Slipping off a roof is a hazard when tarps are applied, but it’s not the only danger. After nearly a dozen tornadoes passed through parts of Alabama on January 23, a local utility company noticed a handful of residents are tarping over vents. When covered by the polyethylene, the vent does not effectively pass carbon monoxide through. The chemical, as a result, builds up inside a home, and an individual, exposed to too high an amount, may experience seizures, heart failure, or death. Carbon monoxide, unfortunately, is odorless. Its early effects can be dizziness or nausea but is only accurately identified with a carbon monoxide detector.

Although roof vents are not present on all homes, they are added for natural gases to escape or for any propane appliances, gas fireplaces, water heaters, and furnaces inside. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in the aftermath of the tornadoes, utility workers are going around Alabama towns to check homes. If, however, you suspect you may be covering a vent with a tarp, follow the Trussville Utilities and Inspection and Engineering Department’s suggestions:

• A hole must be cut in the tarp and pulled over the exhaust vents for appliances that use gas or propane such as water heaters, gas furnaces and kitchen appliances.
• Keep tarp about 6 inches from exhaust vents because tarp material is combustible and vents get hot.
• If vent is gone or badly damaged, keep the gas turned off until vent is fixed.
• Seal the tarp, where it’s been cut around the vent, with caulk or other method to prevent leaks.

Casselberry, Fla., is one of the latest cities to propose such a measure. Called the “public nuisance and property maintenance ordinance,” the proposed measure is part of the city’s overall plan to attract new business and improve its appearance. Essentially, it appears from a piece in the Orlando Sentinel, the city is concerned that a visually-unattractive property could lower the value of the surrounding neighborhood. If the ordinance goes into effect, homeowners must be vigilant about their properties’ appearances: garbage cans cannot be kept outdoors after 9 p.m. and cannot be set out for collection before 7 p.m. the night before; upholstered furniture and children’s play equipment must not be kept in the front of the house; and all portable storage buildings must be placed out of view. Those who do not comply may be issued a warning, fined $200, or have a lien placed against their property.

In reasoning the proposed ordinance, City Commissioner Sandra Solomon told the press:

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure that our neighborhoods look tiptop. We want to lure in new businesses and people. And in this economic climate, young people — and also old people — are not going to come here if we don’t look our best.”

[…]

“Our overall goal is to make sure that one house doesn’t impact the property values of all the surrounding properties. But we want to make sure that it’s not too overbearing …”

In this economy, attracting new business is crucial, but is restricting carports, and the overall appearance of homes, the best strategy?

Applying tarps – specifically over the roofing materials – is one approach to working through the rain or snow. In an “Ask The Builder” column from NorthJersey.com, a writer asking about construction and home improvement projects in the rain is advised that such work is possible – but under specific limitations. While foundation can be installed and pre-fabricated components are additional options, tarps assist with protecting roofing work. Because water, ice, and snow damage a roof, regardless of whether the underlying materials are exposed or not, adding new sheathing or shingles during a storm is not advised. However, to prevent a partial job from becoming damaged, throw a few tarps on top to protect the sheathing. Once the storm has passed, the polyethylene can be removed, and the workers may resume the project.

Temporarily covering a roofing project merges the qualities of baseball and hurricane tarps. The latter, made out of medium-duty polyethylene, is added to prevent further damage after a storm, such as a hurricane or tornado, as mold, mildew, and water can enter from a small crack. Hurricane tarps, however, are a temporary solution, and the roof must be repaired within 90 days.

Baseball tarps, on the other hand, are heavy-duty polyethylene and are rolled out onto a field at the first sign of rain. Although the game stops with the weather, a muddy field often delays a season’s schedule of practices. The baseball tarp, with a weighted perimeter, keeps the ground dry, and practice or a game resumes once the storm passes over.

So, what has happened in Haiti over this time, and are any improvements taking place? An overhaul of the government appears to be one step in a positive direction, but even with a new president and proposed initiatives, neither a housing agency nor a defined strategy has been put in place. Although $2.38 billion has been spent in the country, minimal building has occurred, and because of water and supplies, citizens have gravitated toward camps.

