# Forum Home Renovation Doors, Windows, Architraves & Skirts  Continually rusted windows

## Tiger

These windows were given the full rust treatment ie sanded back, primed etc but in just a few years the rust is back. The quality paint applied has not had any impact on the windows. Can anyone shed some light on why this is happening? Any advice on what to do from here would be much appreciated.

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## intertd6

How close is the ocean or large body of salt water? what paint system was used? if the system didn't include a zinc rich base coat then this is bound to happen sooner than later.
regards inter

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## Tiger

Hi there inter, the treatment used was a 3 part system, first was a rust killer/neutraliser, second was a grey primer/undercoat and then top coat. We are at least 20 km from the beach and there are no pools of water nearby. I don't know whether zinc was part of the system we used.

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## Uncle Bob

Maybe there's a chemical/electrolysis reaction taking place and speeding up the rusting?

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## Bloss

For rust to form it needs the metal + water + oxygen. The treatment might well have been OK, but unless water (looks like a condensation problem to me on the inside) is prevented from re contacting the steel window and air also excluded the  it will recur - as it has done. Most likely the water has been able to go down the face of the glass and behind/ under the paint. My guess is that there is a fair chance, with the age of the windows, whatever is holding the glass in place is no longer flexible and probably not waterproof either and probably was not when the frame was treated for rust - ie: the treatment was of the visible rust and the glass was left in place when the treatment was done. And although too late now, action should have been taken at the first sign of rust recurring, not when it has progressed to the current stage. 
Likewise the hinges might have been treated as best they could be, but they are not able to be dismantled so the rust inside the joints would have remained and simply re-appeared as more moisture made its way back in - it is messy and smelly, but regular and consistent use of lubricants and water repellents such as WD40 & RP7 etc are effective on hinges - spraying on liberally then wiping off of excess with tissues/ cloth. 
The treatment could be repeated with the same result ie: it would be OK for another few years, but I think would be effective long term only if the glass was removed and the channel and whole frame was treated and re-coated. That's a lot of work and the outcome will still be very old, poor condition, steel framed windows. There comes a time where things have to be replaced - and that time might be here for those windows - a costly option, but unless you are able to DIY the work it is the best one IMO. 
BTW - I've never been a fan of steel framed windows and especially in coastal cities as most were not galvanised, but simply primed and the hinges rusted within a couple of years as did joints etc. Doesn't have to be right on  coast (although high salt makes it worse), but all the East coast cities all have high humidity so uncoated steel is a poor choice. These were a low cost choice post WW2 and before aluminium frames became widely available in the 60s.

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## Tiger

Thanks Bloss, you may well be right about the condensation but I'm not sure about how to deal with it. We keep the windows open as much as possible to encourage airflow, if anyone else has had the problem of condensation and been able to beat it, please let me know. 
As far as replacement windows go, what choices are available that would work with a red brick house and I should mention that these are not the only steel framed windows we have so we'd need to replace 3 sets of these. Would like something not too pricey and something that I could possibly install myself.

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## intertd6

When you said the full rust treatment I took that as glass removed & all surfaces treated, what you have done is only half of what needed to be done, if there is still enough metal left you can still do that & have a frame that should be good for many years of service.
regards inter

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