Rotamate FAQ

Do I have to detach the covers before collapsing my Rotamate?

No. It takes a couple of minutes to fit them when you first set up your Rotamate, and after that they can be left in place – which we recommend. Rotamate can be folded down and the storage cover slipped over with the panels in place.

What about wind, won’t my washing get soaked?

Rotamate is designed to help protect from washing from passing showers on what would otherwise be a nice day. Yes, strong winds and rain together will cause items to get wet and the stronger the winds, the more items will get wet. However, wind helps speed up the drying process so those items which do get caught will soon dry if there's enough drying time left on the day. How often has your wash been left soaked by that sudden cloudburst, just a minute or two is all it takes, during tests Rotamate has repeatedly saved washing from these sudden cloudbursts!

Wont’ the covers blow away in high winds?

The panels are hooked onto plastic pins at the end of each arm with strong elastic keeping them taut, in very high winds some or all of the panels will be forced off the plastic pins, but will remain attached together at the base. They are easily reattached when the storm has passed. This is a safety feature should very strong winds develop while the airer is in the drying position, however, they must be checked from time to time to see that the panels are free to detach from the pins.

Don’t the covers stop the sun drying the clothes?

No. The main drying factor is moving air. In fact, many items suffer bleaching in the sun, and the protective panels can help clothes keep their colours bright for longer. In fact, you’ll see the bleaching effect the sun has as the panels change colour very quickly! We will be treating the panels to prevent this in future versions of Rotamate.

Will my washing dry if it rains all day?

Unlikely, Rotamate is designed to help protect washing from those unexpected showers. The air will be too damp if rain is prolonged.

Why don’t you add side panels?

Rotamate is simple to use, once the panels are in place it looks and behaves just like an ordinary airer but has the lining to protect washing from showers. Our tests showed that for most of the time there was no need for side protection.

Is Rotamate difficult to install?

No but It is important that Rotamate is firmly secured to a ground socket to enable it to function properly. If you are using a metal ground spike, simply insert the metal ground spike flush with the ground. If the ground is soft then remove 6 inches of earth around the spike to a depth of 6 inches and fill with a post mix (available from most DIY stores). This will prevent the ground spike from becoming loose and the Rotamate leaning.