What Kind Of Maintenance Does A Metal Building Need?
Many benefits come with building with steel.
Steel is the cheapest, most durable, and most versatile building material for many different structures.
And luckily, they require very little maintenance.
Showing your metal building just a little bit of attention every once in a while will allow it to withstand the test of time.
Compared to other material structures, steel offers the easiest and least challenging option for your building.
The ease of maintenance procedures is one of the many reasons business owners Choose Prefab Metal Buildings For Their Business.
Regular upkeep goes a long way to prevent the deterioration of your pre-engineered steel building. It's one of the main reasons why prefabricated metal buildings are ideal for sports facilities.
Although they are pretty hands-off, maintenance-free structures, there are a few things you should do to ensure the longevity of your steel building.
In the article below, we will look at a few of those things.
Table of Contents
- Start Right Away
- Clean The Building
- Check The Insulation
- Accessory Maintenance
- A Little Bit Goes A Long Way
Start Right Away
As soon as you unlock the doors to your steel building for the first time, there are a few things you should do right away.
You need to make sure there is nothing left touching the exterior.
It's not uncommon for tools, ladders, or steel panels to be left lying around.
Put everything away so there's no unnecessary weight that will strain the building or harm its surface.
You should also grab a ladder and head up to the roof.
Sometimes after drill holes get bored, metal shavings will get left behind on the roof.
The shavings have a raw surface area and can lead to rust on the roof.
Clean the Prefabricated Steel Building
It's also a good idea to wash your pre-engineered metal building at least once a year.
Removing dirt, soot, or organic matter that has accumulated on the surfaces can preserve the appearance of your building and prevent the cladding from becoming blemished or stained.
A good wash will also keep fungus or other undesirable microbes from growing.
All you need to wash your pre-engineered steel building is a mild laundry detergent that's been diluted with warm water.
Apply it by hand with a soft-bristled brush, or you can power wash it but do it at low pressure.
Before getting started, be sure to test your cleaning solution to make sure it's compatible with your building's surface materials. Select test sites that are concealed or inconspicuous.
Check the Insulation Of your pre-engineered building
If your steel building is insulated, be sure there's no evidence of exposure, damage, or moisture.
Fissures in the walls can happen for several reasons.
Birds and rodents can find gaps in steel buildings and build nests.
Look out for the presence of any nests to stop holes from occurring before they happen.
The holes pests can make can lead to unwanted outside air presence.
If your insulation maintains contact with the air, it risks water contamination.
Moisture will prevent insulation from properly protecting your building.
This often leads to great energy expenditure to heat and cool your prefabricated metal building, which leads to higher electrical bills.
Also, when moisture trapped in your insulation lingers in your walls, the risk of mold and rust increases.
Accessory Maintenance
Your building accessories, like your downspouts and gutters, are an essential part of your pre-engineered metal building's moisture protection system.
If your gutters and downspouts get clogged by dirt, leaves, twigs, snow, or ice, standing water can corrode and rust adjacent building components.
Keep an eye on your gutters and downspouts to make sure they are always clear.
Removing debris is as simple as squirting it with a hose and directing the debris along the gutters and into the downspouts.
Bigger debris should be removed by hand while wearing protective gloves and safety goggles.
Preventative Maintenance helps your Prefabricated metal Building last longer
With just a little bit of maintenance, you can make sure your pre-engineered steel building can withstand the ravages of time and weather.
Performing preventative maintenance reduces your year-to-year costs by addressing issues as they arise.
Problems don't come around too often, but they won't go away on their own, and action needs to be taken when they do.
If you'd like to learn how STEVENS can help you build your next pre-engineered metal building, click on the button below.
Check out our other pre-engineered steel building articles:
Why Choose Pre-engineered Metal Buildings For Your Warehouse
What equipment do you need to build a Pre-engineered metal building?
