Paint damage evaluation: Environmental effect

Basic factors: Damaging effects to paint

Paint is subjected to a variety of chemical effects. These effects can be subdivided into two different groups:

A Effects of biological nature

The most frequent causes of damage here are bird excrements, insect impacts, excrements from plant lice, discoloration caused by blossoms, buds, pollen, resin. Damage can also result from bee excrements, flower and grain dust or feed residues.

B Effects from industrial sources

These include acidic rain or acidic condensate. Other possibilities include items such as:

 Plant protective agents, herbicides, insecticides, etc. concrete and cement dust, lime or concrete splashes.

 Spray fog from building paints, stains or silicon resins (facade impregnation agents), paint remover droplets, polyurethane foam from insulating work, metal abrasion in metallic or rusted form.

 Liquids such as brake fluid, solvents, etc.

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 There is no reliable method to stop the effects of such substances today!

For this reason it is necessary for the vehicle owner to contribute to maintenance of the body and paintwork of his car immediately after the vehicle is delivered! The effects mentioned previously must be kept as slight as possible through regular care. The best protection for paint against damaging environmental effects is frequent washing and represervation/waxing.

The longer biological residues or industrial contamination remains on the vehicle paintwork, the more permanent the damaging effect!

For this reason aggressive substances should be removed immediately!

In addition to the period of time the substances act on the surface, humidity and temperature also play a decisive role.

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Analysis is possible, however, connected with a great deal of expense and frequently not very successful.

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In most cases the substances causing the damage have already been washed off or have evaporated.

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