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Caring for animals is a huge responsibility. Whether you’re a full-time farmer, a dedicated homesteader, or just someone who loves keeping animals on your property, managing feed is an important job. Improper storage can not only lead to a waste of resources but can also leave you scrambling for a way to provide for your animals. Here, we’ll explore a few simple animal and livestock feed storage tips to assist you.

American Steel Carports, Inc. has a variety of metal structures that are affordable, durable, and perfect for storage. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote!

Know the Enemy

Before you can properly plan your feed storage methods, it’s important to understand what you’re up against. What is it that threatens to ruin your feed, anyway? While there are plenty of potential threats, there are three that stand out:

• Moisture. If your supply of animal feed gets wet, it will quickly be ruined, and you will need to dip into your budget to replace what was lost.
• Heat. If your feed gets too hot during the middle of a scorching summer, unwanted organic growth can occur—and again, the feed will be ruined.
• Pests. Critters are always looking for food, and the supply that is meant for your animals is an easy target. Whatever those unwanted pests are able to eat is going to be lost, as well as what might be damaged if they are living in the storage area.

Start with the Right Structure

Without a doubt, the best thing you can do for your animal and livestock feed storage needs is to have a building on your property that is suited for this task. Steel barns, carports, and other agricultural buildings work perfectly for many reasons. First of all, these buildings are affordable compared to other options, so they are viable for a range of buyers. Also, when you work with American Steel Carports, Inc. to build your structure, you can use our Build & Price tool to customize the design.

Having a quality storage facility is key because it takes care of so many of your concerns all at once. For instance, if you build a metal barn to store feed, you will have a dry place to keep your feed. There will be no need to worry about rain or snow causing problems with the feed you have stored. Likewise, the feed will be out of the sun and should stay cool enough to avoid unwanted growth. Also, if you have a door on your barn and you keep it closed tightly when the space is not actively in use, you’ll be able to keep many pests away from your food supply.

Store in Secure Containers

When possible, store your animal feed in containers that are fitted with tight lids. This is another step that will keep moisture away, so you can avoid damage from rain if you store in a carport that has open sides. Also, even if you work to keep pests away, it’s likely that some little critters will manage to get near the food—but a tight-fitting lid can keep them at bay. Consider using this solution when storing relatively small quantities of feed, as it might not be feasible for a large supply.

Buy an Appropriate Quantity

Speaking of a large supply, it’s important to only buy as much feed as you can use before the expiration date arrives. Everything has a useful lifespan, and overbuying means you will wind up wasting some of your purchase even if you store the product perfectly.

In addition to buying the right quantities of feed, remember to rotate your supply wisely. By using the older feed first, rather than the feed you just purchased, you can work through the supply without letting any of it get too close to the expiration date. This is another benefit of having a large, secure metal building on your property. With plenty of indoor space to work with, you can more easily rotate your feed without running out of room.

Work With American Steel Carports, Inc.

We hope these animal and livestock feed storage tips assist you. Ready to get started planning your own metal structure for storage? American Steel Carports, Inc. is the perfect partner for this project. Explore our Build & Price tool to see the countless possibilities for your new structure!

Storage is an important consideration for any classic car owner. To preserve the condition of your vehicle for years to come, it needs to be stored in a safe and protected location. Without proper storage, engine trouble could be right around the corner, and you could run into rust issues, as well. Read on to learn how to store a classic car!

American Steel Carports, Inc. has a variety of metal garage and carport options that are affordable, durable, and fully customizable. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote!

Parking in the Driveway

The easiest storage option for your classic car is simply to park in your driveway (or on the street, if you don’t have a driveway). This option provides plenty of convenience, but it will not do anything to protect the condition of your car moving forward.

Your vehicle will be exposed to all of the elements when parked outside. In cold and wet climates, that means rain and snow may lead to rust on the car’s frame. Or, if you live in a warm and dry environment, the persistent power of the sun can damage your paint, fade the interior, and more. Using a car cover can help mitigate some of these issues, but then you face the hassle of taking the cover on and off each time you want to go for a drive.

Renting Storage Space

As an upgrade over parking outside, you could choose to rent a storage space where you can park your vehicle. There are plenty of options available in most cities for automobile storage, and this option would obviously be a big upgrade in terms of protection. With the car parked inside, it will be protected from the elements and should remain in better condition over the long run.

