How to Care for Your Metal Building

While metal buildings boast incredible overall longevity and durability, there may be times that parts need replaced. The parts which may eventually need repair or replacement are usually pieces that experience repetitive movement or strain.

Most structural components will not need replacing in your lifetime unless the building suffers from external damage. Luckily, replacing parts can be kept at a minimum when you provide regular maintenance.

If you want to keep doors and windows in top function, make sure to keep their tracks and thresholds clear. Not only does this minimize damage from debris and clutter, this is essential for safe exits in emergency scenarios.

Moving parts of mechanisms generally need proper lubrication. Take roll-up doors for example. If the door on your building begins to squeak or screech when it opens or closes, it’s likely begging for lubricant!

Take precautions and do some research when providing maintenance on moving parts. Many people, for instance, may reach for a natural degreaser and rust remover like WD-40 when they should be using a silicone or grease based lubricant instead. If you ever have questions or concerns about how to replace an aspect of your pre engineered metal building, our highly skilled staff can help you make the best choice for your building.

If you don’t use certain aspects of your building often, make it a point to check the function of these things by testing them regularly. This could simply mean opening and closing bay doors and windows, checking locks and alarms, or testing ventilation systems.

If you do need to replace a part, first look to see if you can replace an individual part or if you’ll need to replace the entire system. Unless structural damage has occurred to the component, you may be able to replace individual parts to fix the problem instead of overhauling the entire system.

In some situations–such as door, window or skylight replacements– you may need to cover or close off the access points created by the removed or damaged component. This is especially important if the access point can’t be fixed immediately, or will be left unmonitored overnight.

On a similar note, closing off any openings will help keep your building and interior storage safe from weather conditions. Consider timing the repair so it doesn’t interfere with your work schedule or hours of operation if possible.