Protecting your metal carport means protecting your cars and sports vehicles from weather and wildlife damage long-term. Even minimal regular carport maintenance will go a long way to ensure you avoid costly repairs in the future.
By incorporating our four tips, you’ll be able to ensure your expensive vehicles and their metal encasing stay in top shape for years to come.
Metal Carport Maintenance Tips
A lot of people may wonder how to clean a carport roof and regularly protect it from damage. Luckily, it isn’t very expensive or time-consuming if kept up with each season. By regular washing and inspecting, alongside proper gutter installation, you can avoid many future repairs.
You’ll also want to ensure you know what style of carport best suits your needs. A-frame designs are generally more resistant to the effects of water than typically carport models. Keep reading to find out more.
Remove Debris
Each season presents its own potential problems. Summer UV wear, spring wildlife, fall debris, and winter weather can all have an impact. Nurture your carport by alleviating some of the debris that accrues each season.
Anything that catches and sustains moisture has the potential to lead to corrosion on carports. By gathering the leaves, sticks, and other natural debris, you can prevent some of the humidity build-up.
You’ll especially want to clear off snow during winter. While most roofs can hold a certain amount of snow, large piles left all season may cause excessive wear on the paneling.
If you’re still considering which carport to buy, or are looking for an update, invest in a vertical roof model, which allows moisture and debris to slide off more easily. It also helps prevent heavy snowfall buildup, which may make the roof more prone to fractures and breaks.
Wash It Regularly
The lifespan of your metal carport can be significantly extended through regular cleaning. Using soap and water, ammonia, bleach, or your favorite home cleaner can help minimize stains and remove mold or fungi that have formed.
If left untreated, these microorganisms can deteriorate building materials and continue to grow. Minimizing bacterial formations early is the best option to keep your carport in good shape all year.
Install Gutters
As you’ve learned, extended periods of moisture can weaken the walls and roof of your carport. It may even shift the foundation, causing further structural issues. It’s important to keep track of rainfall that may impact your carport and ensure water doesn’t remain on it over long periods of time.
Better yet, you can install gutters, overhangs, and downspouts to automatically minimize heavy water build-up.
Inspect It Periodically
All carports need to be checked out on a regular basis. If you have a typical carport shed, you may want to check it once a week or month. Vertical roof models may be able to be inspected once a month to once a quarter. It’s best to repair any damage as soon as possible, before more extensive work needs to be done.
Potential problem areas to search for are holes, foundational cracks, and tarnished paneling. You’ll also want to inspect screws and other metal parts for rust and oxidation. Replacing these pieces as soon as possible will ensure your carport and possessions are in safekeeping.