Did you know that it is estimated that direct costs from corrosion total near $276 billion annually, based on a study from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Corrosions affects us all, whether it is corrosion of everyday items like our vehicles, outdoor appliances to water storage tanks and other water/wastewater infrastructure. Furthermore, direct costs of corrosion for utilities (electric, gas, water, wastewater) can be estimated at $47.9 billion annually – Drinking Water and Sewer Systems having the highest portion of this at 75% or $36 billion annually. Even though corrosion is an inevitable, naturally occurring process, there are many solutions available to protect your infrastructure.

In simple terms, corrosion is the deterioration of a substance due to an interaction with its environment. Corrosion is an electrochemical process in which electrical current is passed from the anode to the cathode via a conductive pathway – typically your solution (i.e., water). As corrosion takes place, the anode loses electrons and is oxides while the cathode gains electrons and is protected from corrosion. In order to stop corrosion, protective coatings are applied in varying thicknesses, which prevents electrons from transferring to the anode and oxidizing.

Without protective coatings, infrastructure may have a decreased operational life leading to increased capital costs, repairs, and downtime, among other things.  Often, coatings are installed on the back end of a project and quality can suffer due to declining temperatures, budget concerns, and whole host of other items. However, coatings are arguably the most important aspect when it comes to protecting your investments.

Earlier this month, I attended a training on various paintings and coatings at Carboline’s headquarters in St. Louis, MO. They provided important information about corrosion, surface preparation, coating types, application, and much more. One topic that they reiterated many times is the importance of surface preparation – without this, even the best coatings don’t stand a chance.

Having a coatings expert in your corner can be an invaluable asset whether that is during the design phase or during the application/construction of your project. During design, a coatings expert can help navigate the updated regulations on hazardous air pollutions (HAPs) like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other regulations like NSF 61/600 for potable water systems. There are many different variables that affect coatings and curing like temperature, humidity, surface preparation, wet and dry film thicknesses, induction time and pot life. This is why it is beneficial to utilize a coatings expert during construction, so they can monitor these variables to ensure the coatings are applied, as specified, giving your assets the best chance of success.