What Most Commonly Causes Damage To Steel Buildings?

What Most Commonly Causes Damage To Steel Buildings?

What Most Commonly Causes Damage To Steel Buildings?

31 August 2021
 Categories:
Construction & Contractors, Blog


When spending thousands of dollars for a commercial or residential building, you want to invest your money into a structure that will last. Steel buildings are quick and easy to install when compared to concrete. When properly maintained, steel is one of the most durable building materials. But it can still be damaged by the following problems.

Fire

Fire in and around your steel building can damage more than just the metal siding and roofing. When you have fire damage, you should have a building inspector come out and check the integrity of the metal before assuming it just needs cleaning and re-coating. Weakened and warped steel supports compromise the overall structure, which can make the building dangerous to occupy. Even after just minor heat damage, the paneling itself has to be re-coated on both sides or it is likely to rust.

Flood

High water levels can push debris around that damages walls or peels up the siding itself. If water pushes hard enough against the sides of a metal building, it can damage the bolts anchoring the building to the foundation. A metal building that looks like it went through a flood with no visible damage could still develop rust and mold problems months later. Thorough cleaning and drying are required after even minor flooding.

Lack of Structural Support or Anchoring

The pressures of high winds or heavy snow can buckle the steel building's supports. If the bolts that anchor the building to the concrete slab are broken, the entire building itself can shift or tip over. These types of damage primarily occur when a structure is under-engineered for the storms that threaten the area, so make sure to work with a local engineer for proper anchoring and structural design.

Corrosion and Rust

The sun and rain will eventually strip away the coating on the siding and roofing on a steel building. If you live in a humid climate near the ocean, screw heads can rust off entirely, allowing the siding and roofing to detach. If water flows over the foundation regularly between the concrete and building, the bolts can rust off and leave the building weak and susceptible to wind or earthquake damage.

Falling Trees

A falling tree can easily damage a steel building due to the thin design of each piece of siding and roofing. Trees that grow too close to the side of a steel building can lift the concrete slab or puncture the siding.

While careful design and clean-up around the building can prevent damage, some storms simply can't be predicted. Keep the number of a steel building repair company handy so you know who to call if there's a problem. Check out websites like http://cic-cbc.com/ to learn more.

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We Live in a Built World

Most of us love, or at least appreciate, nature. But if we are being honest, we mostly live in a built world. What we mean by this is that most of our surroundings are not entirely natural, but have instead been created, mostly by construction workers and contractors. This is true of our homes, our landscaping, our schools, and our places of employment. We really have to step back and thank our construction workers for creating these aspects of the world we live in. This blog is one way that we give thanks. We use it to share info about construction with readers like you.

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