Hopefully, you’ve never experienced salt corrosion to the degree pictured here. And, if you have, we hope you didn’t discover it as a leg gave way on the chaise or a table loaded with food for your guests. Those of us who live near the ocean have to deal with the issue constantly—it’s in the air. Left unchecked, salt eats away at metal, wood, concrete—actually, anything you leave outdoors that isn’t made of plastic is at risk.
Florida homeowners need to take the problem seriously—or expect to spend a small fortune from time to time to replace everything that’s been damaged.
An extremely simple solution
Salt is lifted into the air during the evaporation process and settles again inland. It coats every surface and begins causing damage before it’s visible to the eye. The easiest way to get rid of it is to send it back from whence it came—break out the water hose.
Experts recommend power washing all outdoor surfaces—including your house—at least twice a year if you live near the coast. You don’t need any chemicals or cleaning solutions either. The water blasts away the salt completely. If you notice any beginning signs of salt corrosion, it’s best to take care of the problem immediately so it doesn’t become worse over time.
If you don’t want to tackle all the cleaning yourself, there are companies for hire that specialize in corrosion protection. You can schedule them to come out periodically, some even offer special rates for repeat customers. Ask around to see if your friends or family have any recommendations, word of mouth is the best reference you can get. Or, you can use your search engine to look for local reviews.
A costly mistake to overlook it
If you plan on keeping up with the maintenance yourself, it’s best to get it on your calendar. Life gets busy. It’s easy to put off things like breaking out the power washer to give the house and patio furniture a quick wash. Before you know it, months can fly by. Additionally, it doesn’t take as long as you might think to begin seeing signs of salt corrosion.
Replacing outdoor furniture and decor gets pricey, but damage due to salt corrosion can threaten your home’s integrity too. For instance, once salt damage occurs on the wood or metal surfaces around your windows, moisture can find its way into its interior. It continues to travel, eventually reaching the framework.
Moisture and darkness, combined with Florida’s hot, muggy climate, create the perfect environment for mold and mildew growth. Eventually, dry rot sets in too. The problem can go unnoticed and by the time it’s discovered, you might have a very expensive problem on your hands.
Metal roofs are growing in popularity because of their affordability and their long lifespan. Aluminum and zinc naturally resist salt corrosion. However, using treated steel painted with a protective coating of special paint is a slightly less expensive option.
Other tasks for your to-do list
Mesh enclosures need to get hosed down a couple of times a year too. It will keep debris from accumulating in the screen grid. Salt gets trapped in them along with debris. It weakens the material which shortens the life of your enclosure.
Other tips to stay on top of salt corrosion are:
- Avoid purchasing metal surfaces when possible.
- Store smaller objects indoors rather than leaving them exposed to the outer elements.
- Repaint your house from time to time—don’t forget the windows and trim. Moisture loves to work its way into the interior of your home when damage occurs around the window area.
- Keep windows closed so the salt doesn’t find its way into the home
- Use fiberglass doors and windows because fiberglass is resistant to salt corrosion.
In addition to power washing your home and belongings periodically, routine property inspections allow you to discover any damage from salt corrosion early on. If you find something, resolving the matter immediately is the best solution because it preserves the integrity of your home.
Buying a home is the single largest investment that most of us make in our lifetimes. If we want that investment to pay off best in the long-term, home maintenance isn’t something we should ever neglect.