What Type of Protection Can a Carport Offer?

If look at our vehicles, we can ask first of all, what do we want to protect them from? The number one kind of protection is against UV exposure. As you know, sunlight can be extremely damaging to vehicles. In addition, rain can be a problem if don’t want to get wet the moment you get out of your vehicle. Snow is annoying when it gets inside vehicles and when you’re in a hurry but your windshield is completely covered in it. Dirt might not seem like a big deal, but a carport can definitely keep your vehicle clean for a longer time.

See how convenient a metal carport can be? Although a carport can be made of many materials, particularly the roof, American Steel Carports will provide you with galvanized steel construction.

What does that mean?

Galvanized steel carports effectively resist rust, corrosion, and chipping. We offer two both 12- and 14-gauge, with a one-year workmanship on both a 20-year warranty on rust-through of the framing for 12-gauge (heavy-duty) offering. Both are capable of resisting winds of up to 90 mph if you purchase the required anchors, and are certified for 30 PSF snow loads. These metal carports ensure reliable protection and versatility.

Why versatile?

The basic structure of all our metal buildings is indeed a carport. But when you take a regular carport and add an enclosure, roll-up doors, and windows, it’s no longer called a carport. It’s now just a metal garage. And when you have a metal garage and add a two lean-tos on each side, it’s no longer longer a garage but an agricultural metal barn. And going back to our original carport, if we make it 14 feet tall and enclose the sides but leave both ends open, it’s now called an RV cover.

Do you see how everything relates? Well, now you know what the word carport means, how everything else is based on carports, and some of the benefits they offer. Place your trust in a company that has been in this industry for twenty years, a company that knows how to deliver a great experience when it comes to installation. Don’t trust just any company: put your trust in American Steel Carports! Give us a call now and let one of our experts help you with any questions or concerns you have. Don’t forget to check out our products page for more pictures and information.

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Here’s the deal:

The common myth is that out of all types of structures, metal buildings are the most prone to lightning strikes. In other words, metal buildings and metal roofs are basically lightning magnets. Makes sense, right?

Wrong.

A ton of other crazy myths are also still floating around—including that being outside in a lightning storm is safe as long as you’re not wearing metal jewelry and that wearing metal cleats or carrying something with metal makes you more prone to getting struck by lightning.

Also wrong.

I bet you’re thinking, “OK, but then what is lightning really attracted to?”

Long story short, lightning is not actually attracted to specific materials. Lightning can strike anything. Overall, “lightning occurs on too large of a scale to be influenced by small objects on the ground, including metal objects.”

That’s the good news.

Ready for the great news?

Because metal buildings are not especially prone to lightning strikes, you can easily take precautions to ensure that you and your steel structures are safe!

Most people know that counting the seconds between the flash of lightning and the following crash of thunder gives the approximate number of miles between you and the storm.

So, instead of worrying that lightning may have it in for you or your building, here’s what you need to know:

As it turns out, steel is not a lightning magnet! Lightning does not care about the small amount of metal that you might be wearing or carrying.

Instead, lightning is most attracted to targets that are higher off of the ground.

On the slight chance that a steel building or roof is struck by lightning, both are less likely than other types of building and roofing materials to spark a fire. A metal building and roof will usually survive a lightning strike with minimal damage.

In fact, a properly grounded metal building actually creates a more secure way for lightning to travel. Should your metal roof or building be grounded? The answer is a definite yes!

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According to a 2014 study conducted by the Metal Construction Association and the Zinc Aluminum Coaters Association, the projected service life for GALVALUME® standing-seam roof systems is a minimum of 60 years. This is the longest service life of any commonly used roof system on the market. Interestingly, this was calculated using a conservative estimate of the expected lifespan of the butyl sealant used in laps, flashings, and penetrations. In a 2015 study, the National Coil Coating Association reviewed data on pre-painted PVDF fluoropolymer metal panels subjected to exposure testing in South Florida. They concluded it was reasonable to project a minimum service life of 40 years for these.

As with any roofing material, proper design, detailing, installation, and maintenance are critical to achieving the best performance and service life. However, all roof systems, including metal ones, eventually need to be replaced or re-covered. What happens then?

As a roofing professional, building owners will turn to you for advice on whether to replace or re-cover their existing metal roof systems. When considering the re-cover option, there are several elements to keep in mind to maximize the longevity of the new roof system.

Replace vs. Re-cover

There are two types of metal roof system: structural and nonstructural. Structural systems’ panel profiles can generally carry significant wind and snow loads over framing members spaced at intervals up to 5 feet. Structural panels are typically characterized by significant rib dimensions to provide the necessary strength, and they are used in metal building system applications. Nonstructural metal roof systems require a structural deck or substrate to support the new roof and loads. This article focuses on structural systems because these are more common.

