How to Stop a Carport from Sweating
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.
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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.!
