Electric retractable awning - caution if you're buying one!

[b3taman]

Hello folks
Had a new Luxaflex retractable awning installed a few weeks ago. It's 3.5 wide and extends to 2.6m. Electric motor internally with remote control for extending and retracting, so not cheap.
Two nights ago we had sudden heavy rain, which was not forecast for this area. Sods law, this was the one night we'd forgotten to close the awning at the end of the day. Massive crash at 5.30 am - water had ponded in the awning and pulled it off the wall.
We were certainly advised about keeping the awning closed in windy weather, but not that water could pond on it so easily in heavy rain. As you can imagine, once water starts ponding there's no way back unless you quickly become aware of the problem.
Luckily we can claim on our house insurance for this, but two lessons to learn here - firstly, how quickly and easily water can pond on an awning in heavy rain, and secondly, we'll make sure the replacement will have a timer on it so that it will automatically retract at a preset time in the evening, so this can't happen again.
Hope this helps someone avoid similar.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Not sure a timer would avoid it, why not a rain sensor instead?

 

[b3taman]

I was advised that these can be unreliable. Anyone got experience of one of these?

 

[dormermike]

I was thinking of buying an awning for sitting outside in the rain, though I'm having second thoughts now! Got to wonder what's the point of them then!