Coastal Home Corrosion
 

We can advise you on how to protect your property and equipment from salt corrosion.

Coastal homes on the Gulf Coast are subject to severe and fairly rapid corrosion due to the environment they are placed in. In this type of environment two things are certain; structural failure and mechanical failure which may lead to fires. If you live within 2-3 miles of the coast you are at risk and the closer you are to the coast the faster and increased severity of the corrosion.

Structural failure is obvious. Just drive around and look at the older homes. In a high wind event siding (wood, cement fiber or vinyl) is blown off the wall as the nails used are corroded out. In all cases exposed hurricane straps, clips and anchors that hold down the structure are corroded out or soon to be and no longer serve their intended function. Wood deteriorates faster as the fast corroding nails expand in volume and cracks the wood to exacerbate its demise along with the heat and sunlight. Painting over rusty nails is inadequate and only masks the corrosion and underlying condition. Decks and stairways that "fall apart" because of corroded out fasteners (and equally, lack of code compliance) are common as wobbly stairways and guardrails. Every deck made of wood will eventually fail and need to be replaced.

The main reasons we see of deck failure is lack of wall to deck flashing (or rusted out flashing) , wrong fasteners, incorrect attachment to the structure and improper construction. Proper construction and maintenance will help them last longer and provide more safe enjoyment. Whether a owner of a vacation home or rental property you will be held liable when a deck or stairway fails and a injury or death occurs. The number of injuries and deaths related to deck failures has been increasing according to the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA). Nothing lasts forever, and any wooden structure exposed to the elements 24/7 will require regular replacement, maintenance and inspection to ensure safe usage and long life. As part of a home inspection, a deck should be checked for various things, such as structural integrity, railing size and strength, hardware type and condition, and staircase issues.

Mechanical failure is commonly known (and expected). Air-conditioning condensers of central air systems and window air-conditioners may have a life of 5-6 years especially within 5 miles of the coast. Attic installed evaporator coils and heaters are also not immune from salt air corrosion and exacerbated deterioration. If you live along the coast then you know that wire connections, contactor switches and capacitors are usually high replacement items. Replacing a couple of thousand dollar a/c condenser every 5-6 years gets expensive. An excellent clue as to its failure is higher electric bills, continuous run and less cooling. We can help. We are Coastal experts.

Electrical panel boxes, receptacles, switches and fixtures tend to be short lived along the coast. Salt air simply destroys these items and exacerbates a real fire hazard. Unless you look yourself you'll never know if your home inspector did. Many don't know to look so there is a qualification and knowledge issue at play. Others don't take the time to look as they only have so much time allotted to the inspection based on the fee they quoted or don't remove a cover intended to be removed for inspection purposes.

Homes are not built with any intention of minimizing corrosion. If you live on the coast it's common to say "you can sit in your chair and watch the home rust out around you".

As a homeowner what are some of your options and recommendations?

Born on an island, and raised on the coast. As a Coastal Inspector we have answers and great recommendations for properties in the Gulf Coast region.

Historically our inspections are designed to pay for themselves. I don't know anyone else that can say that. We are not a franchise where you buy into some fancy marketing and advertising campaign. You can't buy experience and education. Coastal Inspections,

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