garden Look Fantastic

Three Tips To Stop Your Shade Sails Becoming Airborne During Summer Storms

21 September 2017

Philip Newman

Spring has already arrived in Queensland, and that means summer is not too far away. Queensland has epic summer storms which bring heavy rain, wind and lightning. You've only just moved to the state, so while you are aware of the storm's reputation, you haven't yet experienced one. While the weather remains calm, it is important you identify which areas around your home could become a potential hazard during the storm. Your beautiful shade sails, for example, may be one huge gust away from leaving your property forever. These are three things you can do now to prevent this from happening.

Remove tree debris

Cutting back tree branches close to the shade sails is the first task to help prevent damage during the summer. Spiky branch ends rubbing against the cloth cause the fabric to fray. The more it frays, the better the chance of it ripping completely during strong wind gusts.

Additionally, trees that overhang shade sails dump leaves onto the fabric, which makes it heavy. When the leaves get wet during a downpour, the extra weight of them can cause already-damaged sail cloth to rip away from the poles.

Support pole inspection

Once you have cleared the area around the shade sail, it is time to inspect the support poles for any signs of damage or weakness. In particular, look for:

• signs of rust or cracks around the base of the poles where they are anchored to the ground
• signs of rust or cracks around the bolts at the top of the pole where the shade sail is attached

Corrosion (rust) eats through compromised cracked metal and weakens it. During a strong storm, the shade sail could be ripped free from these compromised spots.

Shade sail inspection

Finally, take a good look at the shade sail fabric itself. Frayed fabric needs repair before it rips the sail to pieces, so look for any areas where you can see threads coming loose. An incorrectly tensioned sail is another cause for concern. Shade sails should not move, so if you notice yours is flapping around during a windy day, then it needs to be tightened up.

When you find damage during an inspection, arrange for a contractor to come out and repair it as soon as possible. Installation of new shade sails keep these contractors busy over the summer months, so it is important you get your shade sail spick and span before the storm season commences.

Share  

Search