But extreme weather is not relegated solely to winter. Instead, storms happen in all months of the year, whether seasonally-appropriate or not. No matter the case, the carport should always be ready to hold up to the impending rain, sleet, snow, hail, or other precipitation.

A few weeks ago in Somerset, Penn., a spring snowfall caused a couple’s carport to collapse. Not a standalone carport, the structure was attached to their house, and the snowfall caused the structure to break, which ended up damaging items underneath. Although the news story from WJAC-TV does not indicate the state of repair the carport was in, it does mention it was constructed as part of the house, which was built in 1993.

Although some carports can hold up to 90 mile per hour winds and several pounds of snow per foot, no structure offers absolute strength. Still, a homeowner can be prepared at all points of the year. To make sure the carport has the strength to stand up to a storm, regardless of the weather outdoors, check for the following features:
• Has the structure fully been secured into the ground? Or, is it still loose? A portable garage or carport must be able to stay in place.
• Is the top, be it polyethylene or metal, sturdy?
• Are all poles and joints in good condition?

If any of these are less than sturdy, repair or fix your shelter before the storm hits. For finding the right parts or materials, carport dealers sell replacement canopies and frame components and anchor kits.

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• Using Portable Storage Buildings in Winter(tarpsandcanopies.info)

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Although Survival Supply previously carried outdoor shelters, the new selection covers enclosed, valance, and solid structures. Designed for long-term protection of RVs, boats, and other investments, enclosed portable garages are ideal as emergency shelters once anchored correctly into the ground. The strength allows the structure to hold up through most types of weather conditions, while the polyethylene keeps out UV rays and water and prevents mold, mildew, and dry rot from forming on your investment. Depending upon temperature control, one of the enclosed shelters is ideal for holding food storage, such as cans or buckets of freeze-dried food and water, along with other emergency supplies.

Survival Supply’s new product selection encompasses portable garages of all sizes and shapes, from smaller structures designed for at-home needs to larger ones better for commercial environments. Round, peaked, and barn-styles are all included.

Aside from emergency shelter and long-term storage, portable garages have the right structure to become greenhouses. In fact, these kits serve as the template for portable greenhouses – also available through Survival Supply – and are additionally equipped with relevant features, such as a translucent cover. As part of emergency preparedness can include growing and preserving your own food, a greenhouse fits right in with a long-term strategy.

Aside from enclosed shelters, Survival Supply also expanded its selection to include valance carports in large and small sizes and storage sheds. Both structures, as well, are designed for daily and long-term storage needs.

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• National Severe Weather Preparedness Week (isurvivalsupply.com)

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?

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.

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.

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.

If these shelters were on display, there’s a great likelihood that they were not anchored into the ground. Aside from showing what can happen to a portable shelter in a storm, this news story sends a clear message to carport owners: make sure your shelter is properly anchored during the storm. Although these durable metal structures can handle various conditions, not anchoring them makes them more vulnerable in any weather condition: hurricanes, tornadoes, or snow.

If you want to make sure your shelter ends up in better shape after the storm, what are the options for anchoring it? The most reliable is concrete. The metal poles are set in concrete in the ground; once the concrete hardens, the rest of the shelter can be put together.

While concrete is ideal for those planning to keep a carport outdoors all year long, what about when you only use the shelter seasonally? Anchor kits are an option, allowing you to ground your shelter for part of the year and to take it down when not in use.

Even when anchored, shelters can still be damaged by a storm. If this happens, assess the damage done to your carport during the storm and find the right replacement parts or canopy.