According to the Metal Building Manufacturers Association’s historical shipment data, there are billions of square feet of structural metal roofing currently on buildings that are more than 40 years old.

The advantage of replacing a roof system is that it allows vinyl-faced insulation, which may have deteriorated over time, to be removed and replaced. However, this can present some challenges, as the process also exposes the building and its contents to the elements, and this exposure can be prolonged if other structural elements must be added.

The advantage of re-covering a roof is that the original materials can remain in place to protect the interior during installation of the new materials, allowing the building’s normal operations to continue. Re-covering takes full advantage of the existing insulation with the option of easily adding more, increasing the building’s energy efficiency. Keeping the original roof system in place also provides a safer work surface than open framing for the workers installing the new system. In addition, re-covering reduces landfill waste and the need for a large laydown area for temporary storage of old roofing materials. All these factors can lead to a lower cost for re-covering than for replacement.

Many conventional roof systems have inherent excess capacity because their structural systems are not amenable to optimization. However, metal roof and metal building systems can be highly optimized for design load requirements so that materials can be used more efficiently. Because of this, the materials used during a re-cover installation must be lightweight (less than 3 pounds per square foot) so structural modifications are not needed or are kept to a minimum to carry the added roofing materials.

1. Lee Shoemaker, Ph.D., P.E., is director of research and engineering for the Metal Building Manufacturers Association;

Vincent E. Sagan, P.E., is senior staff engineer for the Metal Building Manufacturers Association;

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Then

Barns were added onto the land when farmers needed housing for livestock or storage for grain and crops. Materials for these structures were usually made out of timbers from the trees on the farms. Using mortise and tenon joints, woodworkers would join these pieces of timber by connecting them at 90-degree angles. Although this construction process was simple, it was also quite durable and strong.

After the mid to late 19th century, timber buildings were replaced by “truss-framed” or “plank-framed” barns. The invention of steam-powered sawmills allowed farmers to affordably buy dimensional lumber. The joints for this type of lumber were connected with bolts or machine-cut nails.

When people think about these old historic barns, they often think of structures covered with red paint. Historians have theorized that this color choice was popular because it was the cheapest and most readily available, which was due to the fact that the ferric oxide needed to create red paint was similarly inexpensive and common. The downside of this type of barn was that the combination of lumber, flammable paint, and hay-filled interiors caused fires that were almost always considered total losses to the farms.

Now

Traditional wooden barns are still constructed all over the world; however, steel has quickly become the material of choice. There are several reasons why this type of building has grown increasingly popular over the years.

Steel barns provide the option of easily adding additional space as your farm continues to grow.

Steel barns are built to withstand the forces of nature: snow, rain, wind, fire, and even earthquakes.

Steel barns eliminate the problem of wood-eating pests such as termites.

Steel barns do not require the costly maintenance necessary for preserving traditional wooden structures. Additionally, the construction materials are less expensive than traditional wood, making steel barns the most cost-effective option.

Whether you love the nostalgia of the traditional American barn or the beauty and strength of a steel agricultural building, this great country has the history for both. From the seaside farms in the East Hamptons to the organic ones in California, these buildings will always be part of our great American history.

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Lean-tos are very handy when it comes to additions. They don’t just offer protection—they can also serve as extra space or a small carport for your vehicle! Most of our customers prefer a 3-foot or larger drop on their lean-tos, but remember that it’s your choice how to enhance your metal building!

Types of Lean-Tos:

We offer two different styles when it comes to lean-tos. The first one is the regular drop lean-to. As explained earlier, this lean-to has a gap from the original height, coming down to whichever height you prefer.

The second style is a continuous lean-to, which means that there’s no gap in between the first height from the second one. You can see the sample of a continuous lean-to below:

What Makes American Steel Carports Different?

Unlike other companies, we provide the right number of trusses in order to protect our metal buildings from the environment. However, we also recommend that you acquire our concrete, mobile home, or asphalt anchors in order to avoid disastrous situations. Another of our features is that we count with a variety of sizes when it comes to roll-up and overhead doors.

Here is a great example of a metal building with a continuous lean-to.

• 26’W x 31’L x 11’H
• 14-Gauge Galvanized Tubing
• A-Frame Horizontal Roof
• 36″ x 72″ Walk-In Door (on the side)
• 18 x 9 Roll-Up Door
• 12 x 30 x 8 Continuous Lean-To
• A-Frame Horizontal Roof
• (1) Full Side

American Steel Carports will take care of the delivery and installation of your metal building on your level site or concrete slab. We want to make sure that our buildings meet your expectations and needs. Remember that you can always give us a call for more information. One of our sales representatives will assist you and answer any questions you might have about our buildings. You can also check our other blogs for more important information and images of buildings that we’ve recently installed.

*Disclaimer: Prices are subject to change at any time without notice. Please contact our sales department for our latest prices.*

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