Patio Cover falling off !!!

Tom DeBono · Wed Jul 17, 2013 7:35 pm

My patio cover is about 30 feet long and looks like it is made up of 35 12" panels with 5 dual support posts. One corner has popped loose and is sagging about an inch. It looks like the domino effect is pulling about 8 panels along with it. It looks like a C type bracket is screwed to the home and the overhang pops into it. I got up on a ladder and with some leverage tried to push it back in, but little or no movement whats so ever. I concerned the whole thing is going to come down. Should I loosen the post bolts to get a little free play to move the cover ? Help quick. I've orderd the manual from here, but won't arrive until Friday. Thanks... Tom

ponch37300 · Wed Jul 17, 2013 10:06 pm

Some pictures would really help. I'm having a hard time picturing what you are describing. some pictures of the posts, panels, brackets, and overall pictures would get better answers.

Tom DeBono · Thu Jul 18, 2013 12:10 am

I tried to upload some pics and was unsuccessfull. Its your basic 30 year old patiow cover, not the W shape panels. It appears to attach to the home via a bracket mounted to the house, with the panels snaping into it. The panels have popped out of the bracket starting at one end. I am not familiar with mobile homes yet, but looking around the park, this appears to be a standard application. My question is how can I re seat the panels back into the bracket, it will not move and I'm thinking of loosening the mounting bracket. to get some movement. Not sure how else to explain it. Thanks, Tom....

Greg · Thu Jul 18, 2013 8:10 pm

By looking at the picture I really can not see any problems. You may have to loosen up the brackets to get the panels to move.

Perhaps JD will see this and add his thoughts, he sees these a lot more than I do.

Greg

HouseMedic · Thu Jul 18, 2013 10:22 pm

I used to have a system like that on my old place. From what I can tell in the picture it is almost like mine was. Water got in between the aluminum panel covering and is rotting the wood. Mine had panels that were made up of a 2" thick board type substance sandwiched between thin aluminum sheets. Once the water got in between it started to deteriorate. Mine also had the "C" shaped aluminum screwed to the mobile home that the panels slid into. I ended up taking mine down because it was to far gone for repair.

Ron

Greg S · Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:42 am

You may find that the patio it sits on is sunk slightly causing the cover to pull away from the house. If it has, or not, you may be able to move the awning back toward the house by raising a post (or a few posts) with blocking to gain the movement you need to reattach. Get a level out and determin what is the cause.
You can not fix the problem with force you need to determine what caused it in order to repair.

Greg · Sat Jul 20, 2013 3:43 pm

I think that you may need to get a tape measure out and do some measuring to fine out what has moved and go from there once you know for sure what has shifted.

Greg

Tom DeBono · Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:26 pm

Thanks for all the input. I found a label on the cover, "Plastart Products" is the mfg, and "Neet" awning is the product. I measured and took levels and it is fairly true. It probably has been in place 40 years as has the unit. It is posted to concrete that looks "newer". I had a "pro" look at it today and he thinks the panels are slid into the track from the ends and not pushed in. He is to come back next week and pull off the flashing for a better look and maybe some screws to the home. I do think the post are in play here, as they are bolted up tight. I think loosening them a bit at the bottom will give some play to roll the top toward the house and maybe back into the track? Any thoughts... Thanks, Tom
Note: There are 2 pics posted above, you have to scroll around a bit to find the close up of the track and loose edge.

HouseMedic · Sun Jul 21, 2013 9:58 pm

If the concrete is a patio or if you live in a cold climate it might have had a frost heave and that is what caused the movement. Just a thought.

Ron

Tom DeBono · Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:01 pm

It is a concrete patio not footings. My question is, is it probable that if I loosen the bottom bolts on the uprights, that I can get enough movement to push the overhang back into the bracket? Not sure how the bracket feeds on a new install, from the side and slide in or, lift and push in. This is pretty old stuff that I am not familiar with but it is installed at many locations in my park.

HouseMedic · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:42 am

The one that I used to have just slid into the channel that was mounted to the house. I had one time when the wind grabbed it and lifted the panel up and jarred it loose. Could be another reason yours got this way. I would think if you loosened the post either on the ground or where the post connect ot the panel that would help you get it back in but if for some reason the post are low or away from the house to far it might pull it back out again. I hope you get it figured out.

Greg · Mon Jul 22, 2013 7:27 pm

If that is the case, you could try adding a 1/4" cable & turnbuckle between the wall and the post. Keep it up high next to the ceiling panels and it would be hard to spot.

Greg

Tom DeBono · Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:48 pm

Update: Thanks for all the ideas and help, got it back together. Got up there with a pro, and peeled back the flashing. Looks like never was seated properly, pry marks on the track from trying to pop it in along time ago. Shot some lags through the overhang into the top plate and all seems ok. Not alot of weight on as most is supported by the posts. Looks and feels good, have a high level of confidence in the repair, and that there is still some freedom for some soil shifting.

HouseMedic · Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:08 pm

Glad to hear everything worked out.

Ron