Awnings and Hurricanes: What to Retract, What to Remove, and What Can Stay Up

A retractable awning should never face a hurricane extended, and in most cases it should not face one mounted with its fabric on, either. Retract it as soon as a storm threatens, then remove the fabric or the entire unit if you can do so safely before tropical storm force winds arrive. Fixed aluminum awnings, Bahama shutters and patio covers that were engineered and permitted for your local design wind speed are the only awning products intended to ride out a hurricane in place, and many permitted fabric awnings in hurricane regions are approved on the condition that the fabric is removed first.

This guide covers hurricane-specific planning: why the loads are so different, which awning types can stay, a removal plan with a timeline keyed to official watches and warnings, and how insurance tends to treat awning losses. For everyday wind thresholds, see awning wind ratings, and for thunderstorms and squalls, see awning storm preparation.

Why hurricane winds are a different problem

Wind pressure rises with the square of wind speed. Doubling the speed quadruples the force. A retractable awning that is comfortable at 20 mph is facing loads dozens of times higher at hurricane speed, applied in gusts from changing directions for hours.

Duration and direction make it worse: hurricane conditions can last 12 hours or more, loosening anchors through fatigue, and wind can swing through 180 degrees as the eye passes. An awning that tears loose also becomes debris, a hazard to your windows and your neighbors, so removing it protects more than the awning.

What to do with each awning type

Retractable awnings

Fully retracted is the minimum. The front bar and fabric roll still present a target to wind and debris, so if you keep it mounted:

• Retract fully and confirm the front bar seats evenly against the hood or roller.
• For motorized units, switch off the circuit or unplug the motor so a sensor fault, power surge or remote press cannot extend it. Wind sensors should not be trusted through a hurricane, especially once power fails.
• Strap the front bar to the roller or mounting bar with ratchet straps over padding, if the manufacturer permits. Do not strap to gutters or fascia trim.

Removing the whole unit is the most protective option. Many lateral-arm awnings lift off or unbolt from wall brackets, but a large unit can weigh well over 100 lb and the arms remain under spring load, so removal is a two- or three-person job and often an installer's job. Removing only the fabric from a lateral-arm retractable is generally not a casual DIY task for the same reason: the arms must be secured before the fabric is released. If you live in a hurricane region, ask your installer before the season whether they offer pre-storm removal and reinstallation, what it costs, and how far ahead you need to book. See retractable awnings for how the arm mechanism works.

Fixed fabric awnings

Fixed fabric awnings on window, door and storefront frames are usually laced, screwed or slid into channels on a welded aluminum or steel frame. The fabric is the sail; the frame alone catches far less wind. Removing the cover is usually the single most effective step for this type, and it is something many owners can do themselves if they practice once before the season. Label each cover and its hardware, roll (do not fold) the fabric, and store it dry. Details on how these frames are built are in fixed awnings.

Code-rated fixed systems in hurricane zones

In hurricane-prone states, permanent awnings and patio covers are structures under the building code, so they are designed to a basic wind speed assigned to the site. The Florida Building Code, for example, uses wind provisions based on the ASCE 7 standard, sets higher requirements in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (Miami-Dade and Broward counties), and relies on a statewide product approval system for many exterior building products. In practice that means:

• Aluminum awnings, patio covers and Bahama or colonial shutters may carry a product approval showing they were tested or engineered for specified wind pressures. Some shutter-type awnings are rated as opening protection when closed and locked; others are shade-only. Check the approval document, not the sales description.
• Permitted fabric awnings are often engineered so that the frame resists the code wind load with the fabric removed. If that is the basis of your permit, leaving the fabric on during a hurricane is outside the design.
• Retractable awnings are generally treated as shade devices that must be retracted, whatever their wind class. A high EN 13561 class rating describes performance in ordinary wind while extended, not survival in a hurricane.

Rules vary by state, county and city, and they change. Ask your building department or installer what your permit assumes, and keep the approval and permit documents with your hurricane plan. Background on permits is in awning permits and HOA rules, and storefront requirements are in commercial awning codes and fire ratings.

A removal plan and timeline

The National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane watch when hurricane conditions are possible, typically 48 hours before tropical storm force winds (39 mph or more) are expected, and a warning when they are expected, typically 36 hours before. Tropical storm force winds arrive well before the hurricane's core, and ladder work stops being safe once they do. Plan your awning work around the first arrival of strong wind, not the landfall time.

