Carports vs. Garages: Which Option Is Better?

Taking care of and protecting your vehicles is important for their longevity and performance. When you keep your car or truck exposed to the elements all year, it will slowly wear down. Powerful and damaging UV rays from the sun will fade paint, crack dashboards, and make a car look old before it should. Further, corrosive materials exist in snow and rain, which will damage your vehicle too. Extreme temperatures, hot or cold, have negative effects on the car’s engine, parts, and performance. As such, it is a good idea to protect your car from the weather whenever you can. Adding a carport or garage to your home is a great way to do just that. Carports and garages offer different levels of protection from severe weather, but it’s hard to pinpoint which is better. We share a carport vs. garages comparison to help you find which option will work best.

Carport Pros

Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright invented the carport. He recognized that many people had too much stuff, and his designs could help them eliminate clutter in their homes. What started as a design element quickly gained function. The simplicity of the carport belies its genius—it functions similarly to a garage, but uses fewer materials, goes up faster, costs less, and is movable.

However, it is important to note that carports better suit those located in warmer climates and don’t experience significant snowfall in the winter. Carports don’t have any walls, so they don’t insulate the vehicle from extreme cold, and snow can drift on and around it. It does provide overhead cover from the sun, rain, and snow though and can double as a place to entertain guests.

Garage Pros

A garage provides more options than a carport. With those extra options, however, comes a higher price tag. You will spend more money putting up a garage than a carport. But a garage can offer something a carport can’t—security. Four walls and a door will keep your car or truck out of sight and safe from criminals. Plus, the extra storage space is great for housing lawn tools, holiday decorations, and other possessions. A garage also insulates vehicles better from the weather. The walls and insulation keep cars warmer on cold winter days than if they were sitting outside unprotected. That temperature difference is important to extend the life of the motor. Cold air makes it harder for the engine to turn over and thickens the motor oil. That increased oil viscosity, in turn, increases engine wear when starting the car because it isn’t protecting the parts.