Maintenance of Your Post Frame Building

Monday, 28 March 2022 12:00

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Well-built post frame buildings don’t require much maintenance. Nonetheless, it is always good to make sure your Morgantown pole building, or post frame building, is in good shape. A little periodic preventative maintenance can go a long way toward extending the life of your barn and retaining the value of your investment. Most maintenance of Morgantown custom pole barns consists of cleaning and inspection––and maybe a little oil for moving parts.

Step #1 – Preliminary Inspection

Before anything else, walk around and through your post frame agricultural building in Morgantown. Look for signs of damage, such as bent metal or misaligned siding or roofing, corrosion, water leaks, missing screws, misaligned doors, misaligned windows, or new cracks in your cement floor. If the interior of your barn is a little dark, you may want to take a bright flashlight or handheld spotlight to inspect the interior. If you notice anything significant during the preliminary inspection, you may want to repair it before moving forward.

Inspection may require a ladder to get a better look at your roof, but we do not recommend walking on your roof unless you are repairing something specific. Roofs weren’t designed for walking, and a single misstep has the potential to cause significant damage.

Step #2 – Cleaning the Outside

The primary cause of rust on a metal-shell building is dirt accumulation. Dirt and dust on metallic surfaces retain moisture and can lead to oxidation––even on rust-resistant alloys. There is no need to wash your barn with soap, but you should remove any debris like leaves and tree branches from the roof, gutters, or accumulating against an exterior wall.

Depending on the location and condition of your barn, you may also choose to power wash it periodically. Be careful not to set the pressure too high, or you may cause the paint to flake off.

Step #3 – Cleaning the Inside

Cleaning the interior of agricultural buildings in Morgantown will vary according to how your barn’s interior is finished. If your building has no interior walls and is uninsulated, you may be able to clean the dust out with a garden hose. Otherwise, do what you can with a little common sense, a broom, and maybe compressed air.

Step #4 – Clean and Lubricate Doors and Windows

Cleaning and lubrication are most important for sliding doors but are good for any door. Check with the manufacturer for lubricating instructions, but most moving parts can be lubricated with machine oil or a spray silicone lubricant. Bearing grease works on clean surfaces but attracts dirt and tends to cause more problems than it solves.

Step #5 – Re-Inspect and Repair

Once everything is clean, you should be able to identify if you have any significant problems needing repair inside your Morgantown pole building. Most custom pole barns in Morgantown shouldn’t have serious trouble with burrowing insects like termites and flying ants, but it is worth checking. If any of the steel on your building has come loose, it is essential to secure it, but you should also determine why it came loose. Treat the source of the problem and not just the symptom.

MQS Structures – Morgantown Custom Post Frame Builders

 At MQS Structures, we are post frame and pole barn building specialists. If your barn needs repair or if you are interested in building a new barn, we can work with you to make sure you get exactly the building you want. If you are looking for custom horse barn builders in Morgantown, we can help with that too. We understand the unique design requirements for horse barns and can help you build a highly functional and attractive building.

Call us today at (855) 677-3334, or contact us online to receive a free quote on your next project. We look forward to hearing from you soon!