Welcome to my blog. My name is Deborah. About 15 years ago, I bought an old home. We worked with several contractors to rehabilitate it, but ultimately, the foundation simply wasn't stable enough, and we had to tear it down. After that, we worked with a construction crew to build a home from the ground up. The experience was exciting and challenging, and I learned a lot through that process. I want to share construction and contracting facts and information with others so I decided to start this blog. I hope that you like the results, and I thank you for reading. Enjoy!
A carport can be a great boon for any driver, keeping their vehicle sheltered from the worst of the elements without going to the expense and trouble of constructing a full-blown garage. However, while carports are generally simple to assemble and install, you may encounter some problems if construction is not up to standard.
One problem many carport owners encounter is water pooling under the carport. Runoff from rainwater hitting the roof of the carport can quickly collect in pools of standing water if proper provisions for water drainage are not made, presenting a serious slipping hazard and potentially causing structural damage to hard-standing floors. If your carport is attached to the side of your home, standing water can also provoke problems with damp inside the home.
Luckily, installing and maintaining sufficient water drainage to prevent rainwater pooling is relatively simple, and taking a few key precautions can protect your carport from pooling problems:
Guttering
Simple gutters to catch and collected rainwater runoff are included with many prefabricated carport units and are generally very effective when kept in good condition. If your carport lacks gutters, conventional uPVC gutters can be installed easily (other gutter materials such as steel and copper may also be suitable for large, robust carports).
Bear in mind, however, that the efficiency of your gutters will depend largely on where they drain to, and ideally your carport's downspout should lead directly into your property's main stormwater drain; if this is not possible, you may be able to lead it into your home's kitchen or bathroom greywater drains, as long as they are large enough to handle the increased load--otherwise installation of dedicated drains may be necessary. Alternatively, you can install a rainwater collection tank beneath the downspout, which can provide you with a useful supply of water for gardening.
Drains
Drains installed at ground level can also be effective, and many carport owners choose to have trench drains (also known as French drains) around the edges of the carport. These trench drains should be covered with metal grating for safety reasons. If you are considering installing trench drains, pay attention to the contours of the land before you begin work -- drains situated on ground that slopes toward your property will only exacerbate pooling problems, and you will also need to ensure the ground your drains flow into does not become waterlogged.
Permeable surfacing
If your carport is paved or has another kind of hard-standing surface, it may be inhibiting proper ground drainage, and you may notice puddles collecting in potholes and depressions. Concrete and asphalt carport surfaces can have their surfaces renewed to prevent pooling in these depressions (if your carport is attached to your home, consider having the new surface canted away from your home to prevent water pooling by the walls).
Alternatively, you might choose to have a permeable hard-standing surface installed. Good choices include:
For more information, contact Apollo Patio Roofing or a similar company.
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