What causes rust? The process is called oxidation, and it is the result of oxygen coming into contact with the metal, usually through water. Once the process starts, it makes it easier for more rust to form since the porous surface captures moisture easily. This is a concern for homeowners since it can cause structural weakness and even lead to collapse of the building in extreme cases.
Certain types of metal are more susceptible to the formation of rust than others.
Here are a few situations to keep an eye out for:
- If you find that your electrical panel is rusty, this needs to be looked at by a certified electrician as soon as possible. If there is water entering the panel, this could cause a short-circuit, or even a fire.
- The rebar inside of concrete can start to rust, and if this isn’t stopped, the damage will keep getting worse as the rust will expand the volume of the rebar, causing more cracks in the concrete where water can penetrate and do more damage.
- Rusty roofs need to be repaired or replaced, not just painted. Otherwise the damage can continually worsen.
- If your tap water comes out brown, this could indicate that you have pipes that are rusting. These might eventually leak and cause further damage.
- If you see brown streak-marks running from the nails in your house, this can indicate that the wood in your walls is moist. This, combined with the weakened nails, can lead to serious structural problems.
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