Carports are strong and durable and can stand up to most weather. Still, over time you may experience problems due to heavy snow or strong winds. Here are some common problems you might face with your carport and ways to fix them.
The most common problem with a carport is that the canopy becomes loose. This can happen if you set up your carport and take it down with the changing of the seasons. The cover might also come loose if you have a storm with severe winds.
A loose canopy is easy to fix using a spreader bar, which you can buy at most places that sell portable carports. Read the instructions carefully. Different spreader bars work in different ways. Place the spreader bar between the top of the carport frame and the cover and then crank it to expand the bar. This will fill the space and push the cover up and back to its original position.
Metal carports might have problems with supports that become bent or buckled. This is most likely to occur during the winter, when heavy snow can weigh down the roof of the carport. The best way to prevent your carport’s supports from bending and buckling is to remove large amounts of snow quickly, before they can put too much stress on the roof. You can use a broom to pull snow down from the outside of the carport, or you can stand inside and push up on the roof with a broom to make the snow fall off.
If the supports have already started to bend or buckle, you should replace them before the damage gets more serious. If you don’t, the carport could eventually fall down and damage the vehicle or other items stored under it.