FAQs About Substation Painting
High-voltage substation equipment needs to be properly maintained and cared for in order to ensure it remains serviceable and in good condition. A big part of this maintenance is painting. There are companies that specialize in substation painting and will perform this task for you. However, you still may have some questions about the process that you'd like answered. Here are a few of those questions.
How does painting protect the substation?
You may be used to paint being used as a decorative element. For example, the paint on your indoor walls is primarily a way of decorating and coloring them. When it comes to substations, however, paint serves a different purpose. It forms a protective barrier between the substation and the outdoor elements. In this way, the paint helps protect the substation from damage, such as rust and corrosion. Since substations are made from metal, they are prone to corrosion if they do not have this layer of protection. Thus, maintaining the paint job over the years will help keep the substation in good shape.
How do substation painters reach such precarious areas?
You might look up at the substation and wonder how anyone would ever be able to paint such a tall, cumbersome structure. But substation painting teams have a way. They use cranes to access the really tall areas. Sometimes, they may paint using a sprayer or a brush attached to a long pole. This allows them to reach those far-away parts of the substation without having to get too close to the equipment. Throughout this whole process, substation painters use harnesses and clips to protect them against the dangers of falling.
What do you do if your substation is already rusting and developing corrosion?
If your substation is showing some signs of deterioration, you should still call the substation painters. They can evaluate the situation and decide how to proceed. They may decide that they just need to sand down some of the rust and then paint over it to prevent additional corrosion. Or, they may tell you that your substation needs some repairs before they can work on it.
Now that you know a little more about substation painting, there should be fewer surprises if you have to hire a substation painting team. If you have one of these high-powered substations on your property, then this is essential maintenance that you'll get used to having done on a regular basis.