1.   Aluminum awnings are installed much more often than fabric awnings, but Tatman said his business is split about evenly between the two.

2.   And he said retractable awnings, which once were fairly rare, are catching up to stationary fabric awnings.

3.   Fabric awnings in bright colors are eye catching, so you might notice them more readily than aluminum awnings, which are typically white.

4.   Fabric awnings need a bit more care than aluminum, but maintaining them well pays off in extended life.

5.   Fabric awnings do require some care and maintenance to keep them clean and sound.

6.   Fabric awnings, like aluminum ones, can get stains from grills used underneath.

7.   Fridley said acrylic fabric awnings might eventually lose their waterproofing and a company that installs awnings can treat the fabric to make it repel water again.

8.   Most people take their fabric awnings down in the winter to bring more light into their rooms and to protect the awnings.

9.   More aluminum than fabric awnings still are being installed today, but fabric is making a comeback.

10.   Most fabric awnings are warranted to last about five years, but you can get a lot more life out of them if you maintain them properly.