subject: What Can Carports Do For You? [print this page] What Can Carports Do For You? What Can Carports Do For You?
There's a foot of snow out and likely some ice, too. You know you'll need to go outdoors before work, waking up earlier, and shovel out your car. And you hope it will be quick. Not built with a garage, your home is equipped with a driveway, but is leaving your vehicle out in the elements rain, snow, or sun the best you can do?
Before you give up or put together building plan, think about the benefits of carports. Designed out of a steel frame and a metal or polyethylene top, carports are built to shelter and protect vehicles and other investments from the weather and consistent exposure to the elements. With a portable design, these shelters can be set up nearly anywhere on your property: the side, on your driveway, or in the back. Local ordinances, however, may have restrictions on where you can place and the size of your carport, so research these before purchasing a portable shelter.
All carports have a powder-coated or galvanized steel frame. Once the frame is anchored into the ground, the shelter is able to support several pounds of snow up to 40 pounds per square foot in many cases and holds up to high winds.
Although the frame is the strength of the shelter, the top metal or polyethylene has its own set of properties. The top is UV resistant and waterproof and prevents mildew and rot from building up on your car. Steel naturally has these properties, while polyethylene is treated to be mildew resistant, rot proof, waterproof, and UV resistant. The tarp and frame together allow air to circulate inside and prevent moisture buildup.
If only your car or a similar everyday vehicle, such as a motorcycle, needs shelter, valance-style carports meet your needs. With an open design, these carports have a top with overhangs on both sides. A vehicle, then, can drive in and out. Both polyethylene and metal carports may have a valance design.
What if you need more coverage, such as if a boat needs shelter for six months? An enclosed design offers the protection you need. Although valance shelters can be modified, enclosed carports have polyethylene tarps on all sides, providing full coverage for the investment inside. Because consistent exposure to moisture, water, and UV rays damages the surface of a vehicle, leaving a boat or RV outdoors for this time is not an economical decision. Rather, modify your existing carport or purchase a fully-enclosed shelter for storage.