1. Before the season (May or earlier). Write down every awning, how it comes down, who removes it, and the tools needed. Photograph each awning for insurance records, practice removing fixed fabric covers, and confirm installer removal service in writing. Keep each unit's bolts and washers in a labeled kit.
2. When your area enters the forecast cone (about 3 to 5 days out). Get on your installer's removal list, since contractors fill up quickly, and clear storage space.
3. Hurricane or tropical storm watch (about 48 hours). Remove fabric covers from fixed awnings and canopies. Retract all retractables and disconnect their power. Take down freestanding and pergola canopies.
4. Warning (about 36 hours). Finish any unit removals. Strap anything staying on the wall. Store cranks, remotes and loose hardware indoors in a labeled bin.
5. Once winds exceed about 25 mph or rain bands begin. Stop ladder and roof work entirely. Anything not done stays as it is.
6. After the storm. Do not extend or power anything until you have inspected it (see below).

After the storm: inspection before reuse

Hurricane damage is often hidden, so check before you extend or power anything.

• Check every bracket and the wall around it for cracks, split siding or pulled anchors. See broken awning brackets.
• Sight down the front bar and roller for bends. Check arms for kinks and elbows for play. Bent arms are covered in awning arm replacement.
• If a motor, outlet, junction box or wall switch was wet from flooding or wind-driven rain, have it checked before restoring power. Do not operate a submerged motor.
• Rinse salt from frames and fabric with fresh water; see awnings in coastal environments.
• Extend slowly the first time, watching both arms; stop if it binds.

Insurance notes

Coverage varies by insurer, state and policy form, so treat these as questions for your agent:

• Which coverage applies? An attached awning is often treated as part of the dwelling; a freestanding one may fall under other structures. Some policies limit or exclude awnings, screen enclosures and similar items for windstorm or hurricane losses unless an endorsement is added.
• The hurricane deductible. In hurricane-prone states, wind losses from a named storm often carry a separate deductible set as a percentage of dwelling coverage, commonly 2% to 5% or more. That can exceed the value of an awning on its own.
• Mitigation duties. Policies usually expect you to take reasonable steps to protect property. Leaving a retractable extended through a forecast hurricane may complicate a claim.

Choosing awnings if you live in a hurricane region

Good fits: retractables you are prepared to remove or have removed (cassette units and smaller widths are easier), fixed fabric awnings with covers designed to come off quickly, and product-approved aluminum awnings or Bahama shutters where you want something that can stay up. Poor fits: very wide coupled retractables on a second storey with no realistic removal plan, freestanding canopies you cannot take down alone, and any awning whose permit or approval documents you cannot locate. When comparing types, retractable vs fixed awnings and aluminum awnings cover the trade-offs, and awnings in bad weather covers the full range of weather risks.

Frequently asked questions

Can a retractable awning stay up during a hurricane if it is retracted?

It may survive, but it is at risk. Even retracted, the folded arms, front bar and fabric roll are exposed to wind and flying debris for hours, and anchors can loosen. Retracting, disconnecting power and strapping the front bar is the minimum. Removing the unit or its fabric before tropical storm force winds arrive is the safer choice where it can be done safely and in time.

Do hurricane-rated awnings exist?

Some fixed products are. Aluminum awnings, patio covers and Bahama or colonial shutters can carry product approvals showing they meet specific wind pressures, and some shutter-type units count as opening protection when closed. Retractable fabric awnings are shade devices and are not rated to stay extended in hurricanes. Always check the actual approval document for your product and location.

When should I take my awning down before a hurricane?

Aim to finish by the time a hurricane or tropical storm warning is issued, typically about 36 hours before tropical storm force winds. Start arranging removal when your area enters the forecast cone, three to five days out, because installers book up quickly. Stop all ladder work once winds exceed roughly 25 mph or rain bands begin.

Does homeowners insurance cover hurricane damage to an awning?

It depends on the policy. Attached awnings are often treated as part of the dwelling, but some policies limit or exclude awnings for windstorm losses, and a percentage-based hurricane deductible may exceed the awning's value. Ask your agent which coverage applies, what the deductible would be, and whether there are conditions about securing the awning before a storm.

Sources and further reading

• National Hurricane Center (NOAA): definitions of tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings
• National Hurricane Center: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
• Florida Building Commission: Florida Building Code and the Florida Product Approval system
• American Society of Civil Engineers: ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): hurricane preparedness guidance for homeowners
• Insurance Information Institute: hurricane deductibles explained