Metal carports are incredibly useful when it comes to protecting your vehicle. With that said, they’re not particularly good at moderating temperature. Since metal conducts heat quite well, the temperature inside of your carport is likely to closely mirror the temperature on the outside. That’s not always a good thing, you so might want to consider insulating your carport to control those temperature swings and make a more comfortable shelter for your vehicle.

Read on for your guide on how to insulate a metal carport. And if you happen to be in the market for a new carport, leave the work to our team at American Steel. Enclosed and insulated carports are our specialty. Customize a structure with our free Build & Price tool to get started. If you need help, reach out to our team and we’ll be glad to assist!

Disclaimer: Insulated carports made by American Steel come with a 20-year warranty from the date of completion of installation. This warranty is forfeited if structures are modified by the owner.

Popular Carport Insulation Options

If you are convinced of the usefulness of adding insulation to a carport, there are a few products that can help you get the job done. Here are three of the most popular options.

1.      Foam Insulation

Two distinct options are available in this category, and they are both strong contenders for your attention. First, there is spray foam – the material that gets sprayed into place and then expands to fill up the area and insulate it from the outside. Alternatively, you could go with rigid foam board, which comes in large sheets that can easily be cut to fit the spaces you want to protect.

In addition to the thermal insulation advantages of foam insulation, you’ll also appreciate the way this option can help keep pests from making their way in. You always need to be aware of the chance that mice, rats, or other unwelcome guests could visit your carport. With foam insulation – either rigid board or spray foam – you will be adding a sturdy line of defense that will help keep the critters outside the structure.

2.      Fiberglass Insulation

One of the most popular types of materials for insulation, fiberglass can be used to insulate your metal building. It’s important to note that you will need to pick out fiberglass insulation that is specifically rated for use with metal buildings, and you’ll always want to buy from a trusted, reputable supplier. If you are going to spend the money to buy insulation for your carport, it’s worth going the extra step to purchase from a brand that you know you can trust.

Speaking of money, you might be drawn to the fiberglass option as a result of its lower cost compared to other materials. You may be able to purchase a quality fiberglass insulation product from a respected brand while still paying less than you would when buying another type of insulation. If you are trying to keep this project on a tight budget, look at fiberglass as a worthy option.

3.      Reflective Insulation

If you are looking for excellent performance from your insulation on this project, reflective insulation might be the way to go. You’ll also see this product referred to as radiant barrier insulation, which is a nod to the way it can interfere with heat transfer and keep the inside of your carport nice and cool. It should be noted that it’s usually easiest to add reflective insulation from the start when your building is first being constructed, so this might not be the best pick when trying to add insulation to a metal structure that is already in place.

Reasons to Add Insulation to a Carport

There are many potential motivations for adding insulation to an existing carport, or for planning to add insulation to a new carport as soon as it is constructed. Some of the most common reasons for making this upgrade are listed below –

• Personal comfort. If you are going to spend a lot of time in this carport, you’ll want it to be as comfortable as possible. You might not have the option to add air conditioning or heating to the space, but you can even out the highs and lows with some simple insulation.
• Protect your things. Some things you might be storing inside of a carport might be sensitive to temperature changes and may fare better over the long run with the help of insulation.
• More valuable structure. This might not be your main motivation, but adding insulation to your carport is a great way to boost the value of this one building as well as the value of your property as a whole.

Not all carports need to be insulated. If you are going to use yours for parking and little else, adding insulation is probably an unnecessary step. When it will be used for other purposes, however – such as for storage of more sensitive items, or as a workshop – insulation can be a great upgrade.

To learn more about our insulated carports at American Steel, visit our Features page and remember to explore our free Build & Price tool. If you have any questions along the way, contact us for support. We hope to serve you soon!