Metal Building Maintenance Tips

There are some great benefits that come with owning a steel building as opposed to a wood-framed structure or even a concrete one.  They require very little in the way of regular maintenance in order to keep them in tip-top shape from a performance and esthetic perspective.

“Very little” should not, however, be interpreted as no maintenance at all, as all structures require the basics in order to keep the fit and finished look, and perform as well as the day they were purchased.

Structures made of wood often require sealing and staining or painting almost on a yearly basis depending on the type of wood used for the completion of the structure. Metal-framed buildings are much easier to keep in the shape they were in on the day of purchase.

Basic Maintenance

One of the easiest ways of keeping your beautiful steel or metal framed building looking as good as new is to simply wash the structure, whenever it begins to show signs of the weather conditions in your area.

Maybe that is simply leaves blowing off the trees in your area or dust and dirt from country roads or construction in your region or even the effluent from any industrial plants that are nearby your structure.

Simply hooking up the pressure washer and giving the exterior a good and thorough cleaning can make an older steel or metal framed building look as good as the day it was erected.

Remembering to always ensure that your gutters are free from any blowing debris that may have found its way in is also important, not just from the perspective of looks, but also from a performance perspective as well. You do not want to have any blockages that can and will back up the downspouts causing an overflow and potentially unsightly stains on the sides that will need to be cleaned off at some point.

Cleaning your overhead doors is another simple step that will ensure that the doors last as long as the rest of the structure. This can easily be done with the pressure washer and a little elbow grease as well.

While the installation crews will always do their level best to make sure that there is no leftover debris from the installation you should always take a moment to do a walk around after the job is done to make sure there are no pieces of metal flashing, shavings or even screws inadvertently left behind that may scratch the surface of your roof and leave marks that just plain old look bad.

Using a soft-bristled broom to give the roof a quick sweep is never a bad idea, provided that you are very comfortable walking on the roof and you use every precaution available to make sure that you or your family or employees are 100% safe when doing any job that requires a ladder or involves heights.

If your structure is brand new you may want to do a quick walk around after the 1st rainfall to make that the drainage is proper and adjust if the water pools anywhere.

As well, be sure to tighten any screws that may loosen over time, and always be sure to lube up any moving parts on doors and windows at the appropriate intervals.

Keeping a maintenance log is a great way of knowing what needs to be done and when so that your building serves you well for a long time to come.

If you have any questions about Steel Frame Buildings we would be glad to answer them, so be sure to contact us.