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?

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.

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.

Carports and portable garages essentially come in two types: powder-coated or galvanized steel. Other strong varieties, such as square tube shelters and truss buildings, are also on the market, but these, too, are divided between the two types of frame compositions. Although both are designed to handle the elements, galvanized steel – coating steel with zinc for rust and corrosion resistance – ends up holding up better than powder-coated varieties, which have paint baked onto the metal. While in the short term both may protect your vehicle for a season, a powder-coated steel carport may end up experiencing more wear and tear and is not practical for long-term use.

Galvanized steel carports, on the other hand, are designed to last several years – sometimes even up to 15 – when left outdoors. If you have a galvanized steel carport with a polyethylene cover for long-term use, check the polyethylene, as the lifespan of the material ends up being shorter than that of steel. If the polyethylene is torn, worn, or frayed, find a replacement cover of the appropriate size before the vehicle goes into storage.

On the other hand, a valance carport may not provide you with sufficient coverage in colder weather, and if a boat or RV is going to be stored under it for several months, the structure needs to be fully enclosed. To enclose the carport, find polyethylene side walls and replacement panels of the right fit to modify the structure.

The newspaper reported that the Oakland Township substation for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan requested carports for safety reasons, and since then, a proposal for such a structure to be added was approved. In terms of better performance, those at the substation find that a carport would improve response time, as the cars underneath would not heat up as much, while in winter, the less exposure the vehicles have to the cold would reduce idling time, and thus decrease gas expenses.

Sergeant Anthony Spencer from the substation told the press, “In the summer, what we’re finding is, those cars are just sitting there baking and it’s causing equipment problems. It’s overheating the equipment in the car.” He then added, “Every year it seems, the guys who are loading and inspecting their cars, they slip and fall on the ice, and they’re off work, which in turn brings up overtime issues and things like that.”

Both reasons are applicable to everyone who owns a car. A vehicle heating in summer is a common issue for many, and a car kept under a carport for several hours ends up having a cooler interior. In the winter, similarly, a carport reduces the amount of snow and ice buildup on and around a vehicle. While the shelter, save for enclosed carports, will not keep all snow and ice out, it lessens time a vehicle needs to be dug out. Ideally in winter, however, a carport should be enclosed to keep your vehicle as free from snow and ice as much as possible.

First, make sure the shelter itself meets your – and your vehicle’s – needs. Consider the weather of your location. Do you experience large amounts of snow or rain in winter? Make sure, then, that the structure is strong enough to hold up to it. At the same time, the portable garage or carport should provide all-around protection against water, moisture, and UV rays, and an enclosed shelter is often ideal in this respect. However, if you presently use a valance carport or portable garage for shelter, modify it with appropriate side walls and front and rear panels.

If, on the other hand, you haven’t even purchased a carport or portable garage, find one that not only meets your physical needs but is also large enough for the vehicle and meets local ordinances. Before even looking at carports and portable garages, measure your vehicle – its width, length, and height. Add any appendages, such as a vent on an RV, into the dimensions as well.

At the same time, many areas have ordinances for portable structures, and they may restrict where you can add your carport or portable garage and how large it can be. Research these before looking at carports and portable garages, as they may end up posing limitations on the type of shelter you can buy. Otherwise, a carport or portable garage that violates these ordinances or building codes may need to be taken down or modified, and your boat or RV won’t be adequately protected as a result.

Their resulting product, a combination of GE’s EV chargers and combiner boxes for solar power systems and Inovateurs’ solar-powered carports, would allow commercial locations, businesses, and homeowners to charge EVs in their parking lots without drawing significant amounts of power from the electric grid.

Once the system is in place, the car and building or home work reciprocally on solar power, and the system would give back to the grid, rather than take from it. GE and Inovateus are developing both residential and commercial applications for their system.

