Message Forums

I am thinking of buying a Dorema Sirocco awning - how good are they, has anyone out there had one a few years and is it still OK?

I propose to leave mine out all the year and throughout the winter on my static van and wonder if  such an awning would withstand all the elements.  I have been told they are ten cate and around £300.

Thank you.  Nortonian

I agree. In the winter we use an Isabella Snowboy Porch Awning which is specially designed for winter/snow use. It has extra poles across the centre to bear the weight of snow, and a specially sloping roof. Also we have a inner roof so there is no condensation.

Even so, wouldn't leave it unattended.

For years we wintered our 'van in the mountains....real ones!.....and nobody used a full awning. However virtually everybody had a half or porch awning which keeps the snow away and stops the door freezing!

HTH

We have got a Dorema President which is actually the one specifically designed for permanent use. It is made of a different fabric to the others they make. Dorema recommend that if you are leaving the awning up for a long time you should use the steel poles. We think this is a great awning but it was about £800.

 I think there is quite a lot about the awnings on the Dorema website which might be worth looking at. I wouldn't want to leave an awning up for a long time that wasn't designed for permanent use, I don't think it would withstand the elements.

Unless an awning is specifically designed to take weight on the roof, it will sag and put extreme strain on fabric and poles.

Our Dorema has fibreglass poles and, during heavy rain, part of the roof sagged and filled with water. Fortunately no damage occurred.

In a similar situation, the annexe roof of our Trio awning sagged and one of the steel poles was badly bent.  There was about 3 gallons of water in the sagged roof, and this equates to about 30 pounds in weight.

The problem is, once a slight sag occurs, as it gradually collects more water, the sag increases making room for more water, which further increases the sag, and so on until something gives way.

Bertie.