rust on house I Beams

jimbo73 · Oct 26, 2023 6:42 pm

Hi my house was built 12 years ago by hensley park homes in victoria, l noticd some rust on the five large steel i beams underneath the house the span the lenght of the house. l showed it to a handyman and he said he thinks its just some surface rust and because the beams are so thick it would take decades to become a problem. Should l get a professional builder to look at it
THe photo below isnt my actual beams but l photo l found on the internet close to what mine looks like

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building-expert · Oct 27, 2023 9:54 am

Have a look at your drawings and specifications to see if the structural steel should have been primed before installation.

Surface rust will not affect structural capacity of steel beams but will that progress to structural rust?

The issues are sub floor dampness and cross flow ventilation as well as environmental exposure (are you coastal) and if there are corrosive salts in the ground.

jimbo73 · Oct 27, 2023 10:59 am

thanks, do you think its just surface rust from the photos , if it is just surface rust can it be easily and cheaply removed, what sort of cost would that be for an average sized house, l am 2 km from the coast, l a,m not sure if they primed or galvanised the beams, the house is only 12 years old does that mean the rust could not have gotten too bad in only 12 years. is there anyway l can test if its just surface rust or structural.
l have the actual photos below, what do you think

jimbo73 · Oct 27, 2023 11:22 am

here is the actual picture ,can you please tell me how serious it is, could it just be surface rust, maybe zoom in on the picture, is there anyway l can test myself if its just surface rust and not serious rust problem
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jimbo73 · Oct 27, 2023 12:07 pm

how serious is the rust, zoom in to enlarge the photo , thanks
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jimbo73 · Oct 28, 2023 7:13 am

Hi could someone please look at the two photos l posted above and tell me if they think its just harmless surface rust or could be more serious. Do you think l should get it treated with something, what would that process involve and how expensive. THe house is 12 years old, because the steel is so thick would it take decades to become a serious problem

stonesthrow · Oct 30, 2023 8:29 am

If you want peace of mind you need to get an actual structural engineer to look at it as there are a number of variables that determine how bad the rust will get and in what time frame.

jimbob73 · Oct 30, 2023 12:07 pm

stonesthrow

If you want peace of mind you need to get an actual structural engineer to look at it as there are a number of variables that determine how bad the rust will get and in what time frame.

Thanks can you tell from the photos if the beams are galvanised l am getting a bulding inspector next week to have a look , if he says it might be a problem then l will get a structual engineer. L was thinking surely as its only 12 years old and thick beams it cannot be worse then surface rust that can be easily treated.the nighmare case is that the rust is so bad the beams neeed to be replaced which would cost a fortune

stonesthrow · Oct 30, 2023 12:19 pm

jimbob73

stonesthrow

If you want peace of mind you need to get an actual structural engineer to look at it as there are a number of variables that determine how bad the rust will get and in what time frame.

Thanks can you tell from the photos if the beams are galvanised l am getting a bulding inspector next week to have a look , if he says it might be a problem then l will get a structual engineer. L was thinking surely as its only 12 years old and thick beams it cannot be worse then surface rust that can be easily treated.the nighmare case is that the rust is so bad the beams neeed to be replaced which would cost a fortune

The original photo doesn't look galvanised but I can't really tell with the other photos.

If the conditions are okay then I agree with the handyman that you will be gone before it's an issue. But I don't say that with much confidence as I'm not an engineer

jimbob73 · Oct 30, 2023 12:35 pm

Thanks ,the first photo up the top of the page is not my house just a photo from the internet, the second two photos are my house, do those two look galvanised or impossible to tell, maybe try zooming in close

building-expert · Oct 31, 2023 7:21 am

Its hard to help someone who does not listen, have you checked your permit engineering drawings to see whether your structural steeel is supposed to be galvanised or primed?

jimbob73 · Oct 31, 2023 10:18 am

building-expert

Its hard to help someone who does not listen, have you checked your permit engineering drawings to see whether your structural steeel is supposed to be galvanised or primed?

L dont know if l still have them or was ever given them , l will check.

jimbo73 · Nov 01, 2023 11:53 am

building-expert

Its hard to help someone who does not listen, have you checked your permit engineering drawings to see whether your structural steeel is supposed to be galvanised or primed?

l looked through the papers l was given when the house was built all l could find was
DESIGN STANDARDS
AS4100 1998 Steel Structures
AS1170 2002 Structural design actions loading code
STANDARD SPECIFICATION
FACADE"
"Fully galvasnized steel subfloor- for a sold feel underfoot"

It says " fully galvanized steel subfloor , does that mean everyrthing was galvanzies, including the posts and I beams and joists
the only place l notice rust is on the i beams

building-expert · Nov 01, 2023 12:09 pm

You built the home 12 years ago, there must be a full set of drawings and a specification with your building permit, if you don’t have it buy a copy from the council or the building surveyor, then you will know what it should have been.

jimbo73 · Nov 01, 2023 12:54 pm

building-expert

You built the home 12 years ago, there must be a full set of drawings and a specification with your building permit, if you don’t have it buy a copy from the council or the building surveyor, then you will know what it should have been.

Hi just to update , got a building inspector to have a look today , he has 30 years experience and he said the I - BEAMS are not Glavanized but its nothing to worry about just some surface rust and not structural rust , he said theres no need to worry for another ten years then get someone to go under the house and scrap off the rust and paint the beams then but no need to do anything now, He said the steel post that support the i Beams were galvanized but he said the i Beams were not galvanized but he said because they are so large and strong the surface rust doesnt matter they will last decades but he said in about ten years l should get someone to go under the house and scrap off the rust the paint he beams with paint but theres no need to do anything now. , l was thinking of spraying the beams with Ranex rust converter, is that a good idea.

Vince10 · Nov 06, 2023 7:38 am

Why would you wait 10 years for the rust to get worse?
Apply a primer, rust inhibitor now.

jimbo73 · Nov 06, 2023 10:17 am

Vince10

Why would you wait 10 years for the rust to get worse?
Apply a primer, rust inhibitor now.

The building inspector who has 30 years experience as a building inspector and good reviews said his sure its just a bit of harmless surface rust and nothing needs to be done for atleast ten years , he said even though the beams are non galvanized they are so thick and strong they will last decades without treatment and the steel posts underneath that also a little bit of rust but they are glavanized so they will rust really slow . But l will probably treat it in a few years to be safe, its not an urgent problem

ponzutwo · Nov 06, 2023 3:24 pm

i had a stroke reading this thread

jimbo73 · Nov 07, 2023 12:38 pm

ponzutwo

i had a stroke reading this thread

why, what do you mean?

ponzutwo · Nov 08, 2023 10:13 am

jimbo73

ponzutwo

i had a stroke reading this thread

why, what do you mean?

I shouldn't have to explain this to you. But....

sure you dont have to do anything now. But why would you wait X years before you do do do something arguably pretty easy as a preventative so that a) you don't have to monitor, b) adress a longer term risk and c)protect your investment.

Have you ever seen videos or pictures of people with medical conditions that are so gross you asked yourself "how could you let something get that bad?" This could be you in 10 years. Time will tell.