How to Store a Gas Grill for Winter

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Grilling has become a favorite pastime for millions of Americans. When warm weather moves in for the summer, people all over the country gear up to grill out. However, when it’s time to store your grill away for the winter, you need to protect it so it’s ready to go when warm weather rolls back around. Read on to learn how to store a gas grill for winter.

One way to keep your grill in great condition is to store it in a steel building from American Steel Carports, Inc. We offer a variety of metal sheds 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!

Clean Your Grill for Storage

The first task to check off your list is to clean the grill. You’ll want to clean the grates thoroughly to remove any leftover food particles, oils, etc. If the grates go into storage dirty, they might be pretty nasty after a few months of inactivity. Beyond the grates, wipe down all of the other surfaces with an appropriate cleaning product. Basically, the grill should be as clean as it can be before entering storage.

Address the Propane Tank

Another piece of the prep puzzle is dealing with your propane tank. Even if your grill is going to be stored inside, the propane tank should live outside. Make sure the valve is closed, disconnect the tank from the grill, and use plastic caps to cover the fittings.

Moisture is the Enemy

A big goal for your winter grill storage is to keep moisture away. Water poses the biggest risk to the health of your grill, as extended exposure to moisture could lead to rust—and that rust may render your grill unusable in time. Rusted grates are no good for cooking food, plus, rusted valves can interfere with the flow of propane. So, as you plan how you will store your grill, think first and foremost about keeping it dry. Consider the following options:

Grill Cover

The simplest solution for storing your gas grill is to place a cover over it when not in use. There are cloth covers available for nearly every grill model on the market, and they are relatively inexpensive to purchase. Using one of these covers during grilling season is a reasonable option for days when the grill isn’t in use, but they probably won’t offer the protection you need during the winter months.

One of the problems with a grill cover is that they are open on the bottom. So, after rain or snow, the moisture on the ground can evaporate up under the cover and into the grill. This isn’t as bad as leaving the grill uncovered out in the rain, but it’s still a moist environment that can lead to rust.

Under a Roof

While a grill cover is better than nothing, the best way to keep your grill safe in the winter is to place it under a roof. With a roof over the grill, the area around the grill will stay dry and there will be far less opportunity for rust to develop throughout the offseason. Here are three roof options that could serve as excellent grill storage locations:

  • Metal carport. Your grill would still technically be outside when stored under a carport, but it would be nicely protected from the rain and snow. One plus about using a carport is that it will be easy to bring the grill out when you are ready to use it. For example, if you get a nice stretch of warmer winter weather and want to use your grill once or twice, it will be easy to retrieve. Shop Now.
  • Storage shed. Many grill owners use their backyard shed as a storage option during the winter. You probably aren’t using your shed as much in the winter, since there isn’t as much yard work to do, so parking the grill here could be a nice option. Shop Now.
  • Metal garage. If you have room on your property to add a metal garage, this would be a great place to store your grill—along with using the space for many other purposes. Metal garages are surprisingly affordable compared to their wooden counterparts and can be constructed on a short timeline. Shop Now.

Work With American Steel Carports, Inc.!

It’s important to know how to store a gas grill for winter. The best way to protect it from the elements is by keeping it in a steel structure from American Steel Carports, Inc.! Get started today by exploring our Build & Price Tool, and feel free to contact us with any questions you have along the way!

Red Iron vs Galvanized Steel Buildings

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Adding a new building to your property is a big decision. Not only is there a financial investment involved, but this is one of those decisions that is not easy to reverse. Once the building is up, you won’t want to take it down anytime soon. So, it’s worth doing your research to get this right on the first try.

In this article, we are going to discuss two of the primary options on the market today for new buildings—red iron and galvanized steel buildings. Each option has its benefits, and they are both quite popular for commercial and residential properties. In this post, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each, so you can make the best decision for your needs. Read more

How to Store a Riding Lawn Mower for Winter

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Owning a riding lawn mower can be a huge time saver. If you have a big yard on your property, cutting the grass with a riding mower instead of a push model is a great upgrade. However, every growing season comes to an end, and when summer and fall give way to winter, you’ll want to have a storage plan in place for this piece of equipment. Here, we’ll show you how to store a riding lawn mower for winter to ensure it stays in top shape.

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!