The issue with this storage method is cost. You will get a bill for your storage space month after month, with no end in sight. As a result, storing your classic car in a rented space is going to significantly increase your overall cost of ownership. Investing in classic cars can be a costly endeavor anyway—adding an offsite storage bill to the tab may be too much to ask. Also, the vehicle will be in storage and not on your property, so this method also makes it harder to use and work on your car.

Building a Carport or Garage

In many ways, this option blends the best features of the first two methods we discussed. By building storage on your property, your vehicle will always be close at hand and convenient to use while also being protected from the elements.

This option is not free, of course, as you will have to spend money on the construction of your new storage building. But that is a one-time cost, unlike the monthly rental expense of storing your car in a facility. Metal structures like the ones offered by American Steel Carports, Inc. require very little maintenance over the long run, making this an affordable way to keep your car out of the weather.

Picking between a carport and a garage is a fairly easy choice. Those who live in warm climates with minimal precipitation will be served nicely by a carport. The roof of the carport will block the harmful rays from the sun, and there won’t be much moisture around to cause issues like rust.

On the other hand, classic car owners in colder and wetter climates will want to look toward a full metal garage. With true indoor parking available, the car can stay away from wind, rain, snow, and anything else that may threaten to harm its condition. Using a carport in a cold and wet climate will certainly be better than nothing, but it won’t match up to the protection provided by a garage.

Other Storage Concerns

Once you have parking sorted out, there are a few other items to consider when storing your vehicle to protect its condition:

• Jack it up. When your vehicle is going to be parked for a long period of time without moving, consider using jacks to take stress off the wheels and tires. It’s common for classic cars to develop flat spots on the tires after they have been parked for an extended time in the same spot. Jacking the car up slightly will avoid this outcome.
• Prep the engine for cold weather. Many classic car owners park their vehicles through the winter months to keep them away from bad weather conditions. If that is your plan, be sure to prepare the vehicle by filling the tank with gas and adding a fuel stabilizer. Also, an oil change right before winter storage can help protect the condition of the vehicle’s internal components.
• Take out the battery. One other smart step for extended storage is to remove the battery and store it safely. If left inside the vehicle, your battery will slowly drain as the months go by, and it will likely be dead when you are ready to drive again.

Work With American Steel Carports, Inc.!

We hope you now know how to store a classic car. Keep in mind that a metal structure from American Steel Carports, Inc. is a great solution for an affordable carport or garage. You can customize your own building using our Build & Price tool, or you are welcome to reach out to us for assistance. With a durable metal carport or garage protecting your classic car, there should be many miles of memorable driving in your future!

Are you ready to add a shed to your property? With the addition of a shed, you’ll gain a new indoor space that is perfectly suited for storage, projects, or just about anything else you can imagine. But how should you create this new shed? In this post, we’re going to explore the pros and cons of buying vs building a shed to help you make your decision.

American Steel Carports, Inc. has a variety of metal shed options that are affordable, durable, and fully customizable. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote!

The DIY Experience

For many people, there is a strong urge to take on a shed building project as a DIY job. But just because you can do it doesn’t make it the right decision. We encourage you to think through all of the relevant points before deciding how you will proceed.

Pros of Building Your Shed

Let’s imagine that you are going to construct your own shed. In general terms, there are a few “pros” that will be associated with this project:

• Custom design. When you build your own shed, you can customize it to meet your needs and expectations.
• Work on your own timeline. You don’t have to coordinate with a contractor or anyone else for the project, since you’ll be doing the work. Simply purchase all the materials and get started at any time.
• Satisfaction. It can be fun to build your own shed, and you may feel proud knowing you created it from the ground up all on your own.

Cons of Building Your Shed

Of course, there are also some “cons” of building your own shed:

• Longer project. Most likely, it will take you longer from start to finish when building on your own. You do get to work on your own timeline, but the completion date will be farther into the future for most people.
• Materials can be costly. Buying everything you need to build a shed can be quite expensive, especially since you will likely be building with wood. Any cost savings you enjoy by doing the work yourself are likely to be offset by how much it costs to purchase materials.
• Skills required. This is not a job that everyone will be able to handle. And, even if you do have all the skills and experience you need, you’ll also have to collect all the right tools.

