General Steel - The Disadvantages of Steel Buildings Disappear
As a worldwide leader in the steel building business General Steel continues to refine the advantages of steel I-Beam construction. The convenience of spacious clear span widths, quick assembly and erection, low costs, and design flexibility have been distinctions that have attracted more and more consumers and businesses to utilize a steel building. But what perceived disadvantages have historically kept the “noncommercial” customer away from even considering building with steel? The “then” and “now” of steel I-Beam construction may surprise you.
Some consumers worry about condensation that may form in a steel building. Water vapor is present in any building and moisture condensation can damage the building and its contents. In this instance an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Designing for the proper insulation, heating, and ventilation of any steel building greatly reduce the incursion of moisture and its corrosiveness. Roof leaks into the interior of the building can also be a nemesis. This problem is easily solvable in large part by making sure that there is proper roof drainage. A rule of thumb in the designing of your building is to allow for 12 inches of overhang on the roof for each floor of height. This also helps prevent water from “sheeting” on the exterior panels and possibly blistering the paint. Recent innovations in standing seam roof technology and proper roof pitch can also help reduce interior condensation concerns. General Steel assigns a project manager to advise you on condensation issues and remedies.
Two outdated objections to the use of a steel building are the “metal box” and “commercial look” assertions. The advances in steel building technology allow for the incorporation of different shapes and geometries to fit nearly any design specification. Facades of glass, distinctive parapets, and mansard roofs are all easily engineered into any steel building. Although a “boxed” dimension is still widely available and gives great utility as storage structures, for example, the demands for unique configurations of modern day steel buildings continue to grow. This flexibility allows consumers and businesses to more readily accept steel construction as an affordable alternative for limited lot sizes and stringent building codes. Steel building exterior options available render the term “commercial look” a misnomer. A wide variety of premium grade components such as windows, doors, and skylights can improve functionality as well as aesthetics. Paint choices are available to provide many exterior panel and trim color possibilities. Exterior facades that replicate brick, stucco, rock or stone offer further enhancements to the look of your building. General Steel supplies a color chart and component catalog with every project.
Many steel buildings erected do not require the use of heavy equipment. This concern is usually voiced by consumers needing to erect smaller, single story structures. Usually a building not over 60 feet wide and 12 feet tall will only require a forklift. The use of any heavy equipment for erection of a steel building is normally confined to the larger multi-story structures which would normally involve an erector already utilizing the type of equipment necessary. General Steel project managers can provide you with guidance in the type of machinery, if any, required for your project’s successful completion and provide contact information on erectors for your building.
The concern by many people that need to insulate their building is that the R-value of insulation is lost at compression points. The remedy for this problem is to incorporate a thermal block. This spacer is installed between the purlin and roof insulation in order to prevent energy loss.
A steel building is sometimes portrayed as a “do-it-yourself” project. The real answer is that it can be depending on the size and complexity of the building. At General Steel our professionals can provide you with honest answers as to whether your steel building project is truly “do-it-yourself “.
A reasonable concern of many consumers is that they don’t know what is included in the price of the steel building they are considering. Know before you buy. At General Steel our professionals can go over the particulars with you on all of our standard and optional features.
As you can see the old disadvantages of steel building ownership have disappeared by investing in the new technology afforded by General Steel – the steel building industry leader.
