How to maintain your canopy all year round
Proper maintenance of your canopy is essential for keeping these structures safe and smart-looking all year round. Equally, as with anything else, adequate care will prolong the lifespan of your structure and ensure maximum return on your investment.
What’s more, regular attention tackles small problems before they become expensive or even impossible to put right. The good news, however, is that the routine tasks are not difficult, so your site manager or maintenance team should be able to tackle them easily.
Here are our top tips for maintaining your canopy throughout the year:
Clean the gutters
If you do this regularly, the job doesn’t take too long – plus it will be well worth it. A blocked gutter won’t drain properly, leading to a buildup of stagnant water or causing leaks. The best times of year to clear gutters are towards the end of autumn (perhaps during the October half-term break) or at the start of spring (possibly during the February half-term or Easter holidays). However, it can be done at any time of year.
Check the roof of your canopy
As well as the guttering, keep an eye on the roof of your canopy so that debris including twigs and leaves don’t build up. With school canopies, toys or balls can sometimes end up on the roof, too! It's a good idea to clean any dirt off the roof while you're doing this - water, mild detergent and a long-handled brush work well - pupils and staff will notice the difference when they return.
Clean your grates and drains under drainpipes
This is best done ahead of or during the wetter times of year – i.e. winter and autumn. Brush away leaves, mud, twigs and any other debris. This will help to prevent excess water on the playground which can be dangerous for children.
Clear the roof in snowy conditions
The UK gets on average 23.7 days of snowfall or sleet annually. Clearly much will depend on where you, your school or other organisation is based in the country. But if you do have some of the white stuff, clear it from the roof of your canopy. These structures will withstand the weight of the snow, but you won’t want it falling on anyone walking underneath.
Keeping roofs clear of leaves
Obviously, this will be more of an issue during the autumn term. Leaves and other debris building up on a canopy roof make it dirty, encourage moss and mould growth and can obscure light levels underneath. Not only that, but a build-up can prevent run-off of water, ice or even snow. Sticks, seeds, and other plant-based debris will also need to be removed, as does any moss that has started to grow.
Cleaning your canopy
Do this a couple of times a year, taking care first to remove things like play equipment or furniture. This job is best done when staff and pupils are not around, but otherwise section off the area.
Use a solution of warm water plus a mild cleaning detergent. (A regular household product like washing-up liquid is absolutely fine – you don’t need specialist products.) With a long handled brush, clean the canopy roof – or consider a pressure washer for heavy leaf mould or staining. Finish off by hosing down before leaving to air-dry.
Make sure you access the roof safely, using a long handled brush or pressure washer if possible instead of getting onto the roof.
Note – if you have a clear polycarbonate roof, a soft brush is recommended for cleaning to avoid unnecessary scratches.
Cleaning a solar panel canopy
If you have a canopy with solar panels on top, it's especially important to keep the panels clean and free of dirt and debris as dirty solar panels are less efficient.
Cleaning solar panels is straightforward; all you need is water, a long-handled brush and a mild detergent like washing up liquid. Take care when accessing the roof and do not attempt to clean them on a hot or sunny day; an early morning or cool day is a better option.
Talk to us at Kensington Systems if you have any queries about or need help with canopy cleaning or maintenance. We can help you clean and maintain your canopy to help it look good and last longer.
