Month: November 2022

In recent years, catalytic converter theft has become a consistent – and frustrating – problem for vehicle owners. If you are worried about this happening to your car or truck, you might want to think about some preventative steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming a victim. We’ll take a close look in this article at some of the options that you can consider. Read on for your guide to catalytic converter theft prevention.

Of course, one of the best ways to avoid catalytic converter theft issues is to park your vehicle inside behind a locked door. That’s possible by adding a garage from American Carports, Inc. to your property. Check out our Build & Price tool today to see what options we have available. If you have any questions along the way, contact us for assistance.

Why Is This a Problem?

First, let’s quickly discuss why thieves are after catalytic converters in the first place. What they are not doing is stealing this part to resell it for use on another vehicle – the converter is destroyed in the process of crudely removing it. The goal here is to access the precious metals that are used inside a catalytic converter, as those are quite valuable on the scrap market.

While many local government agencies have enacted laws to make it harder for stolen catalytic converters to be sold to scrap metal dealers, the problem persists and likely will for some time.  In addition to the value of the metal inside the converter, the other problem here is the speed with which this crime can generally be committed. With a bit of practice and know-how, a thief can complete the job in a matter of moments, reducing their chances of being caught in the act.

Finding a vehicle parked in a relatively dark, somewhat isolated area is all the opportunity that is required to get it done and get away before anyone notices. If your catalytic converter is stolen, the cost of having it replaced is something that is typically covered by insurance. Unfortunately, you might not even hit your deductible when you file that claim, so you may skip it just to avoid having your rates go up in the aftermath. That means it might just be an out-of-pocket expense to have a new one installed.

The Ultimate Solution

Without a doubt, the best solution to this problem is to park your vehicle indoors. If you parked behind a closed garage door, potential thieves won’t even be able to see the vehicle, and they would have to work hard to find a way to get inside the garage. Most likely, they won’t even try, and will just move on to look for easier targets, instead.

Of course, you might not have a suitable garage on your property currently, which is where American Carports, Inc. can come to the rescue. Our affordable metal structures are impressively durable and easy to customize. By building something that will provide you with indoor parking – while also offering many other uses – you can keep your vehicle behind a closed door and make it far less likely that any criminal activity will occur.

Other Ideas

While having indoor parking for your vehicle or vehicles is ideal, we recognize that such a solution isn’t viable for everyone. If you can’t park inside, adding an anti-theft device to the vehicle is another option to consider. Doing some quick searching for devices that fit the make and model of vehicle you drive should reveal a list of options. Some of these devices make it physically difficult for thieves to access the converter by putting a barrier around it. Another option is an alarm that will make noise and hopefully send the criminal running.

It’s also worth thinking about where you leave your vehicle when it is parked. Criminals tend to avoid the light, so parking in an area that is well-lit – and ideally has some people around – could help. You won’t always have much of a choice as to where you park, but picking the brighter and busier spot when possible is a smart move.

American Carports Has You Covered

We hope you enjoyed this guide on catalytic converter theft prevention! While it’s impossible to completely eliminate the risk of theft in your life, there are usually steps you can take to make life harder for criminals and hopefully steer clear of any issues. We hope the ideas in the article above have given you something to think about – and if you decide that a new metal garage on your property is the best solution, turn to American Carports, Inc. to make that happen!

To get started, explore our Build & Price tool to see what options we have available. If you have any questions along the way, contact us for assistance. Thanks for stopping by our blog. We hope to serve you soon!

Indoor space is always in high demand. Given the cost of rent in many places, people tend to have less room than they would like – so renting out additional space is often an appealing option. The demand for this type of service can be seen clearly in the explosion of the self-storage market in recent years. Storage facilities have been showing up on seemingly every corner because so many people wish to rent out space to store their things.

So, can you rent out your garage for storage? Yes! And, if you have a garage on your property that isn’t currently full, the opportunity in front of you is obvious. With space available in your garage, and a market full of people that are willing to pay for storage space, you are suddenly faced with a passive business opportunity. In this article, we’ll take a look at the idea of renting out your garage and whether or not this might be a good choice for your situation.

To add a garage on your property that you could rent out for storage, or simply use for your own purposes, turn to American Carports, Inc. for help. Explore our free Build & Price tool to experiment with sizes and design options. If you need any help along the way, contact us at American Carports. Our team is always here to help!

Start with Legal Matters

While it might not be that much fun, it’s best to start this process by focusing on laws in your local area. There is a good chance that you’ll be able to rent out your garage space but check with local government agencies just to be sure. Also, think about what you might need to have in place in terms of insurance.

What happens if the property of others is damaged while being stored on your property? A quick call to your insurance agent could save you a lot of headaches and frustration down the road.

Storage Possibilities

The idea of renting out your garage is appealing because there are so many different possibilities within this space. On the one hand, you could offer it as enclosed, protected parking for a vehicle. This would be helpful to someone who would otherwise need to park on the street – and street parking might not always be available. By renting out space in your garage, they would know that secure parking is always waiting for them when needed.

But parking is not the only use for a garage. Alternatively, you might offer the space up as storage for boxes, furniture, etc. For instance, someone who has recently had to move into a smaller home or apartment for a while might have extra furniture that they want to keep but can’t currently use – and your garage could make for a great home for those pieces. Whatever the case, business is all about solving problems, and your garage can do just that for people in need of space.

How Much Money Can You Make?

What you can charge monthly for your garage storage offering is going to vary wildly from place to place. If you live in an expensive area where space is hard to come by, you should be able to charge top dollar – but rents will be much lower in rural places where space is cheaper and the demand is lower. You might be able to pull in a few thousand dollars per year in a good market, but you will have to get out and shop your space around to figure out what it is worth to someone in your area.

Finding Potential Renters

Perhaps the best way to start looking for renters is to ask around with friends and family. You might find that someone in your circle of connections needs some additional storage space, or they know someone who does. This method is great because you’ll know the people and there will already be some trust established before you get started. If this doesn’t work, you can use any number of different local classified ad options – both digital and traditional – to put the word out.

Build the Perfect Garage with American Carports

So, can you rent out your garage for storage? Absolutely! The idea of renting out your garage is at least worth a closer look to determine if it’s a good fit. If it does work out, you’ll have a mostly passive form of cash flow that could help to offset your expenses and open up other opportunities.

To add a metal structure to your property that would serve as a great space to rent out – or to use for yourself – contact us at American Carports, Inc. today! There are so many ways to design your structure, whether you want to build a 2-car garage or even a 3-car garage. Our stainless metal structures come with a 20-year warranty. Windows, skylights, and doors can all be added on. The sky is the limit!

Explore our Build & Price tool to get started. If you need any help along the way, contact us at American Carports. Our team is always here to help.