Pros of Buying a Shed

Rather than donning a tool belt and getting to work, you could opt to simply purchase a shed and have it installed. Let’s look at some of the notable advantages of buying a shed:

• The project is quick. In many cases – especially when you order from American Steel Carports, Inc.—you will be able to order your shed and have it installed on a very quick timeline.
• Metal options. There are many advantages to constructing a metal shed rather than wood, but it’s hard to build a metal shed as a DIY project. When you buy your shed, you can choose metal and enjoy performance benefits like low maintenance and impressive durability.
• Affordable project. Ordering a metal shed allows you to add this indoor space to your property without busting the bank.
• Custom design. With the Build & Price tool offered by American Steel Carports, Inc., you can easily design your shed on our site to make sure it meets your specifications perfectly.

Cons of Buying a Shed

The drawbacks to buying a new shed are limited, but there are a couple of “cons” we can point out:

• Costs are upfront. When you buy a shed, you’ll pay for it all upfront. While this may not be a con to some, building a shed allows you more flexibility to purchase items as you go.
• Stock design. This is only a problem if you shop with a supplier other than American Steel Carports, Inc. Some shed suppliers require you to shop from just a few stock designs that they have available. To get a custom design while still having the shed built for you, be sure to work with us on this project!

Purchase a Shed from American Steel Carports, Inc.!

We hope these pros and cons of buying vs building a shed has helped you make your decision! If you’re ready to purchase a custom metal shed, start designing with our Build & Price tool today. If you have any questions, contact our team at American Steel Carports, Inc. for assistance.

Working from home is more popular now than ever before. Whether you work from home every day of the week or only on occasion, having a dedicated space is important. But what if you don’t have a suitable space in your house to convert into an office? If this is the case, consider looking out to your backyard. Adding a shed to use as a backyard office space will get you out of the house and provide the peace and quiet you require. Explore these backyard office shed ideas to get started!

American Steel Carports, Inc. has a variety of metal shed options that are affordable, fully customizable, and perfect for a backyard office. Use our Build & Price Tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, and receive an instant quote!

A No-Frills Workspace

One option for your backyard office shed is to keep it as bare-bones as possible to simply get work done without interruption. Depending on the kind of work you do, it might be necessary to have nothing more than a table, a chair, and a laptop. Without anything to make the space more personal or inviting, you’ll be left with few distractions—so you might as well get down to work.

A Space to Relax

Maybe you are the kind of person who needs to be inspired to do your work, and you need a comfortable place to get your creative energy flowing. If that sounds like you, think of your new backyard shed as much as a living space as an office.

Some options to make your metal shed more comfortable would include adding a couch, soft lighting, decorations, etc. Another benefit to this method is that the shed could serve more of a purpose than just being a workspace. When you aren’t working, you or other members of the family could use it simply to relax.

Create a Walkway

You aren’t going to be motivated to get out to your backyard shed to work if you have to slog across a muddy, wet landscape each morning. When winter arrives, you might feel like just staying in the house instead of making that trip to the office shed. To counter this issue, consider building a walkway from your home to the shed. This walkway could be a simple gravel path, concrete pavers, or even wood. With a walkway in place, you can make the trip to and from the shed quickly and easily, day after day.

Emphasize Natural Light

It might be hard to focus on work for very long when you are stuck inside a dark shed. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be the case—add windows to the shed so you can bring in plenty of natural light and make the space more comfortable. At American Steel Carports, Inc., you can easily customize the design of your structure to feature windows in the perfect spots for your needs.

Design Your Shed

Consider Your Needs

There are some features you may need in your backyard office shed that would not be standard in a shed that is going to be used simply for storage. For instance, an available power supply will likely be needed if you have to plug in items like a computer, printer, etc. Also, you might want lighting added to the space so you can work before the sun comes up or after the sun goes down.

The good news here is that the possibilities are nearly limitless for your backyard shed. You should be able to add just about whatever you need to make this a useable office. However, some of those additions might require the help of a professional, and you may need to get a permit. Something like adding power to your shed should be handled by a licensed electrician who can make sure the job is done safely and according to code.

Purchase a Metal Shed from American Steel Carports, Inc.

We hope these backyard office shed ideas have inspired you! Adding a metal shed to your property is a great way to create a backyard office space for an affordable price tag. Not only are the structures from American Steel Carports, Inc. affordable, but they are built to last. Use our Build & Price tool to explore the many possibilities for your new structure, or contact us to learn more about our products and place your order. We are excited to help get you started on this exciting project!