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How to Enclose Your Carport for Winter

How to Enclose Your Carport for Winter

The open-sided nature of a standard carport makes it very easy to use, as you can get in and out from any direction. This feature can become a drawback in the winter months, however, if you live in a cold climate. For those who live in areas where freezing temperatures and snowstorms are the norm, enclosing your carport for the winter may be your best bet.

The Benefits of Enclosure

You can make your carport far more useful during the winter months by deciding to enclose it. Winter weather in many areas means persistent wind, rain, and snow, and without walls to protect you and whatever is under the roof of the carport, you’ll find that you aren’t getting much use out of this structure for part of the year.

By adding an enclosure, however, the whole situation changes. Some of the notable benefits include the following:

  • Dry parking. Digging a car out from under snow is a chore that gets old in a hurry. Of course, simply having a carport roof will help keep away some of the snow, but you might still get accumulations under the carport if it is windy. With an enclosure, all the snow stays on the outside and you can simply get in your vehicle and drive off.
  • A place to work. Do you do work outdoors in the winter months? Whether it is chopping firewood, working on maintenance tasks, or other chores, you’ll find it far more comfortable when you have an enclosed carport space in which to work.
  • Improved storage. Some of your supplies and other things to store might not be suitable for living outdoors, but they could be kept safe inside a carport that has been enclosed for the winter.

A Temporary Solution

If you already own a carport and you simply need a way to enclose it for the upcoming winter, a canvas enclosure is a suitable option. This will work much like a camping tent, only on a larger scale. You won’t have the same kind of protection from the elements that is offered by a permanent structure, but it’s certainly better than nothing. Canvas enclosures can easily be taken off the carport in the winter months, giving you flexibility in how you use your carport during the year.

Designed from the Start

For better performance and improved ease of use, consider designing a new carport from scratch with winter in mind. At American Carports, Inc., it’s easy to customize your design to include features that will make dealing with winter conditions a breeze. Some of the inclusions you might want to consider are as follows:

  • Walls. You could build a carport that includes one or more sides to keep out some of the worst of the weather. It’s a good idea to at least enclose the sides of the structure that are exposed to the prevailing weather pattern in your area. Or, you could switch from a carport design to a full detached garage, which would give you indoor space for parking, storage, projects, and more.
  • Vertical roof. When creating your metal structure, be sure to opt for a vertical roof orientation to limit the amount of snow that builds up on the roof during the winter. With vertical roof panels, most of the snow will slide off the side instead of piling up on top.
  • Lean-to addition. Even if you have some enclosed space as part of your carport design, you may also want to add a lean-to on one side of the structure – likely over a door. That way, you’ll have a transition space that is protected from snow accumulation so it is easier to get in and out of your carport after snowy days.

Make Your Carport Work for You

One of the great things about carports is how they can be customized to suit your needs. You can do that customization upfront when use our Build & Price tool. Never settle for less than exactly what you need from a carport, and be sure to reach out to American Carports, Inc. when you’re ready to get started on a new building project.

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