I had a contractor installed this patio cover for me about 12 years ago. Recently I had a solar system installed on the roof of the house, making it impossible to walk on the roof to clean the rain gutters. Then recently some panels were damaged in a storm. Now I need to replace the damaged panels. I called up the contractor and he said he was retired and the company who made the panels was also out of business. I think I saw them in Home Depot years ago but not sure. I also want to see if there is any way I can replace them with something that is removable or openable so that I can stick a long ladder thru it to climb up to clean the rain gutters.

Any professionals know if I can remove the panels and its own rain gutter (which is full of dirt and not easy to reach in to clean up) and keep the existing frame and find some other (openable or removable) panels that fit?

Who made these panels anyways? Maybe I can look it up and ask them for suggestions if they were sold to another company...

Thank you for your comments in advance.

 

What's your location?
Should have been in your profile to narrow down where it may have came from.
No way is there going to be a removable panel to clean out the gutters.
Need to replace those gutters with gutters made with built in gutter guards.
For that soffit to have been damaged that way there had to a leak.
Need a picture of where the roof ties into the side of the house.

 

The chances of finding the same exact product are slim. The biggest problem with that type of covering is that the panels are interlocking. You have to start from one end and finish at the other end. You can't "pop one in or out" in the middle of the run.

You may end up replacing all the panels while keeping the framework.

I have a similar patio cover with the same crappy gutter system yours probably has. I put a plank across my cover and additional support underneath to clean the upper gutters.

 

If it came loose like that I'd be figure on some rot behind it.
Simple enough to just lay a piece of plywood or OSB ripped to 2' on the roof to clean those gutters.

 

I am in the Bay Area, California. Zip 94587.
Here is an overall pic:



When it rains, this end (in red circle) overflows:



And this end has some sort of leak that goes INTO the stucco wall and comes down dripping from the top of the door frame. Yes, this rain gutter needs some attention.



So, it is time to take care of the patio and the raingutter.

Looking forward to seeing your professional comments.

 

Yes, they interlock. I understand I will have to replace all. Maybe I start taking a few down and go to home depot or some major hardware center to see what they have and how their panels will fit.

 

The raingutter itself is not loose. Originally there was only two downsprouts in the middle (thanks, Ponderosa) and both ends overflowed. I added a third one on the right to stop overflow on that end but somehow somewhere the raingutter end meets the wall, there is a crack of some sort (nail hole crack if they nail the end plate to the wall?) and allows water to go in behind the stucco into the wall and come down around the top of the door frame downstairs. Yes, I worry it is getting rot inside the wall.

Good idea to lay some plywood (reinforced by some long 2x4 I guess) over the patio cover and use ladder to rebuild this raingutter. It sounds like too much for my 15 yr old son and I to handle thou. I will have to find a contractor then to install some gutter that will not trap leaves. Damn that big city tree.

 

On the patio covers I have worked on, the gutter is not much. It's just held on with a few screws in each panel... and on the corner miters too. Once you take the gutter off and take the roof panels off, there won't be much left. You really might as well start over... so that's my advice. If insurance will cover it, I wouldn't settle for anything less.

I agree you probably won't find matching panels. The individual panels on your cover are called W-pan.

 

Here are assembly instructions for a w-pan patio cover installation.
You may get some ideas from it.
Go down to step #12.
The previous steps detail installing the frame before the panel installation.

 

Google W Pan and found this:
Aluminum Patio Covers | W Pan Aluminum Awning Kits | USA

Very informative site. Thank you for the hint.

Now I know all my options are.
I will lay plywood on cover to access the gutter to fix it all.
Then if I can't replace the W pan panels, I will see if replacing it with a sunroom is within my budget.

Thank you guys.

 

Hi Derek,

Did you ever find replacement panels for your patio cover? I have the same exact patio cover as you and am having a heck of a time trying to find the skylight panels that go between the w pan panels. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

No. I could not find anything.
One experienced patio cover seller told me this is oldie goodies stuff that is not compatible with anything so I gave up. I ended up buying a 4x8 cover and cut out 1' to cover the hole but whenever wind is strong, it got blown off. Next is to take the whole patio down and build a sun room instead...

 

Thanks for your quick response. I've pretty much come to the same realization, which is a bummer because overall, the patio is still in great condition except for the plastic skylights. Guess it's time to move on Take care and thanks again.