As we come out of the winter months and begin taking strolls without hats, gloves, and scarves, it behooves us to make sure that all of our winter preparations are cared for during warmer weather. In most cases, barn curtains aren’t used too often when it’s nice and the sun is shining. This doesn’t mean that you should just drop your curtains and go about the rest of your day – why not ensure that your barn curtains will last?
Hardware Upkeep
Many curtains are kept from flapping around (and wearing out faster) by tubing or straps that are attached outside of the curtains to the side of your barn. While the style you choose is completely up to you, now is the perfect time to run a quick visual check to make sure they’ve come through from last fall.
Straps tend to wear more than bars, so be sure to look for any fraying or breakages, especially at connection points where the strap runs through eyelets or over nails or hooks. Look to see if any attachments have come loose, or have failed all together, and replace them. Bars tend to last longer, though improperly coated or finished metal may rust or weather faster – inspect all attachment point to be sure that no corrosion is taking place.
Curtain Call!
For the duration of the summer, most curtains will either be completely dropped or rolled to allow as much air flow as possible.
Rolling Curtains
Make sure that the curtains are rolled evenly and snug to make sure that little to no dirt or water can get into the layers and sit. Four to five months is a long time, and can allow mold and mildew growth.
Consider spraying off the curtains, allowing them to dry, then rolling to remove as much grime and moisture as possible.
Drop Down Curtains
A major concern with drop down curtain storage is small pests, such as mice, making homes in the curtain during the summer months. This can create massive holes and dirt accumulation, which leads to mildew growth. It is especially difficult to keep water from collecting in the pockets as they tend to billow and create recesses easy for water to gather in.
One prevention method includes lifting a dropped curtain by hand and making sure the folds on the top lay mostly toward one side or the other, facilitating water run-off.
Remember to check the 3 C’s of spring barn curtain inspection:
· Conditions – how the securing system pieces have fared over the winter
· Connections – how secure all attachments still are, any replacements needed
· Changes – see if the curtains worked well for your needs, or if a new style is needed
Once you’ve assessed each curtain, it’s easy to budget any replacements or improvements needed for future curtain maintenance. We suggest that any new curtain installations take place in the fall to skip the intervening summer-phase where the curtains would be installed but not used. Our on-staff Agri-Barrier expert is available to answer any questions you may have! Just give us a call at 888-986-2026 and let us help you out!