DIY Tips for Metal Building Maintenance

Let’s face it, many of us own a home with a metal garage or have a metal carport that we use on a regular basis. But what would we do if one day, that garage or shed fell into a slight amount of disrepair? There are, in fact, many ways to maintain our metal buildings, some we can do by ourselves if the disrepair is minimal and not a risk to the building’s structural integrity.

Preventative Maintenance for Your New Metal Building

Is your new metal building making noises or debris is falling out of the crevices? Well, worry not friends! There’s an easy way to get rid of it and make sure that your pre-engineered metal building, whatever it may be, will remain in top condition for many years to come!

• Always remove those large and bulky items by hand, even if it includes the roof panels or flashing. This will guarantee that your building won’t be weighed down by large and loose pieces of debris. So always check for those after getting your building.
• Remember to sweep those smaller bits of metal debris off of the roof as gently as you can, and always do this with a soft bristled nylon brush or broom, this will make sure that the roof of your building never looks like it was scratched up by a cat.
• If you are using an air conditioner inside your building, make sure that the condensation that is caused by the unit drains away from the structure as to not cause rust and/or decay. If you happen to notice any water pooling around the structure after it has rained or snowed, altering the terrain around the building would be the best way to make sure the drainage is improved.
• No matter what you do, even if you think it is a great idea, NEVER fasten copper pipes to a steel building, it can cause corrosion to either the steel building itself or the copper piping, which is never a good thing.
• If you don’t want the metal of your building or metal carport to end up scratched and looking like your crazy ex took her key to the door of your car, then make sure to keep shrubbery and plants trimmed at least five inches away from the sides of your building.

Maintaining your building for many years

Always oil the personnel doors as needed, you don’t want to walk into the building and have the doors sound like a banshee is residing somewhere within, because of that, ain’t a way to have a door sound, now is it? Make sure you also always clean the build-up from the vent fans as needed, don’t want a friend or family member coming over who so happens to be allergic to dust, only to start having a sneezing fit so loud, you’d think Sneezy the Dwarf was in your house. Now, during the warmer months, the building may expand a little, almost like a small child blowing on a leaf to make it “fly”, but this expansion can end up loosening the bolts, and come winter, the metal will contract, leaving those bolts loose, and if you don’t want the building to destabilize, then you’d better fasten those bolts back on tight, but not too tight, or you may damage the waterproofing washers.

Then, To prevent corrosion, use both primer and metal building paint to repair any accidental scratches or gouges on metal building panels. You wouldn’t want the building to end up looking like something out of a post- apocalyptic world, where everything is corroded and decayed, now would ya. Next, remove that snow! If you have a large buildup of snow on your building’s roof, remove it immediately! The weight of the snow can cause a lot of strain due to the uneven mounds that have built up, causing unnecessary leaks that can cause even more damage to the interior of the building.

Always check the insulation, if your building feels like the Snow Meiser waltzed on through singing “I’m Mr. White Christmas” than your insulation either needs to be replaced or put back into its proper position. Remember to wash your building on a regular basis, bacteria and fungi can cause serious damage to the buildings roofing and walls. Washing it regularly means you don’t get those “nasty funguses” as Gollum would say, keeping your home or building safe from harm.

In order to clean off the bacteria and fungi, you must have a bleach water solution, otherwise removing them could potentially cause more damage than already caused. Don’t forget to always store materials in your building for any repair purposes, you don’t want to come home empty handed only to find out that your roof has a hole in it and you don’t have the materials and tools necessary to be able to fix it. Then, remember to check your building at least twice a year to assess any damages caused by harsh weather, an accidental bump from a vehicle, a dazed Bambi running into the side of it, or other causes. Also, check immediately after severe storms for the dent, small holes, and other damages that could potentially compromise steel panels.

When It’s Time For A Professional Touch

Sometimes it’s just a bit more than you can manage on your own, or a piece of wear went unnoticed long enough that you need the hands of a professional to undo the damage. This is when you need to contact Viking Steel Structures. With a long history of customer service and expert level work, they’ll take care of those little oops that have gotten out of hand, and help you know how to prevent it from happening again in the future.