Rust on your home can have many different effects, some of them more serious than others. What causes rust? It is created when metal is exposed to water and air through a process called oxidation. Usually, metals will be treated to ensure that this doesn’t happen, but something as simple as a scratch could be the starting point for rust to start. When the process starts, it makes it easier for further damage to be done and the rust to spread. It is also possible that untreated metal that wasn’t previously exposed to water and air suddenly is exposed, such as when rebar inside of cement gets revealed by a crack.
The problem when this happens is that rusting metal expands, thus causing a crack in the cement to widen and expose even more of the metal to the elements. Whenever you have a problem with rust, it is important that you deal with it as soon as possible, and do a thorough job removing any trace to make sure it doesn’t reappear.