Originally, as the piece detailed, the earthquake was seen as an opportunity for the impoverished nation to start over, and a general plan of new housing and more jobs in Port-au-Prince was proposed. Instead, no plan was enacted, and while some new housing and more classrooms have been erected, the government has left it up to citizens to rebuild their communities and create jobs. Additionally, new housing initiatives just target only five percent of those in need, creating permanent shantytowns in the country.

With this loose strategy, some Port-au-Prince residents have moved into mountainside shantytown Jalousie, creating a new neighborhood and community for the time being. Some residents, as quoted in the Associated Press piece, find the new community a significant upgrade to the post-earthquake camps; because of limited resources in Jalousie, however, other residents consider it more of the same situation.

If Haiti is to truly move forward from the earthquake’s aftermath, including providing housing for all citizens, what type of approach should the government take?

Storage buildings, or sheds, encompass portable garages and carports. No matter the name of the structure, however, a portable storage building has a standard design: a steel frame and a polyethylene cover. For the purpose of winter storage, find a shelter with a galvanized steel frame (powder-coated will not last as long) with a fully-enclosed design. Essentially, polyethylene should cover the top and all sides of a portable storage building.

In terms of protection, portable storage buildings are economical. The galvanized steel frame can hold up to winds and snow and last outdoors for several years, while the polyethylene is treated to be waterproof, UV resistant, rot proof, and mildew resistant. As a result, the cover keeps all water and sun away from your items and prevents dry rot and mildew from forming inside.

For a portable storage building to be fully protective, it must be installed into the ground. Anchor kits are a temporary solution, but the ends of the frame can be set in concrete into the ground. No matter the method used, the structure will hold strong against the elements.

Different sizes and shapes are available for portable storage buildings, so how do you know which one is for you? Measure the amount of space you will need in cubic inches, and then find a structure that is slightly larger. If your area experiences heavy snowfall, consider a rounded shelter rather a peaked or barn-shaped model.

In the past, we talked about solar carports, which can serve as a surface for solar panels or also charge an electric vehicle underneath. Rather than charging vehicles, however, the solar panels added on top of storage facilities and nearby carports make the buildings energy-efficient.

Storage can be at home or in a separate facility. In the National Geographic piece, it’s the latter. But, no matter where you decide to store your items, a few solar panels can fit on the roof.

In the case of the article, an old warehouse was repurposed into a storage facility, which in general requires minimal energy to operate. The roof of the structure was outfitted with solar panels. Carports were additionally added to the area and also support solar panels. The energy being captured and converted by the panels ends up making the facilities self-sufficient.

Such a solution can be replicated at home with the right materials. First off, invest in a storage shed or carport that’s strong enough to support solar panels. Metal carports, which can be up to 30 feet wide, are one option. For full, all-around coverage, consider a garage kit, which includes all wood and metal parts to construct an enclosed shelter. No matter the shelter used, the solar panels can be added to the top.

Of course, carports and portable storage buildings aren’t the only locations for solar panels. When it comes to powering a home, the solar cells can be placed anywhere: on top of the house, on a shed, or in any other location on the property.

Although blue tarps are typically associated with hurricanes and tornadoes, windstorms cause similar damage. Not repairing a roof results in moisture entering a home, causing mold and mildew to build up inside. After such a storm, homeowners should check for cracks on the inside of the roof and be prepared with tarps, as well as boards and nails, to temporarily fix the damaged areas.

When blue tarps are applied properly after a storm, the material keeps UV rays and water out and prevents mildew and dry rot from forming. Polyethylene, no matter if medium- or heavy-duty, is treated to be UV resistant, waterproof, mildew resistant, and rot proof, and these combined properties prevent the interior of the home from further damage.

In terms of applying tarps, do not stand directly on the roof. To prevent slips and falls, use a ladder. To secure the tarp, wrap one side of the material in a two-by-four board, and nail the board to the roof of the house. Do the same to the opposite end. With the remaining two boards, nail down the other two sides of the tarp. Do this to all areas with cracks or holes.