GE announced its partnership with Inovateus last week, but this isn’t their first instance in developing EV technology. Rather, they started a partnership with Nissan a year ago and increased it recently to develop technology that links together an electric car, home, and residential renewable power sources with a smarter electric grid. Called the Smart Home concept, GE and Nissan’s technology would enable an electric vehicle and a home to power each other. As a two-year project, Smart Home would eventually prevent EVs from disabling the electric grid, reduce demands on the grid, and allow an EV to become part of a home’s or building’s energy equipment.

If you own, or plan to own, an EV, would you consider a system like GE and Inovateus’ for your home?

Residents, on the other hand, are fighting the ordinance and are holding a hearing on October 6 to address changes for non-compliant carports. Although more than 100 residents have complaints, Leon Dean appears to be the leader after dealing with the city’s requests for the past three years. An owner of attached and detached carports who modified one of his shelters over this time, Dean said:

“I’ve spent around $650 to get to this point for them to deny me. They say it doesn’t meet the zoning codes. Why have me spend the money when you’re going to tell me to tear it down anyway? It was a Catch-22.”

We’ll have to wait and see what happens. Nevertheless, this issue is fairly common for carport owners and can be nipped in the bud from the early stages of purchasing a shelter. Although some towns or cities may change ordinances, which happened last year in Austin, Texas, most have consistent codes for portable shelters. While a carport – enclosed or valance, is a significant benefit for sheltering a vehicle, the structure needs to be compliant. Otherwise, as you can see from this case in Kansas City, Kan., modifications may need to be made.

First, before you even purchase a carport, check with your town or city about ordinances for portable shelters. Inquire about size and location restrictions (these are common) and about permits. Frequently enough, a permit is not needed for installing a carport, but your area may be an exception. Once you’re aware of the codes for your area, you can use them as parameters for seeking out the ideal carport.

A recent incident in Rocky Mount, Va. shows the necessity for inquiring about permits beforehand. Reported by the Franklin News-Post, the town requires residents to acquire permits before building carports; all residents planning to erect such portable shelters need to apply for building and zoning permits and have their applications approved.

A resident in Rocky Mount, however, was not aware a permit needed to be obtained before construction. Although he asked his neighbors about the carport, he went ahead and constructed the structure. When the town found out about the carport, the man was required to file an application, which was denied because the structure did not comply with zoning ordinances. After applying for an exception, the man was denied again on the grounds that the carport was considered an “intrusion” and not aesthetically pleasing in the neighborhood. Residents whose shelters do not comply with zoning ordinances need to modify their carports or remove them.

In addition to not looking aesthetically pleasing, a carport may be required to be in a certain location – behind a house and not in front or on the side, for example – or be a specific side. Some areas, as we have seen on here, won’t even allow residents to set up carports. Although carports and portable garages generally don’t require permits, don’t assume your area does, as well. Before going on a site to look at shelters, find out if your area requires permits and if ordinances pose any restrictions on portable shelters.

The largest fair in the Northeast, the Big E is an annual event held from September 16 to October 2 in West Springfield, Mass. The fair starts at 10 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. each day and includes a variety of agricultural attractions, vendors, activities, entertainment, and foods from around the world.

As you’ve read on this blog, Portable Garage Depot is one of the top retailers of carports and other portable shelters. The company carries both powder-coated and galvanized steel shelters, most of which have heavy-duty polyethylene covers. No matter if the shelter is enclosed or has a valance style, the polyethylene keeps out water and UV rays and makes sure any vehicle underneath is protected from the elements. Depending upon construction, a shelter may be designed for temporary or long-term outdoor use.

Although portable garages and carports are typically geared toward sheltering cars, plenty of other items can be placed under. Enclosed portable garages, for instance, can keep a boat or RV dry and sheltered from UV rays in the winter.

More relevant to the activities and shows at the Big E, portable shelters are useful for storing animals and equipment on a farm. Shelters large enough for tractors and other equipment keep out the rain, UV rays, mildew, mold, and dry rot to prevent rust. For temporary shelter, a portable garage is also great as a run-in shed for horses. With two sides open, animals can run in and out during the day. To keep them inside the run-in shed, the portable shelter simply needs to be modified with gates on both ends.