subject: Don't Leave Cars Exposed. Instead, Cover Them With Carports [print this page] Don't Leave Cars ExposedDon't Leave Cars Exposed. Instead, Cover Them With Carports
How can a plain steel frame with a polyethylene tarp be trendy? Sometimes, basic is better, and as everyone wants coverage for their vehicle, not owning a garage is no longer an obstacle. In fact, even those with garages and foregoing the physical spaces for carports, turning the brick-and-mortar structure into a storage or activity room. Even with a simple appearance, however, carports are powerful structures. The shelter remains strong against high winds and heavy snow and is equipped to protect against UV damage and water.
If your property is equipped with a driveway but no garage, a carport is the perfect structure for sheltering your vehicle. With a portable design, a carport can be placed nearly anywhere within property lines. Aside from on a driveway, the shelter can be added to the back of a house, to the side, or even in front. In fact, the shelter does not need to stay outdoors for the entire year. If you only need to protect a vehicle for six months, for example, the carport can stay outside during this time and can be placed in storage for the remainder of the year. Local ordinances, however, specify the location and size of portable buildings, and before you purchase a carport, check the rules for your area.
All carports are made out of a powder-coated or galvanized steel frame and a polyethylene or metal top. The steel frame, once anchored into the ground, can support heavy snow up to 40 pounds per square foot in many cases and withstands winds up to 95 miles per hour. The top also protects the vehicle underneath. A steel or polyethylene top keeps out UV rays and water and prevents mold, mildew, and dry rot from forming on your vehicle. While steel has these properties naturally, polyethylene tarps are treated to be UV resistant, waterproof, rot proof, and mildew resistant. Together, these two parts allow air to circulate inside in order to prevent mildew, mold, or dry rot buildup.
Carports come in two styles: valance and enclosed. If you just need basic protection for a vehicle used every day, a valance-style carport shelters your vehicle and lets you to pass easily in and out. If your vehicle is being kept in storage, however, more coverage is needed. Enclosed carports have tarps on all sides and are designed with rollup or zipper doors. This full coverage by the tarps keeps UV rays and water away from your vehicle.
