Placing Your New Carport

Acquiring a carport may seem like the best event in the world if you've been parking out in the open. No longer will you have to worry about harsh sunlight, heavy rain, or other weather phenomena like hail impacting your car. But if you place that carport in the wrong spot, or don't install it correctly, you could find that carport isn't as helpful as it should be. Here's what to do to ensure the carport works as advertised.

On Level Ground

Ensure the carport will be on level ground. You may have to do some regrading if the ground is not level. Carports have to sit so that all four legs are holding the top at the same height from the ground. If one end is higher, wind could dislodge the carport depending on the type of base used. Another problem is that having the car tilted and having the carport sitting unevenly would expose one side of the car to more bad weather such as rain or summer sunlight.

Near an Electrical Source

If you intend to have the carport lighted at night, you need to place the carport near an electricity source. You can add wiring to the area where the carport is, but the longer the distance between your home and the carport spot, the more expensive it may be to redo or add wiring.

There is always the possibility of using solar-powered lights. However, these might not provide the brightness you want. Electric-powered lights can be very bright.

In the Right Base and Not Just Dirt

Your carport can't sit on the ground. The legs have to be set into a prepared base. Installing the carport in bare ground increases the risk of one of the poles slipping should the ground become saturated in heavy rain.

You can have a concrete base installed on the spot and attach the carport poles to the concrete, or you can add a gravel bed and relevel the gravel every so often. The concrete base will be steadier overall, though frost heave is always a risk.

It would be a really good idea to have a representative from the carport company come out to look at the site you're considering. That way, you can get information on preparing the site that is specific to the one you bought. That will make it easier to install a stable, strong shelter for your car. Click here to read more.