Winter is always a hot topic of conversation for Calgary residents. There’s endless discussion about when the temperatures are going to start to plummet, when the first big snow will be, and how much total snowfall there might be. Everything is up for debate from the effect of the El Nino that year to historical patterns from an overly wet summer or later than usual fall frost. What’s not up for discussion is the fact that winter is inevitable, and it brings the potential for snowstorm damage to your property and your vehicle, unless you’ve got it protected.
How A Carport Protects Your Ride
In winter, more so than any other month, your car is essential to keeping you moving across the city. It’s also the most vulnerable to the cold and snow, so using a carport to protect makes sense. A carport is a permanent structure that normally attaches to the side of your house where there’s an external door. The roof slopes away from your house to carry the snow out to your yard, and even though the typical carport structure has open sides, the proximity to your home keeps the worst of the cold wind away. This shelter and protection will keep most of the snow off your car, and keep it at a warmer than average temperature so you’ll get started quicker in the mornings.
Winterizing Your Carport
Make no mistake, your carport is a great investment for each season, but it really comes into its own when the snow starts to fly. To make your carport more effective throughout the winter months, use some of these carport winterization tips:
- Keep the roof clean – as any Calgary resident who has spent even one season shoveling snow from their driveway will know, snow is incredibly heavy. Your carport roof will have been constructed to meet various building codes, and you may even have obtained a snow load certificate saying that it’s reinforced up to a certain weight of snow. However, damage can still happen with a particularly wet and heavy snow storm, so you can help protect your investment by clearing the worst of the snow and ice off after each storm with a long handled roof rake or broom.
- Add a temporary covering – your carport is still going to be open to the elements, so you can give yourself and your vehicle an extra layer of protection by adding a canvas tarp around the edges. You can buy these sold as groundsheets for tents if you’re on a budget, or you can find full carport kits that will zip up and down giving you year round protection.
- Check for damage – finally, your carport is only as good as its components, and even the highest quality construction will still take a beating over the course of multiple winters. You can help extend the life of your carport by checking the joints and foundations before winter hits and making any replacements and repairs as necessary.
