This is not an exhaustive or a complete subject. It is likely to change over time, with edits, additions and deletions, and is simply a collection of my thoughts based on many years of experience. You should follow your instincts, and you must always seek your own professional advice.
When thinking about metal corrosion in older buildings, the most frequent response is to consider cavity wall-tie failure. This is very much a real problem for some properties, especially those in exposed locations or perhaps in a coastal environment, and it is widely documented.
There are other ways that metals can feature in old buildings and cause problems. Some of these are shown below. They are always complicated and expensive to fix.
Here, we can see sectional faience. The sections are held together and in place by a metal bar that runs through the centre. The bars are prone to rusting. The expansion from the rusting has cause the faience to fracture.
Here we can see damage caused by corrosion of steel columns that were not adequately protected and were abutting the external masonry. Vertical cracking is a frequent observation that the surveyor should look out for.
Metal stairs, often used for fire escapes are exposed all year and are prone to corrosion and fracture
Metal framed window, as seen here, are very common locations for corrosion when the frames are not galvanised.
Other common locations to look for are concrete with steel reinforcement embedded. This is now increasingly common and can be very hard to assess and repair.
Disclaimer: Anything posted in this Blog is for general information only and it is not in any way intended to provide any advice, legal or otherwise, on any general or specific matter that you can rely on. You should always seek your own legal and surveying advice.