Salt is Causing my Door Frame to Rust

The popular theory is steel door frames rust only in the northern United States because of the de-icing salts used in the cold winter months. While this sounds logical, the fact is rusted metal door frames, and for that matter steel doors themselves, rust in almost all areas of the country. The reason frames and door rust is due more to wet and humid conditions than the amount of salt that's around.
Jamb Patch Rust Repair Kits

 

Frames and doors rust from the inside-out not from the outside-in. Many frames are filled with concrete when they are installed and concrete is porous, the perfect structure to hold moisture just like a sponge. And that moisture is held in intimate contact with the inside of the frame. Gravity adds to the mix by pulling the moisture towards the bottom of the frame, that's why rust most often starts at the bottom of the frame.

Doors rust from the inside-out, like frames, but for a different reason, i.e. there's no concrete inside a steel door. Rather water makes its way into a door from the top after which it runs down inside the door, collects at the bottom and causes rust. The doors are not manufactured with drain holes unlike parts of a car that purposely provide paths for the water to exit interior spaces.

A rusted door frame leads to all kinds of issues besides the fact it is simply unsightly. It can provide paths for insects, rodents, or dirt to enter a facility. It can result in sharp edges which can cause cuts and lacerations. It can cause dimensional distortion of the frame to the point where the door no longer closes or opens properly.

Door jamb repair made easy. Don't wait until the frame is so bad all of these problems appear. At the first visible sign of rust repair the rusted section with one of our Jamb Patch products. These products are designed for simple installation in short periods of time. And they can easily save you hundreds or thousands of dollars vs. the cost of a full frame tear-out and replacement.