Consider the Engine

A good starting point for your winter storage plans is to think about the engine in your riding lawn mower. The mower will likely be sitting for several months without running the engine, so you need to take some steps in advance to avoid long-term damage. While you should always consult your owner’s manual for instructions specific to your model, here are some general steps to consider for the winterization process:

  • Run it out of gas. While you still have some gas in the tank, add a fuel stabilizer product to help prepare the engine for winter. Then, use up that gas on the last mowing job of the year, so the tank is empty when the mower goes into storage.
  • Change the oil. This is something you should be doing regularly anyway, but it’s particularly important prior to winter. Storing your lawn mower with old oil will cause buildup and deposits to sit for months. This is also a good time to add a clean oil filter.
  • Take out the battery. Be careful when performing this last task. If you remove your battery before putting the mower in storage, you should be able to preserve it and use it again next spring. If the battery is left connected, it’s likely to drain down and may not be functional when you are ready to mow.

Clean the Mower Completely

Mowing the lawn is a messy task. Not only are you cutting countless blades of grass that are tossed around in the process, but there is also dirt, mud, weeds, and more to consider. So, at the end of a long summer and fall, your mower is probably going to be pretty dirty.

Even if you’ve been cleaning the mower a little bit during the year, you’ll want to perform a thorough cleaning before storing the mower away. Any grass you leave on the mower is going to get nasty after a while and will stink up the area where you have parked the machine. Also, the finish of the mower and the condition of the blades could be harmed if left uncleaned.

Park It Inside

If at all possible, you will want to park your riding lawn mower inside for the winter. Keeping the mower completely out of the elements is the best way to ensure it stays in top shape. Without indoor storage, the rain, snow, and wind that come through in the winter months will take a toll.

Adding a metal storage building to your property can be a great option for a riding mower. American Steel Carports, Inc. offers custom buildings, so you can design anything from a basic metal shed to a large steel garage. Metal buildings are an affordable and convenient way to establish protected storage for your mower and any other equipment that you might need to keep out of the winter elements.

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Think About the Tires

The tires on your riding lawn mower could develop flat spots if parked in the same place all winter long. This happens as a result of the tire pressure slowly decreasing, and the rubber getting a little harder in the cool weather. There are a couple of potential solutions to this problem:

  • Slightly overinflate the tires. Starting with a bit more pressure than normal in the tires can help you avoid flat spot issues.
  • Move the mower occasionally. If you have time during the winter for this quick task, you could simply move the mower a few inches every once in a while. Just moving it slightly will be enough to change which part of the tire is supporting the weight of the machine.

Work With American Steel Carports, Inc.!

Now that you know how to store a riding lawn mower for winter, keep it protected with a metal structure from American Steel Carports, Inc. Get started today by exploring our Build & Price tool, and feel free to contact us with any questions you have along the way!

How to Stop a Carport from Sweating

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One of the great benefits of owning a metal building is the low maintenance requirements that come with these kinds of structures. Simply put, there isn’t a lot that needs to be done on an ongoing basis. However, that doesn’t mean you can ignore maintenance completely, as certain issues may come up from time to time that require your attention. Carport “sweating” is one of those potential issues, so let’s take a closer look at what it is and how to stop your carport from sweating successfully.

Are you looking to purchase a new carport? Use our Build & Price Tool at American Steel Carports Inc. to customize your carport, view a 3-D rendering, and receive an instant quote!

Why Does Sweating Matter?

If you aren’t particularly bothered by the presence of occasional moisture on the walls of your metal carport, you might be tempted to just leave it alone and ignore the issue. Unfortunately, that oversight can lead to problems down the line. Corrosion can occur if your metal building is exposed to too much moisture over time. Given the relatively simple and affordable solutions that are available, it’s worth your time and effort to stop the sweating once and for all.

The Battle Starts with Insulation

Having quality insulation that has no gaps—or as few gaps as possible—is important in preventing the issue of sweating in your metal carport. The action of warm air coming in contact with colder metal is what leads to condensation. To prevent this from occurring, we recommend purchasing a vertical carport from American Steel Carports, Inc. For an additional cost, we can equip vertical structures with proper insulation to help prevent sweating. Keep in mind for American Steel Carports, Inc., to insulate a unit, it must be vertical.

Check for Leaks and Cracks

Limiting the amount of moisture that is present in your building will also be a big move away from sweating. One of your first tasks should be to check for any leaks that may be allowing water to come in through the roof of the building. If there are leaks present—even if they’re small ones—you’ll want to take care of them right away to cut off the flow of water into the carport.

Likewise, you need to check the foundation of the carport for cracks. Even modest cracks could be allowing moisture to work up into the space, which could lead to dampness on your walls in certain weather conditions. Not only will fixing these cracks help to keep the moisture in the air down, but it will also make your foundation safer and hopefully allow it to last longer.

