If you are about to order a carport you need to make sure it is a good fit for your needs. Find out the measurements to make sure they are going to fit the vehicles you have. If you intend to keep two vehicles under your shelter, make sure there is room for the doors to open once both are parked there. The roof also needs to be considered for other reasons.

Many carports have a flat roof and this can be fine, depending on your location, climate and the size of the vehicle you want to store under it. But a flat roof can cause problems for these reasons: –

• If there is a tall tree nearby that will drop sticks and leaves onto the roof. Cleaning these off periodically can be a pain, but if you don’t the acids in them as they decay, and the fact that moisture will stay on the roof for longer, will cause a metal roof to rust out much more quickly.
• If you live in a climate where it snows. Snow will sit on a flat roof and cause the same problem as above. In addition, it will create a great deal of weight the roof may not be strong enough to bear.
• If you live in a dry climate near a marine environment. The salt from the ocean breeze will stay on a flat roof and it is more difficult to hose off.

A sloping roof is much easier to clean, and sticks, snow or other debris will not sit on it, but slide off as soon as it hits. So before you order a carport, consider what kind of roof will best suit your location, then you won’t be disappointed with the result. Since metal roofs are so popular for carports and have such good spanning ability, it would be a shame to have it rust out when it would normally last for many years.

A sloping roof will also be cooler because it leaves more room for the air to circulate. This could be a consideration if you might use the carport for entertaining, casual alfresco meals, kids birthday parties or just to relax under when the car is not there.

Of course, when the car is there you would still want to know it was in a cool place as this will ensure the interior parts of the car last longer in good condition. It is also more comfortable to get into a car that is not hot. However, if your climate is suitable and you have no tall trees hanging over your yard a flat roof might be quite sufficient. It’s your decision to make.