If you’re the owner of a company of any size, commercial carports can have multiple uses for your business. Open carports can give your employees a shady place to park their vehicles or to enjoy an alfresco lunch. Large, open commercial carports also can be used to cover your fleet of corporate vehicles or equipment including tractor trailers and machinery, protecting them from the rain.

Carports can be enclosed using large, rollup doors. Carport Empire offers this customization with doors up to 16-feet wide and 14-feet high. Enclosed commercial carports are great for workshops, warehouses, industrial offices and staging areas for employees to meet, pick up supplies or drop off deliveries. Commercial carports also can be used to hide unsightly items, including trash bins and dumpsters, and equipment awaiting repair.

Commercial carports can be engineered for certification required by city, county and state regulations. They can be snow load rated and wind speed rated, with engineering plans that withstand 110 mph, 130 mph and 150 mph wind loads to assure the best protection for your business’s equipment and supplies.

Residential carports aren’t just for cars. Of course, they’re a great way to protect your vehicle from the sun, rain, snow, tree sap and other environmental elements. But many owners find multiple uses for their residential carports.

Larger,  residential carports can be used to cover and protect vehicles and other equipment that typically wouldn’t fit in a smaller, enclosed garage, such as large boats, tractors, RVs or motorhome and tractor trailers. And they’re a great add-on to your current attached garage for extras including jet skis and four-wheelers.

Smaller residential carports can be situated to be used as walkway covers to keep you from getting rain drenched on your way, and for picnic table shades. If you’re planning a party, family reunion or other big get-together, take it outside. A large residential carport is a great way to allow your guests to enjoy the fresh air while being shaded from the sun.

If you have a swimming pool, a residential carport can help keep out leaves and limbs that fall from trees, leaving you with hours of cleaning to do. Livestock and outdoor pets can find shade from the sun and rain beneath them. And an enclosed residential carport can be used to as storage for most anything that doesn’t require climate control.

The Carolina coast offers an enviable lifestyle. Who wouldn’t love to head out to the beach for a relaxing day in the sand and sun or an Atlantic ocean excursion? But all that sand, sun and salty ocean air can do a real number on your vehicle. So, in North Carolina and South Carolina, carports are a near necessity. Particularly for those living within a few miles of the coastline, the overspray and salt in the air can cause rust and corrosion problems and quickly depreciate the value of your investment.

Salt air quickly affects the cosmetic aspects of a car, truck or boat, most noticeably the paint job. Overspray settles and dries on the hood, top and rear deck of cars leaving a thin salt coating that literally eats away at your paint job. The same goes for vinyl tops. Salt weakens vinyl, causing deterioration to begin long before it’s detected visibly. Getting and undercoating and washing your car with a baking soda/water solution helps keep salt damage to a minimum, but the sun also is a factor. Constant exposure to the sun’s rays can significantly lighten a vehicle’s paint job. If you live in the Carolinas, a carport or enclosed garage is vital to protecting your vehicle from nature’s damaging elements, including ocean spray and sunshine.

As the economy continues to inch toward recovery, many homeowners are thinking about affordable, effective ways to increase the values of their homes. Among the top added-values to homes are quality carports, garages and more storage options, Realtors say.

An enclosed garage is a top choice for adding value to your home or property for multiple reasons. Not only does an enclosed garage protect your vehicles and other stored items, but it also can be outfitted as a laundry area or workshop. Add seating, a small refrigerator or cooler and a few games and you’ve got a fun place to hang with the family (or the guys – think DIY Network’s “Man Caves”).

If you own a smaller property with little room for a garage, more options are available. Consider a carport. Carport Empire’s single, double and triple carports are ideal for protecting your car, boat, tractor and other equipment from rain, snow, tree sap and other environmental elements. Carports typically are open structures, but yours can be customized with rollup doors that completely enclose the unit, offering an affordable and more portable alternative to an enclosed garage.

Carport Empire’s durable, tubular steel carports, garages and more come in a range of sizes and colors and can be built to suit if you’re looking for specific dimensions and features. Roof styles and enclosure and access options also are available. For instance, your carport can be built for access from the front/back or from the sides. More storage options include steel barns and metal livestock enclosures, and steel storage buildings ideal for everything from your riding lawn mower to your bass boat to a playhouse for your kids.

Carports, garages and more storage options not only add to the enjoyment of your home while you’re living there, but also assure a higher resale value when you decide to sell.