Time For Something New

There are many things on this Earth that get better with age, such as cheese, wine, and whiskey — but a canopy is not one of these items. Austin Mohawk creates its canopies using primed structural steel and sheet metal components. Even with the execution of the most stringent of maintenance plans, the replacement of the canopy structure will be inevitable.

With the proper care, the canopy can often last 15-20 years, but for anything older than that, Austin Mohawk recommends replacing the complete canopy. Obviously, the location of the canopy will dictate how long it will stand without having to be replaced.

Rusting happens to steel (even primed/painted steel) when both water and oxygen are present, but it will be expedited if there are pollutants in the surrounding area. Some pollutants that would increase the rate of rust include burning oil, coal, or gas, along with salts from marine areas and de-icing products.

Other less obvious reasons for replacing the whole canopy instead of just “fixing it” are design criteria and building codes. Austin Mohawk's main goal is to provide a quality product that the customer is happy with, but we also pride ourselves on making one of the safest products. The design loads and building codes that we use today are significantly stricter than they were 20 years ago and are regulated by Federal, State, and Local jurisdiction code requirements.

Both physical and non-physical updates would justify getting a new canopy instead of replacing problematic sections one at a time. In the long run, a new canopy will save the owner time, money, and peace of mind.