In our final installment on helping your business and home architectural elements survive the Arizona summers, we will be looking at protecting your exposed metals. A commonly-held misconception in Arizona is that we don’t have to worry about rust too much, as our air is dry and rainwater not as acidic as coastal states such as California. The truth is, salt-infused water and air do not create rusted metal, rather, all unprotected, exposed metal is subject to rust regardless of environment. It is important for a business or home to take immediate steps to protect their metal elements (be it steel, iron, aluminum, or copper) as it is difficult to stop the oxidation process once it begins. The damaging effects of this process aren’t just visual – the metal itself can be severely compromised causing a potentially dangerous lack of structural integrity if left unchecked.
How Rust Forms
Besides exposure to air, exposure to water is paramount in the formation of rust on all types of metals. While water from a hose can cause this, the more acidic rainfall is the most impacting. While the immediate effects of this are not visible, the water and air exposure actually penetrates the core of the metals on a molecular plane, slowly changing the chemical makeup of these very porous materials. Since keeping exposed metal dry is an impossibility, steps must be taken to prevent the molecular bonding from occurring by separating the elements of water and air from the metals.
Keeping Metals Rust-Free
The first step in the process is to completely clean the metal, removing any dust, dirt, or surface rust, as you don’t want to trap these intoxicants in the metal. Ensuring the metal is fully dry, it can be painted with a protective barrier paint and primer, or coated with wax or a clear varnish. It should be noted that primer and paint is usually only recommended on iron or steel-based metals [As noted previously, acrylic coatings offer excellent color retention, and enamels, durability]; as copper and aluminum are normally utilized as architectural elements for their signature looks. In these cases, a clear varnish is recommended to protect the metals and retain the desired finish.
Apex National hopes you’ve enjoyed learning about how to protect your walls, woods and metals during the heat and rain of Arizona summers. Next month we will continue on to other topics and helpful hints in keeping your home and business looking their best.
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