Extended warm weather helping last minute metal maintenance

Typically during the later part of December and early January Metal Refinishing and Restoration on the exterior of buildings takes a break and waits for the warmer days of spring to arrive.  This is a good time to review some winter tips and reminders about when to stop your exterior refinishing.  Industry practice is that once the temperature falls below 40 degrees fahrenheit  that spraying of lacquers or other topcoats should be halted.  Although many of us may walk around during the day in 45 degree weather we must also remember that most spraying on a typical night shift will occur after 11pm when the temperature is much lower during fall and winter.  The affects of the weather can range from a poor spray job to an absolute disaster where the coating can not be applied and resulting in an uncoated piece of bronze that will look worse than when you started.  Best to consult your local forecast and communicate with your metal maintenance provider.
One of the other areas of concern is the salt that is spread for preventing ice on the sidewalks.  Care should be taken that after all the snow is gone that the wet remaining salt is removed from in front of the property as soon as possible or at least brushed away for sitting against the metal or stone surfaces of the building exterior.  Salts and moisture can cause oxidation on stainless steel, damage the coating on your bronze and also be dragged in on shoes to destroy the finish on your lobby floors.  Some ways to help prevent lobby floor damage is obviously floor mats in the lobby.  If  you have grit containment systems in the floor at your building make sure they are checked and cleaned regularly during the winter so they can still continue to collect as much grit, salt and contamination as possible