Keep the Air Moving

Allowing air to sit perfectly still inside of any building is a recipe for condensation. If possible on your property, consider the use of a fan as one way to keep the air moving, which encourages evaporation to occur. Even if you aren’t in a position to use a fan easily, you can open a door (if your carport has one) regularly to help air move around.

Smart Placement of Your Carport is Important

This tip won’t help you much if you have already built a carport on your property, but it’s smart to keep this in mind if you are in the process of ordering a new metal carport. When picking the site on your property for the carport to reside, keep water in mind and try to keep it away from areas where water will regularly collect. This will reduce the likelihood of creating high-humidity conditions in the carport and should cut down on problems with sweating.

For instance, the lowest spot on your property probably tends to collect water when heavy rains roll through the area. If you put your carport on this low spot, or close to it, you’ll always be dealing with humidity issues. Likewise, grass and other vegetation hold onto water and create humid environments in the immediate surrounding area. Going with a site that has plenty of bare ground surrounding the carport, and is at a higher location on the property, is desirable if you have the choice.

Contact American Steel Carports, Inc. Today!

Now that you know how to stop your carport from sweating, you can see it’s quite simple and not much to worry about. Without a doubt, the many advantages of selecting a metal building will far outweigh anything on the negative side of the ledger. To learn more about our carport options, or to order your building, please contact us right away. Thank you for considering American Steel Carports, Inc.!

Stylish & Functional Garden Shed Ideas

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Having a small shed available is a nice luxury for the avid gardener. Sure, gardening is an outdoor activity,but having a protected space to do some work and store your supplies is a bonus.If you have recently added a small garden shed to your property, or you plan to do so in the near future, these stylish and functional garden shed ideas can help make the most of your space.

We sell more than just carports at American Steel Carports, Inc. Our fully customizable structures can be designed to fit your exact needs with our Build & Price tool. Try it today!

Add a Potting Table

One of the key tasks any gardener needs to accomplish is potting plants. This is a basic task, and it’s one you probably learned early on in your gardening experience. With that said,it’s uncomfortable and awkward to do this work down on the ground. It’s much more enjoyable to have a table to work with, and your garden shed is the perfect place to house this table.

If you are handy with basic tools and like to build, you could create your own custom table to suit the dimensions of the shed. Even if you’d rather shop than construct, it should be pretty easy to find a table that will serve this purpose. Look for something with a solid tabletop for doing your potting work, as well as a shelf below for storing some tools and supplies.

Choose a Bold Color

On the style side, consider picking out a bold color when you are designing your shed. While you might be tempted at first to go with a natural shade that blends into the surrounding landscape, think twice before you go that direction. After all, it’s likely that everything growing on the property will be some shade of green, other than the flowers themselves. So, adding a pop of color on your shed exterior could serve as a nice contrast and add a whole new dimension to your landscape.

A Ramp May Be Helpful

Depending on the size of your shed and the types of landscaping you do on your property, it might be helpful to have a ramp leading up to the door. Most likely, this will only need to be a small ramp, but it can make bringing a wheelbarrow or lawnmower inside much easier. Also, if there is a small step up into your shed, that can be a trip hazard when you are busy carrying items in and out. With a ramp, you’ll have a smooth entry and it should be easier to avoid an accident.

More Than Just Gardening

If you have a large shed that you are going to use for gardening purposes, you might be able to accomplish more than just potting plants in that space. Dedicate part of the shed to gardening tasks, while designing the other part to be a nice spot to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. You could add a place to sit, maybe a small table,and even a bookshelf. With this design, you can get down to work when you feel like it, but you can also just take a load off and relax when the mood strikes.

Integrate the Shed into the Landscape

For a new shed, one of your main challenges from the start will be to integrate the addition of the shed into the existing landscape. While we stated earlier that a bright color can add a nice contrast, you still want the shed to fit in – it shouldn’t seem out of place. Planting flowers near the shed is a great way to help nature welcome the new structure to the property. With fresh shrubs or bushes growing in a few spots, and annual flowers planted when the time is right, your shed could look like it has been in place for decades.

Light the Way

This last tip includes a bit of style and a bit of function. If there is a small path leading out to your shed,consider lighting that path so you can more easily make your way early in the morning or late in the evening. In addition to helping you get to the shed safely, the lights will add a nice ambiance at night and give your landscape a soothing vibe.

