Dealing with metal building problems

Although metal buildings are in many ways durable and resistant to many kinds of external influences, in comparison to other types of buildings, they too may need to be repaired over time. Repairments could be needed for the whole building, but more often only for some parts of it like the roof, the walls, the windows, the doors or some other components.

Metal buildings are easy to maintain, but it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be checked out once in a while like the other buildings, and it certainly does not mean they don’t require any maintenance. During the time, many metal buildings might need insulation repairment. Also, exposure to the rain and snow can lead to fungus buildup, rusting and damaging the wall panels. In some cases, it can also lead to the leaking roofs.  Exposure to the sun also damages the outer walls of the buildings. Depending on the case, you might need to call metal building repair Houston agency to help you out because doing everything yourself can be dangerous.

Dealing with rusty metal

Rust appears when the iron or the alloy containing the iron is exposed to moisture and oxygen for a longer period of time. The rust can weaken the metal. As it’s mentioned before, large exposure to the rain and snow can lead to and speed up the rusting process on the building. In order to prevent this from happening, try to redirect water and moisture away from the building. If the damage is already done,  here is some advice on how to deal with this kind of problem.

If the rust has appeared only on the surface of the metal construction, it can be quickly resolved. Surface rust needs to be treated with sanding and priming, and this will solve the issue. Before doing so, you’ll need to wash the metal with trisodium phosphate. When it dries, you need to remove all the rust. This can be done with steel wool or a scraper and wire brush. After this is done, you can sand the metal and even out all the area, and after that finish with adding the primer preferably two coats. Click here to read more.

Not treating the rusted areas can lead to degradation and holes in the metal. Buildings with perforated metal are less safe and require longer repairment. Therefore, it is necessary to treat the rust on time, and regularly check if it has appeared somewhere on the construction, or if the outer protective layers on this material have been damaged.  Experts suggest checking the buildings once a year.

Solving the mold and fungus problems   

Even though steel cannot get mold, a building made out of this material can. Mold and fungus can appear in the walls, wood (if some parts of the building contain it) and other areas of the building containing other materials then metal. To prevent mold and fungus development, the ventilation system should be well done. Also, all the holes in the building should be well sealed, so the water wouldn’t get through, and the water drainage system should be done in a quality manner.

It is recommended to wash the building yearly with hot water and ammonia in order to prevent the development of the fungus and mold. Also, using a strong bleach can help to resolve the problems with the fungus, but before doing so, you should test the metal to see if the bleach doesn’t damage it.  Whichever product you choose, make sure to protect yourself and the materials when treating the fungus. Wear protective gloves and a mask, make the test on a small part of the metal, and if you’re doing it by yourself for the first time consult with the expert.

Insulation repairment

Insulation repairment on the metal buildings might be needed for different kinds of reasons. The insulation could be needed in order to help cool the building which, if made from metal, could attract a lot of heat. The insulation might also be needed if the previous one is too old or moldy. Good insulation on the walls and roof prevents retaining the humid air, it helps to cool the building, and it can keep the metal panels dry.

For the typical insulation, you can staple the foil to the inside of the metal building, but there must be an air space left between the foil and the metal shell. This way, the heat when the metal gets hot won’t be transferred from the metal to the inside of the building. If you put the foil directly on the metal, the hit will just transfer and it will not do the work properly.