With the New Zealand sun seeming fiercer each year, outdoor deck and patio umbrellas are increasingly in demand. Whether an outdoor umbrella is designed to withstand years of radiant sunshine, or made with short-term use in mind, storing an umbrella outside in its stand all year is the easiest option, and in most cases, is the intended storage location.
If you already own, or are going to buy, an outdoor sun umbrella for your deck or patio and plan to enjoy it for years, here are three good reasons to use an umbrella cover bag when you’ve closed your umbrella.
- Save time on cleaning your canopy.
Sunshine isn’t the only thing falling on your umbrella canopy. Dust and dirt can build up surprisingly quickly. The five-second job of lifting a cover bag over your closed umbrella can spare you the more time-consuming jobs of shaking, rinsing down, scrubbing, soaking or even taking your canopy to a laundromat. Shade7 umbrella cover bags come with a long zip and built-in pole so you can easily lift the cover bag over the closed umbrella, and use the cord attached to the zip to easily close the cover bag. For short-term-use umbrellas, the idea of cleaning a canopy might seem redundant. However, thinner fabric and light-coloured umbrella canopies are somewhat transparent, and any debris that clings to your canopy will look like a dark shadow from beneath your open sun-drenched canopy. And when unexpected guests arrive, how much better to lift off a cover bag and open a bright, clean canopy than one littered with dust, bird droppings, leaves or spiderwebs.
- Protect your canopy from damage.
Outdoor elements such as debris, rain, wind, and of course sun, will take their toll on even the most premium marine-grade canvas over time. If a closed canopy isn’t correctly folded and strapped, loose canopy folds flapping in the wind, or even chaffing against the canopy strap can cause wear and tear. The wind can also get under a closed canopy and force it open, causing serious damage. Rain can lie trapped within the folds of a closed but uncovered canopy. Sun can bake the exposed edges, and mould and detritus can build up, encouraging insects and surface degradation. Premium marine-grade canopies, such as Shade7 canopies, are resistant to rot, but a build-up of staining leaves or mossy growth can leave marks that are extremely difficult to shift when summer comes around.
- Keep your canopy looking like new.
Some dyes are not able to withstand even a single summer of New Zealand sunshine unscathed. But Shade7’s umbrella canopies and cover bags are made of solution-dyed premium marine-grade canvas. The thread itself is created from acrylic the colour of the canopy, not a white thread dyed later. You will enjoy the vibrant colours in a Shade7 umbrella for many years. But following the first point, the build-up of dirt on a canopy, although imperceptible at first, can over time dull the appearance of your umbrella. And in even the most premium durable solution-dyed canopies, some pigments, such as orange, yellow or red, are slightly more vulnerable to UV rays. Closing your canopy when the umbrella isn’t being used, and putting a cover bag over it will keep your beautiful canopy looking like new, double its life-span, and keep the canopy colour fresh and vibrant.
Whether your outdoor sun umbrella is intended to last you for just a single summer’s use, or for many summers to come, using a cover bag to protect it will ensure the only thing on your mind when you open your deck or patio umbrella is enjoying its shade. You can view Shade7’s durable and stylish umbrella cover bags in their accessories store or visit their showroom to view in person.