Windstorms damage more than just roofs, and in many cases, windows or lights will be broken. Tarps, as well, can be applied to these areas around your home with a similar method.

Keep in mind that tarps, particularly medium-duty ones, have a limited lifespan. Standard blue tarps last 90 days, and at this point, the material may tear. Some communities, additionally, allow tarps to be put up for a limited amount of time. In either instance, make sure the roof is fully repaired within that timeframe.

Reported by WICZ.com, Occupy Binghamton protestors are using tarps as secondary shelters. Rather than turning the tarps into shelters, multiple tents are going under one large piece of blue polyethylene. The protestors using this strategy claim that the tarp keeps in warmth and keeps out the wind. However, in the near future, they plan to use a yurt – a temporary shelter used by Mongolian nomads – instead.

The strategy used by Occupy Binghamton protestors is similar to that for camping. In anticipating any rainstorm, campers are urged to bring along multiple tarps: one to go over the tent, another to go under the floor, and a third to cover the gear. Typical tents are water resistant, which means that rain can still soak through. The tarp on top lets rain slide away from the tent, and the material on the bottom prevents ground water from dampening the tent’s floor.

In all of these instances, whether a tarp is used to create a warm shelter or keep rain away, the polyethylene is an ideal material. A typical medium- or heavy-duty tarp is waterproof and UV-resistant. The impervious quality, additionally, allows warmth to stay underneath; in fact, this aspect allows tarps to protect any outside plants from frost damage. Aside from these two key features, tarps are mildew resistant, rot proof, have arctic flexibility, and may be fire retardant.

While features are nearly identical between medium- and heavy-duty tarps, the latter has the upper hand in terms of lifespan. Medium-duty tarps – typically blue – can last about 90 days in continuous use, while heavy-duty tarps hold out several years.

One of the quintessential images associated with the Occupy movement has been the tarp tents, covering parks in sea-like expanses of blue. As we mentioned, tarps are practical for outdoor shelter and may even beat traditional tents in terms of protection. Once erected, the polyethylene keeps out water and UV rays and is mildew-resistant and rot-proof. Blue tarps, which are common in temporary roof repairs from hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters, are a medium-duty material designed to last outdoors for 90 days.

Tarp tents covering a park, in fact, have been likened to Hoovervilles, shantytowns that lasted 10 years during the Great Depression. About this, one of the protestors wrote on the Occupy Wall Street site:

“We move forward in the grand tradition of the transformative social movements that have defined American history. We stand on the shoulders of those who have struggled before us, and we pick up where others have left off. We are creating a better society for us all.”

In spite of the reinforced rules for Zuccotti Park, protestors still plan to return and camp out in the area. In an article on Manhattan local news site DNAinfo.com, one of the protesters is quoted with saying:

“I’m going to lay down anyway if they come here and arrest me for laying down on the ground, it will only make [the police] look bad. I’m staying because it’s awesome that we’re still here after all the madness.”

Think, first, about the conditions in your area. Does winter bring frequent and high winds? Make sure, in this case, that the steel frame and polyethylene are strong enough to hold up; winds approaching 100 miles per hour can blow over a carport. But, if wind isn’t a concern, what about snow? Snow can pile up on the roof of a carport, and while these structures are often designed to meet building code strength specifications, a shelter that allows snow to roll off is even better.

Thirdly, how long do you plan to use the carport? Will the shelter be exclusively used for winter, or will it turn into a year-round structure? For the latter, opt for a carport that can hold up for many years, if not decades.

Taking these parameters into consideration, what carport is best for storing your vehicle?

• If winds are an issue, find a steel carport that can hold up to winds up to 100 miles per hour.
• If you are concerned about snow, opt for a rounded enclosed carport, as precipitation simply rolls off the surface and down to the ground.
• If you are considering using a carport year-round, go with a galvanized steel model. Such carports can last 15 or more years, with only the polyethylene cover needing to be changed. For your convenience, go with a valance shelter that can be enclosed for the winter.