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Controlling Household Corrosion
What You Should Know to
Protect Your Home
Corrosion: "The gradual
wearing away of a material caused by the material's environment."
A child's jungle
gym. A wooden deck. Your plumbing system. Each of these common household
items - and many others - can corrode over time. But many people do not
know where to look for corrosion problems in and around their home or
how to handle corrosion when it occurs. Corrosion destroys otherwise useful
or decorative household objects homeowners must replace. It costs U.S.
households, businesses, and government agencies more than $300 billion
each year. That's $1,100 for every man, woman, and child in this
country. Corrosion in industry and in the infrastructure must be corrected
by business and government. But household corrosion can only be prevented
or controlled by you, the homeowner.
Corrosion is a very
destructive force, and it does not discriminate. It can attack something
as small as a bolt or as large as your home's concrete foundation.
Air, water, metal-to-metal contact, and debris like falling leaves -
all can cause corrosion in and around your home.
Corrosion's warning
signs often go unnoticed, or, unfortunately, are ignored. Left unchecked
and untreated, corrosion will cause cracking, thinning, and sometimes
total failure of common household objects. A cracked plumbing pipe, a
rusted-through rain gutter, or a broken bolt on a swimming pool slide
- all are examples of the price we pay when we disregard corrosion.
If you understand
how, where, and when corrosion occurs in and around your home, you can
control or prevent it. And when that happens, you will save money, preserve
scarce natural resources, and help keep your family safe. So click the links above and
read on for some practical information about common household corrosion problems and
what you can do about them.
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