We’ve discussed how amazing steel buildings are in past blogs and posts. Now how do you maintain that steel building after its construction and years down the road? Steel has the advantage of not needing frequent repainting or having to have materials replaced as often as other structures do, but here are some simple tips for maintaining your building that are easy and can ensure your investment stands for many years.
Make sure you are performing routine inspections and completing all required maintenance in a timely fashion. Depending where you live, inspect it once in the Fall going into Winter, and once in the early parts of Spring. Areas with higher pollution or humidity will want to inspect more often.
Add accessories to ensure the longevity and ease of maintaining your building. Gutters and downspouts are a very inexpensive and amazing investment to keep water from collecting on the roof and damaging the structure.
Your windows and doors will need little attention but make sure they are sealed tightly and work properly.
When your steel building gets dirty, you can simply wash the building off. Using water and ammonia at 5 gallons of water per cup of ammonia in a pressure washer at light spray will bring that building back to its shine. You want to try and wash your building at least once a year or every 6 months if possible!
Here are a few quick tips:
- If grime has accumulated and you haven’t washed it in a while, use a light soft bristly brush with the water and ammonia to scrub down those harder to get grime spots.
- When the metal substrate under the panel is protected, buffing, and sanding out scuffs or scratches on the exterior of the building is easy.
- If you choose to paint your building, make sure you have metal specific paint that is made for the environment it may be exposed to.
All of these are simple things that you can do to keep your building in tip top shape!
