February 18, 2022
Nothing lasts forever, not even steel. For this reason, much of America's infrastructure is in trouble. Many of our roads, dams, bridges, levees, and even towers were built so long ago we are starting to see serious signs of aging. This is why it has become a priority to react as swiftly and efficiently to this problem as possible.
As an architect working in the field every day, you see this problem up close. You're tasked with regalvanizing rusting and crumbling steel towers. The question is, how? After all, hot-dipped galvanization requires the entire structure to be dismantled and treated in a facility. That's certainly not possible!
America's Growing Cell Phone Tower Problem
According to Forbes, there are about 200,00 mobile wireless cell towers in the United States. As you can imagine, building hundreds of thousands of cell towers across the country was a big, complex project. It took several decades to get to where we are now.
This means a majority of these towers, thousands of them in fact, were built many years ago. Some towers were put up back in the 50's and 60's! As cell phone towers age, maintenance becomes more important. Regalvanizing cell phone towers across the country is a monumental task, but it's a necessary one.
Cell phone towers are of special concern for several reasons, the most obvious being that they are subjected to some pretty severe external factors. Years of wind, rain, sun, and salt take its toll on steel. As it rusts, it's loses strength.
There's also the way these towers are built that have a huge effect on how quickly they age. There are many angle and joints in a tower like this. As they were originally built, these steel pieces were cut, welded, and bolted together. The sections of steel within a cell phone tower structure are many times made into cross-sections which need to extra-protected from potential corrosion.
How Cold Galvanizing can Help Meet Galvanized Steel Sheet Specification
As towers age, they require maintenance and corrosion control. That's the bad news. You know hot-dipped galvanizing isn't the solution, because this can really only efficiently be done when the material was newly made, before the tower was constructed. What now?
Cold galvanizing your cell phone tower is the solution you're looking for. A cold galvanizing compound is a product that simulates the performance of hot-dip galvanizing, with some added benefits. While it is true that hot-dip galvanization must occur in a manufacturing plant, cold galvanizing compounds can be applied anywhere- out of a can. It's as easy to apply as a coat of paint! In fact, the surface preparation is no different than using regular paint. It could not be an more simple, or cost-effective.
ZRC cold galvanizing compounds are made from a unique formula that actually allows it to form a self-healing zinc film. We created these compounds as an accessible alternative to hot-dip, with a long lifespan and enduring quality. Our products are proven to be effective long-term protection for structural steel, including cell phone towers.
ZRC Worldwide has the Solutions You're Looking for
Infrastructure, like cell phone towers, serve as the backbone of our economy and quality of life. Plain and simple, this task is too important to put off any longer. What you need is the best option for in-field maintenance. We offer multiple solutions for painting and protecting cell phone towers.
The structural engineer working with you on your project will tell you which unique galvanized steel sheet specifications you need to meet. Whether your team requires simply a barrier paint, a zinc-rich coating, or something more specific, ZRC Worldwide is the resource you need to meet your specifications.
If you're charged with repairing and regalvanizing cell phone towers, we're the team to help you do it. If you have any question regarding our products, do not hesitate to reach out and ask.
When regalvanizing an existing project, our team will ensure you get the right product and the correct application method for your needs. Once you select a product, we'll ship within 24 hours!
