Aluminum Pool Screen Enclosure

[grf1966]

Our aluminum screen enclosure was built in 1998 under Miami-Dade Hurricane Codes. It was built using 6063 alloy alluminum. In the past year we noted a strange discoloration beginning to cover the frame. It started as small greenish oxidation in a circular pattern and now covers almost 70% (my estimation) of the enclosure.

The company that installed the screen will not return my telephone calls even though I have stated that I recognize the warranty is up. I simply want to know how to fix this. I have pictures for anyone to view if necessary.

Can someone provide me with a solution to this problem?

Thank you

[Dan Espen]

Green indicates it's alive. No oxide of aluminum would be green.

Clean with bleach solution.

[Pete C.]

Possibly and certainly wouldn't hurt to clean it with bleach and rinse well.

The aluminum is in all probability anodized so it isn't going to oxidize (anodizing is an oxide), but it's also likely a color dyed anodize and if the dye is lower quality and not UV resistant it could be fading.

If you were particularly anal you could dismantle the enclosure and bring all the AL parts to an anodizing shop to be stripped and reanodized.

[gfretwell]

That is just algea, you can pressure clean it off. The problem is the paint failed and it is absorboing water. If this is bronze (the brown color) you can paint it with spray cans once you get it clean and the charcoal screen won't look too bad. If it is white .... well now you know why white was a bad choice. Maybe a clear sealer.

[grf1966]

Thank you both for your suggestions. I tried bleach and chlorine but it did not remove the staining. This is not mold. A screen company I asked to look at the problem told me this am that the paint the installer used to touch up the scratches is now oxidizing. So it's repaint it or live with it. Any suggestions?

Thank you

[Dan Espen]

Pictures.

Some things don't compute. You say this is touch up paint and it covers 70% of the enclosure.

Bleach sometimes takes a day to do the job. I've cleaned white gutters with bleach with no apparent effect but come back a day later and they are sparkling white.

[Richard J Kinch]

What color paint?

A bronze color paint might be using powdered copper for metallic pigment which could oxidize green.

It wouldn't be bonded to the aluminum, though, just a polymer paint coating. See if it comes off with methylene chloride paint stripper.

[Lester Jordan]

Try Awesome cleaner from the dollar store it's fairly cheap but be careful to do small sections apply at 100 percent potency for a couple seconds and remove with clean water or a sponge beware if left over a few seconds it will remove the paint as well so small sections