Signs That A Transmission Tower Requires Painting
Posted on: 7 September 2019
If you work for a company that manages several transmission towers, maintenance of the towers will likely be an ongoing process. While you'll always need to be aware of any structural issues that may affect a tower — a tree falling and making contact with the tower and resulting in damage, for example — you'll also need to perform regular upkeep to ensure that the tower stays in good working condition for as long as possible. One part of this upkeep will be transmission tower painting. This is obviously a major undertaking, given that height of the towers, so it's important to know that a tower does indeed require painting. Here are some signs that it's ready for a fresh coat of paint.
Flaked Paint On The Ground
A simple way to tell if your transmission tower is losing paint is to look at the ground around it. As paint flakes off the tower, it can only go in one direction — and this will mean that you'll often be able to see paint chips immediately at the base of the tower. Remember, the height of the tower and the lightweight nature of paint chips can cause the chips to float away from the tower during their descent. For this reason, it's a good idea to walk around the area at the base of the tower, not solely at the base, as you look for this indicator that new paint is needed.
Rust Streaks
When the paint begins to flake away from your transmission tower, the metal can start to rust. This is obviously a concern, but the good news is that this issue is usually visible — either to the naked eye while you stand near the tower, or with the help of binoculars. If the rust has grown extensively, it may appear as long, vertical streaks on the metal. This is a sign that a fresh coat of paint will be needed quickly, as it will prevent further exposure to the elements and thus prevent the rust from getting worse.
Bare Spots
Rust won't always be evident, which means that it's important to look for other signs that a transmission tower needs a new coat of paint. A simple approach is to get binoculars and methodically scan each piece of metal. You're looking for bare spots, as these will indicate that the paint has come off. Rust will soon develop because the paint is no longer protecting the metal, but the good news is that you can quickly get the transmission tower painted before this happens.
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