Maintenance and service life
The logic
Section titled “The logic”The life of a steel frame is comparable with that of the building — if it stays dry. Corrosion needs sustained moisture, and in a well-built structure protected by a vapour control layer that does not occur. Corrosion and service life.
It follows that maintenance is directed not at the structure but at its protection.
What to check regularly
Section titled “What to check regularly”Drainage
Section titled “Drainage”Gutters, downpipes, the fall of the ground. Most moisture problems start here.
Roof covering and trims
Section titled “Roof covering and trims”Damage, movement, the condition of the seals. Look after a storm, at the edges and perimeters especially, where wind suction is greatest. Wind load and terrain category.
Façade
Section titled “Façade”Cracks, damage, the fixing of the cladding, the seals around windows and doors.
Seals and penetrations
Section titled “Seals and penetrations”Wherever something passes through the structure: a service penetration, a cable, a vent.
Ventilation
Section titled “Ventilation”The filters and operation of the mechanical ventilation — the tool for managing the moisture load.
Ground level
Section titled “Ground level”Later filling or raising a path can remove the protective height of the structure.
What not to do
Section titled “What not to do”- Painting or treating the structure — the coating is where it should be.
- Inspecting the frame where there is no sign of moisture.
- Retrofitting insect protection, because the material is not affected.
When a signal arrives
Section titled “When a signal arrives”Four signs that warrant investigation:
- A mould patch on a wall or in a corner — a thermal bridge or a vapour control fault. Mould risk.
- A damp patch on the finish.
- A crack at a junction in the finishes that is growing.
- Unusual movement or noise in the structure.
These are not “ageing”: each has a specific cause, and the sooner it comes out the cheaper it is.
The role of documentation
Section titled “The role of documentation”Whether maintenance can be planned depends on knowing what is in the structure. Keeping the handover documentation is therefore not a formality. Handover documentation.
The point
Section titled “The point”It is not the structure that has to be maintained but what keeps it dry. Watch the drainage and the seals and the frame will take care of itself.