Design Your Shed

We have included some stylish and functional garden shed ideas above, but you won’t be able to put them to use if you don’t actually have a shed on your property. Fortunately, American Steel Carports, Inc. can help with that part of the project. Explore our site to seethe types of structures we have available, and test out our Build & Price tool to design your own custom steel shed. If you need help at any step along the way, please feel free to contact our team.

The Ultimate Carport Size Guide

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The Ultimate Carport Size Guide

Choosing to add a carport to your property is a smart decision. After all, they’re affordable structures, serve a variety of purposes, can be constructed quickly,and will last for years if they’re high-quality. With that said, picking the right size carport can be a little difficult, as there are several factors to consider. We hope this carport size guide will help you find the size that’s perfect for your situation!

Are you ready to buy your new carport? Use our Build & Price Tool at American Steel Carports Inc. to customize your carport, view a 3-D rendering, and receive an instant quote!

It Starts with Function

The first thing to consider when trying to size your carport is what you plan to use it for. Is this going to be a structure that is used exclusively for parking,or do you have other plans in mind? Some carports owners use part of the structure for covered parking, while the rest of the space is reserved for storage, projects, etc.

If you only intend to park your vehicles under the carport, the math is pretty simple. Figure out how many vehicles you’re going to park under the carport, determine how big they are, and find the right sized carport.

For this purpose, you’ll probably be able to go with a standard size, rather than designing something custom. For instance, a traditional single carport is 12’ wide, making it perfect for typical passenger cars or trucks. To park something bigger, like an RV, you’ll not only need more width and height than what a standard carport provides—of course we have standard RV carports available as well!

Confirm Your Numbers

Before you order a carport, it’s a good idea to take measurements of the vehicles you plan to park inside. This will only take a few minutes, and it can help you to avoid an expensive mistake later on.

When your car is parked in your carport, you need to have extra space around the vehicle to get in and out. Always pad your measurements to take this into account. As mentioned above, a standard carport is 12’ wide, even though most cars and pickups are much narrower than that. That’s simply because you need the space to move about the carport with ease.

Save on Length

If you’re tight for space when planning your carport, remember that it’s better to save space in terms of the length of the structure rather than the width.You’ll always need room to get in and out of the vehicle on the sides. Plus, you need a little margin for error when parking your car, which is still available if you sacrifice length. Sure, you might not be able to walk around to the front of your parked car if you tighten up the length, but you can still keep your vehicle safely out of the elements.

Finding the Right Space

It’s one thing to know how big you need your carport to be, but it’s another thing to actually have that space available on your property. Remember, you will not only need to have a big enough footprint for the carport, but you’ll also need the extra space to enter and exit your vehicles.

Look to the Future

Do you think you might have an extra vehicle to park in the future? If so,consider buying a carport that is larger than the one you need at the moment. You on’t want to build a carport now only to have to start over to accommodate another car or a larger vehicle. Do your best to plan ahead and build something now that is going to serve you well for as long as possible.

Customize Your Carport at American Steel Carports, Inc.

We hope this carport size guide has helped you to settle on the size you need.Now, there’s only one thing left to do—place your order! When you buy from American Steel Carports, Inc., you can choose from our standard size options or completely customize your design using our Build & Price tool. If you have any questions along the way, please don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance. We look forward to serving you!

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How to Insulate a Metal Shed

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An uninsulated metal shed can be, well… cold. If you plan to work in your shed during all times of the year, you’ll want to add insulation to make it more comfortable. Not only that, but insulating the shed can make it a better home for whatever you plan to store inside. Here are a few key tips on how to insulate a metal shed.

Want to build an affordable, custom metal structure? Use the Build & Price tool from American Steel, Inc. to select your preferred features, view a 3D rendering, and get an instant quote!

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Pole Barn vs Steel Building – Which is Right for You?

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If you need an affordable building with plenty of storage space, two main ideas are likely to come to mind: pole barns and steel buildings. Each can be a cost-effective option, and each can provide the ample space you require for your storage or projects. So, which is right for you? The right selection will depend on a variety of factors. Let’s take a closer look at pole barns vs steel buildings. Read more

Carport Delivery & Installation Services Nationwide

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There are a few steps to consider when you are thinking about adding a carport to your property. For starters, you need to identify the spot on your property that will play home to the carport. Next, you need to decide on the size of the structure, the features you want, and even the color. Finally, once you’ve managed all that, you will need to determine how the carport is going to be delivered and installed. Read more

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Do you have questions, comments, or concerns? Please contact us whether you’re a potential dealer, customer, or simply researching our product. We’re here to serve you.

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