Is This Your Problem?
Rust streaks, pitting, and flaking on panels or tracks
Get Matched With a Local ProRust and Corrosion on Shutters
Rust streaks, pitting, and flaking on panels or tracks
Common Causes — Why This Happens
Around Biloxi, rust and corrosion on shutters is usually caused by a combination of coastal weather, salt air, installation quality, and age. Understanding the root cause is the first step to the right fix — and to keeping it from coming back.
- Biloxi sits in one of the most salt-laden air zones in the country — within a mile of the water, galvanized and bare steel shutters start oxidizing within a year or two.
- Scratches in the factory coating expose bare metal, and rust spreads under the paint from there.
- Storm panels stored leaning against a wall or in a damp garage trap moisture between stacked sheets.
- Aluminum shutters corrode too — white powder and pitting — usually from galvanic reaction where dissimilar metals touch.
How Professionals Fix Rust and Corrosion on Shutters
The right fix depends on the severity. Minor cases may only need adjustment or service. Moderate damage may require parts replacement. Severe or repeated failures typically need a full replacement with correct installation. Our matched local pros will assess your specific situation and recommend the most cost-effective, lasting fix — not the most expensive one.
- Surface rust on galvanized or painted steel can be sanded or chemically treated, primed with a zinc-rich primer, and recoated to match.
- Pitted or holed panels lose structural strength and should be replaced — a pro will test thickness and tell you honestly which panels are past saving.
- For aluminum, pros remove the white corrosion, isolate dissimilar-metal contact points with barrier tape, and refinish.
- If your shutters are more than 10–12 years old with widespread rust, replacement with modern coated panels is usually cheaper than repeated patching.
What You Can Do Yourself
Not every issue needs a technician. Several causes are preventable with homeowner maintenance — and a few are safe to address directly. Here is what you can handle on your own:
- Rinse shutters with fresh water monthly and after any storm — salt sits on surfaces and does the damage between rains.
- Touch up scratches immediately with a matching rust-inhibitive paint; a dime-size chip becomes a dollar-size hole if ignored.
- Never store storm panels directly on concrete — stand them on wood or plastic and keep airflow between sheets.
- Wax coated panels twice a year; the wax layer buys real time against salt.
- If rust has pitted through the metal anywhere, do not sand it and repaint — that panel is weakened and needs a pro’s judgment.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix?
Surface rust treatment and recoating runs roughly $150–$400 depending on how many panels. Replacing individual corroded panels is $200–$500 each installed. Full replacement of a corroded system runs $15–$45 per square foot by type. Call (228) 279-1153 for a free local assessment.
