Metal Panel Care, Cleaning & Asset Preservation
Protect Your Structural Investment and Maintain Factory Steel Warranties
Written By: John Inman | January 05, 2015 | Updated September 04, 2025
Built upon a nearly 50-year legacy of engineering excellence across North Carolina, Inco Steel Buildings are calculated to withstand severe regional weather and heavy operational wear. However, long-term atmospheric exposure, airborne pollutants, and localized organic buildup can slowly degrade your building's protective outer coatings over time.
Implementing a structured, routine cleaning regimen is essential to maximize your real estate asset lifespan, prevent premature panel oxidation, and keep your structural finish warranties completely secure.
⚠️ OPERATIONAL WARNING: TEST FIRST: Always test surface cleaning procedures on a small, inconspicuous panel area to verify color stability before executing full-scale washing operations. For optimal finish protection, structural cleaning should be scheduled strictly in the shade or during mild, cloudy weather conditions to prevent water spotting and rapid cleanser evaporation.
🚨 CRITICAL SALTWATER SHORELINE MANDATE: If your asset is located within **one-eighth of a mile (660 feet)** of a saltwater shoreline, your structural roofing and siding panels must be thoroughly rinsed down with clean, potable water a **minimum of two times yearly**. Regular atmospheric marine exposure deposits aggressive airborne salt crystals that accelerate protective film breakdown and invalidate standard factory steel finish warranties if left unmanaged.
📋 PREVENTIVE CARE & MAINTENANCE BLUEPRINT
This preventive information guide is provided for your reference to facilitate systematic, routine maintenance. The guidelines detailed in this manual establish the absolute baseline requirements for structural care. Please note that your specific facility may demand specialized maintenance protocols or accelerated cleaning frequencies based on local environmental conditions, operational demands, and the proactive oversight and common sense of the property owner.
Never use high-pressure power washers, abrasive wire brushes, or harsh industrial solvent cleaners on your metal building panels. These aggressive methods permanently strip your factory-applied protective paint coatings, accelerate rust paths, and completely void your manufacturer steel warranties.
The North Carolina Red Clay Warning & Building Perimeter Guidelines
Safeguarding Your PBR Steel Panels from Acidic Earth Degradation
During your preliminary design phase, every property owner signs off on an official architectural blueprint drawing that explicitly defines the building's perimeter grade. This blueprint mandates a structured, 12-inch to 16-inch wide gravel bed installed a minimum of 10 inches below the bottom edge of the steel siding.
This specialized gravel channel is engineered specifically to capture and route rapid rainwater runoff away from the foundation. This gravel bed must [NEVER] be covered up, filled in, or buried with dirt, red clay, landscape mulch, or Dense-Graded Aggregate (DGA) or Graded Aggregate Base (GAB) known as "crush and run". Keeping this layout clear is your primary line of defense against severe panel degradation and the removal of rain water.
NOTE: While the **NC State Building Codes** and **NC Residential Codes** mandate specific baseline clearance distances between exterior siding and the finished ground level, **Inco engineering purposefully exceeds those statutory clearance distances**. We enforce this strict design standard to isolate your PBR steel panels from highly **caustic local red clay minerals that can damage factory-applied painted steel finishes.
- Acidic Etching & Paint Degradation: North Carolina red clay is naturally highly acidic. Allowing clay or mud to sit directly against your painted PBR panels chemically breaks down the factory finish, stripping away the protective color coating.
- The Iron Oxide Rust Bond: Because red clay is dense with natural iron oxides, letting it pack against raw steel base margins creates a direct chemical bond. This triggers an accelerated chain reaction that forces deep structural rust straight into the metal framework.
- Moisture Retention & Abrasion: Packed dirt and clay act like a wet sponge, trapping corrosive moisture directly against the panel seams. When the soil shifts or dries, the grit acts like sandpaper, scratching the finish and creating entry points for rust.
- Prohibited Chemicals (Never Use Clorox): Do not use bleach, Clorox, or aggressive chemical solvents on your building. These chemicals instantly strip the panel clear coats and ruin your paint warranties.
- The Approved Wash Mixture & Brushes: Only use a highly diluted mixture of 1/8 cup of mild liquid dish detergent mixed per 1 gallon of warm water. Wash the walls gently using only a soft, long-handled car wash type brush. The use of stiff nylon bristles, wire brushes, or abrasive pads is strictly prohibited.
- Yearly Roof Wash & Safety Mandate: Your roof metal panels must be cleaned annually using a standard, low-pressure water hose only. Roof cleaning must be executed by a professional commercial cleaning company utilizing a mechanical bucket lift. Crews must NEVER rest ladders against the gutters or walk directly on the roof metal panels, as this may cause severe structural scratches, localized panel buckling, and permanent seal failure.
Standard Maintenance Guidelines For Washing Metal Building Steel Siding
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST & PROFESSIONAL WARRANTY PROTECTION
Prioritize operational safety and structural integrity above all else. If you are in doubt about executing any portion of these structural washing protocols, hire a certified, commercial professional cleaning company to safely handle your maintenance requirements and keep your warranties fully secure.
📋 Gather Your Supplies
- Garden Hose or Low-Pressure (COLD WATER) Washer: Standard garden hose with a spray nozzle is highly SUGGESTED. Optionally, a pressure washer set to a low PSI (1,200 PSI) with a wide fan tip (such as 40 degrees TIP).
- Avoid High-Degree/Zero Tips: Never use high-pressure or narrow-angle tips (like a 0° or 15° tip too close) which can strip the paint or cause permanent marks on the metal's oxidation/finish layer. Use a wide fan tip (40° or a dedicated low-pressure soap nozzle)
- Cleaning Solution: Warm water mixed with a mild, non-abrasive detergent (such as 1/4 cup of mild dish soap, car wash soap, or phosphate-free laundry detergent per gallon of water).
- Applicators: Soft-bristle brush, long-handled automobile washing brush, or soft cloth.
- Safety Gear: Eye Goggles, gloves and protective clothing and footwear at all times during the process.
📋 Pre-Wash Preparation
- Turn off power: Switch off exterior electrical breakers supplying power to the building, and cover outdoor outlets and light fixtures.
- Close up: Ensure all doors and windows are tightly closed.
- Protect landscaping: Wet down nearby plants and flowers with a garden hose before and after washing to dilute any runoff cleaner.
- Remove loose debris: Using water only, rinse away loose cobwebs, dirt, and surface dust.
📋 Washing Steps (In Cool Weather only)
- Clean in Cool Weather: Wash the building in cool weather in the spring or fall. Avoid hot weather cleaning.
- Pre-rinse: Spray down the metal siding from top to bottom with clean water.
- Apply the soap: Apply your warm, soapy water solution, bottom-to-top using a soft brush, cloth, or a low-pressure downstream/soap injector on your pressure washer. Work in manageable sections.
- Scrub gently: Use a soft-bristle brush or auto-wash brush to loosen grime, paying extra attention to deep panel corrugations and corners where dirt accumulates. Do not use steel wool, wire brushes, or abrasive scouring pads.
- Address tough spots: For mildew, apply a 50/50 water and white vinegar mixture and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing. For grease, oil, or caulk marks, use a cloth dampened with mineral spirits or isopropyl alcohol only on the affected area, then wash immediately with soapy water.
- Rinse thoroughly: Rinse each section completely with clean water from top to bottom, making sure no soap residue or cleaner dries on the panels. Keep your spray nozzle at least 12 to 18 inches away from the surface if using a pressure washer, and never spray upward into panel overlaps or horizontal seams.