“In Andice, the storm damaged at least a half dozen homes. Chad Bickle’s home was among the hardest hit. The storm damaged his pool, roof and shredded his carport, throwing pieces hundreds of yards. He stood in awe of the damage.

‘How’d the whole thing get torn down,’ he wondered about the carport. ‘And howd [sic] that hatchet get stuck in the wall?’”

Now that the storm has passed he is thankful that his family and animals are safe, but it was frightening at the time. When Bickle saw the storm coming he knew that he and his family had to evacuate their home, but some of their neighbors disagreed:

“‘We could see the funnel cloud forming,’ he said. ‘That’s when I got the wife and the kids and said y’all need to go.’

His neighbor heard a storm was coming too, but Jeff Weed decided to ride it out.

‘The whole trailer shifted, and then set down and I heard crashing inside the house,’ Weed said. ‘I’ve been through a lot of stuff and that was number one on the list.’”

If you live in an area where tornadoes are likely to occur you may want to ensure that your home and all other structures surrounding it are built with the durable materials and excellent craftsmanship. It is also important to remain safe when dangerous weather does occur and to heed all warnings from the proper officials.

Wolff Waters Place apartment complex in La Quinta, California,  has made the ‘green’ move and installed solar panels atop their carports. This new addition is the largest solar panel installation in the desert and is sure to benefit all of those living at Wolff Waters Place. Some may think that the complex would use the solar-generated electricity to provide power for the complex, but Wolff Waters Place will be putting the power back into the grid instead. The complex will receive credit from the Imperial Irrigation District, reported KPSP Local News.

The solar panels will assist in lowering rent and utility costs while also benefiting the environment. In 2010 the electric bills for the common area at the complex was $70 thousand – this year they expect to cut this number in half. The project, which cost nearly one million dollars, is hoped to be the wave of the future:

“‘We at Renova believe it is carport structures, as mounting structures, that really are the way to go forward in building larger systems so we don’t disturb undisturbed land,’ said Renova Solar President Vincent Battaglia.”

While only 2,000 homes in the desert have been outfitted with solar panels, the article says Battaglia hopes that this changes in the future. While the panels do come with a seemingly hefty $25 thousand dollar investment they help homeowners cut back on utility bills, include tax credits, and are beneficial for the environment.

According to a story in St. Petersburg Times, Florida set up a program years ago to provide mobile home owners with anchors to destruction in the face of gale-force winds. Unfortunately, the well-meaning program didn’t quite work out:

“Of the more than 23,000 mobile homes retrofitted so far, few appear to have received enough anchors to bring them up to the state’s tough safety standards. Mobile homes requiring a dozen or more new tie-downs instead got just a handful. And state-mandated devices that keep a home from sliding end to end were not always installed.”

Even though Florida spent $33 million on the 23,000 outdated homes, it seems that many of these homes are beginning to fall apart. The article says the problem lies within the legal constructs of the program, which has lax installation standards:

“Despite some homeowners’ expectations, the program does not require [the anchor installation] company to make old mobile homes comply with today’s installation standards. Instead, it lets the company determine how many anchoring devices can be installed. State inspectors randomly check the retrofitted properties to see if equipment is installed correctly. But they do not determine whether the number of anchors meets state rules.”

This is problematic, especially if you have dealt with wicked weather and portable buildings. Anchors and other canopy accessories are extremely important when considering the safety of your carport, which isn’t even a home. Let’s hope Florida can work out its issues.

Luckily, people in the Town of Oakland Township shouldn’t have any problems installing a carport on their property. According to a story in The Romeo Observer, the police force has one of their own:

 “A carport will soon be added to the Oakland Township substation of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The Oakland Township Board of Trustees approved a proposal for the construction of a carport shelter at its meeting Oct. 11. The carport will allow deputies to respond to emergencies faster, especially in the summer.” 

The primary reasons for this carport – the article says – are due mostly to weather concerns. For one, the heat of the summer sun has the ability to render police equipment useless from overheating. The carport also has financial implications, namely gas savings from the removal of needless idling. On the other end of the weather spectrum, the sheriff’s carport will protect the cars from the wrath of winter as well, by cutting down any falling ice and snow removal in emergency situations.

“Oakland Township resident John Markel stated that the carport would make the deputies’ jobs much easier. ‘This is one of the best things the township could do,’ he said. The board approved the proposal with an amendment to look into proper drainage, gutters and lighting for the carport.”

However impressive solar canopies are, I have failed to look at the actual solar technology behind these products. Interestingly enough, the plastics industry is being hit pretty hard by solar technology development and have needed to develop new plastics for certain standards for charging stations. According to Plastics Today:

“…charger manufacturers are turning towards plastics as they take different approaches to developing covers for the outside. Outdoors, charging stations must remain durable in northeastern Europe’s icy winter weather as well as heat resistant in the southwest deserts of the United States. They also need to allow unhampered communications, as more are operating with wireless…some charging stations now contain links to databases that will accept and keep track of payments.”

The article says that some of the newer charging stations are being made from materials like wood-composite plastic, which is also used for decks and patios. Although one might think that indoor charging stations might have looser regulations, the industry actually demands the opposite. They must be insulated, lightweight and fire retardant in case of emergency situations. One company out of Europe is actually using a type of plastic that can be used indoor and out:

“…their pole and wall-mounted electric vehicle chargers are used in both indoor and outdoor private and commercial locations, and can power electric cars, bicycles, or scooters. The new plastic they use from Bayer MaterialScience is a recyclable halogen-free PC+ABS bend.”

How does this affect the canopy industry in the future? It still stands to be seen, especially since the solar technology being developed is advancing very quickly. However, canopies and metal carports are certainly strong enough to deal with the restrictions from government bodies, so only the plastics need to be tampered with.

-          Shelters of America carries products made from galvanized steel frames instead of powder coated steel. The latter has the ability to rust, scratch and be unreliable, negative traits that galvanized steel doesn’t have. There is also the anti-corrosion that galvanized steel offers to people relying on canopies in terrible weather conditions like rain, snow, etc.

-          Galvanized steel also has a much higher threshold for tension and can handle larger amounts of weight if necessary. It won’t wear itself thin from the inside out like power-coated steel. You can’t go wrong with strength and corrosion protection in one package.

-          Always be aware of the warranties that come along with your shelters – this can add a lot to the value of the product you buy. Even though we have some of the best canopies and garages you will ever find, having a strong warranty is a benefit that pays off in case of problems.

-          The buildings at Shelters of America are built to withstand all kinds of weather, but that doesn’t mean that you should overlook bigger storms that require special attention to your portable shelter. If a large storm is on its way, make sure to secure your shelters extra carefully with appropriate anchors and canopy accessories as well.

10′ Wide x 8′ High Round Style Shelter – As gas prices are on the rise many people are converting to compact cars as opposed to large trucks and SUVs. With a smaller car you may not necessarily need an excess of garage space so why not go with a portable shelter that you will be able to take down at the end of winter. If you add a permanent garage to your home and you know you won’t be using all of the space you could be taking up square footage that could be used in other ways. This small round style shelter won’t take up much space but it will provide all of the room that you need for your compact car and you can avoid cleaning all of the dreaded snow off in the morning with this addition to your home.

20′ W x 20′ L Metal Carport – If you are a two car home and you are looking for a solution to your covered parking conundrum then you may want to consider this larger metal carport. This shelter is made from galvanized steel poles and metal roofing that will keep your car protected from winters to come. This metal carport offers a bit more permanence than some of the counterparts and can be secured in the ground, gravel, or concrete; so whether you just need parking for the winter or you desire the accommodation year round you can have it with a metal carport.

30 W x 30′ L x 15′ H Round Style Shelter – So far you have learned about shelters for compact cars and for families that have two cars but what if you need to store your belongings along with parking your vehicles? One of our larger shelters with a rounded top offers protection on all sides making it a prime location for storing vehicles and belongings that you may not be able to store in your home. These shelters are also great for agricultural professionals who need storage for their farming equipment such as tractors.

Carport Fight – Alabama Live has an editorial talking about the storm shelters that were set up by the Federal Emergency Management Agency after tornadoes hit in April. These shelters were set up at schools in various counties around the state with FEMA fronting 75% of the cost. Now FEMA wants the money back and some Alabamians aren’t too pleased:

“School officials learned later that…they would either have to buy the temporary shelters, sell them at “fair market value” and give the money to FEMA, or tear them down. Only one of the school systems said it has enough money to buy its shelter. Many would agree with Charles Warren, the DeKalb County superintendent who helped raise a fuss about the policy. Warren told Robin DeMonia of The Birmingham News. ‘…I didn’t want to see a half-million-dollar safe room torn down.’”

FEMA should probably just leave the shelters up until the county can figure out the financing or maybe just let them keep the shelters. After all, this probably won’t be the last time Alabama needs a shelter.

Prettying Up Carports – Carports are usually placed outside the home and not always attached in any way. Some architects are seeking to change this, according to My SA. The story says that some groups in San Antonio are looking to make carports a design element in homes that also act as a useful resource for space. One of the examples cited sounds like a beautiful economic storage option:

“The home on Encino Avenue…also uses a carport in a very prominent way. The detached wood and stucco carport was designed to complement the main house with sensitivity to the small lot and existing shade trees. It serves as the anchor for the outdoor living space.”

Another major draw of the Big E is the entertainment, which ranges from parades to horse shows and major concerts. This year, there are a number of wildly popular musicians coming to perform at the fair, including country songstress Reba, classic rock band Cheap Trick and country star Blake Shelton. Don’t miss out on the The Big E Super Circus either – it’s a blast for the whole family!

However, the Avenues of States and various concerts are not the only part of the Big E that people come out for – let’s not forget all of the vendors who come to the exposition to show off their wares! One such vendor is Portable Garage Depot, a world leader in the sale of portable garages, shelters and other temporary structures for storage. A wide variety of products from Portable Garage Depot will be on display, including a number of DIY garages for your vehicles, lawnmowers, boats, RVs and other equipment you simply don’t have room for in your house. You are definitely going to want to check them out this year at the Big E.

Throughout the Big E, stay tuned to Portable Garage Depot’s Facebook and Twitter pages for information about the fair – and a secret fans-only contest that will be announced shortly! Make sure to stop by their booth for the best in portable garages, canopies and all of your outdoor storage needs!

The Big E takes place at the Eastern States Exposition from September 16th to October 2nd.

According to the Herald Democrat, one person actually had to petition a town council to place a carport four feet from where the zoning laws required it to be:

“The board gave the go-ahead for the construction of a carport in the front yard of 2031 S. Jerry Ave. To construct the carport, the project needs a 21-foot variance for the set back in the front yard. The regularly required setback is 25 feet…there were two other carports on that street located in the front yard. Ten property owners were notified; two approved and none disapproved.”

This variance doesn’t just seem silly because of the small space, but also because this type of variance usually costs the homeowner a good chunk of change. Other types of alterations to current laws are being considered in California, at least for canopies and carports, in this report from My Desert:

“The items the commission is expected to consider include an appeal by the Palm Springs Village Apartments which wants to remove mature trees and grass to construct a new parking area; a proposed amendment to a zoning code to allow rotating barber poles; and a proposed amendment to a zoning code to allow canopies and carports in front yard areas and side yards.”

How much longer are carport and canopy owners going to have to jump through hoops just to have more storage on their property? What do you think about these restrictions across the country?