"Rust" on my copper roof?


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Old 06-14-18, 08:05 AM
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"Rust" on my copper roof?

I have a bay window with a copper roof. I noticed some corrosion which looks like rust. At first I thought that they might have used steel rivets, they didn't. I climbed up to take these pictures and noticed that the corrosion wipes off fairly easily and obviously in in the area not protected by the eave. So, is this caused by rain? Why the rust color? Does anybody have an idea on how to make this age with one color?
 
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Old 06-14-18, 08:44 AM
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Kind of looks like overspray. Could be something dripping off the trees. That's very odd.
 
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Old 06-14-18, 08:52 AM
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I think the largest tree above it is a walnut, could that be it?
 
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Old 06-14-18, 08:53 AM
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Maybe. I know walnut trees have sticky sap that gets your hands dirty when you pick them.
 
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Old 06-14-18, 09:06 AM
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I thought maybe I would try wiping it down with vinegar. The "rust" seems to wipe off, I just want it to be one color.

Perhaps years of "acid rain"?
 

Last edited by cdrat; 06-14-18 at 09:30 AM.
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Old 06-14-18, 10:09 AM
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Everything needs to be washed at least once every 20 years. lol
 
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Old 06-14-18, 12:28 PM
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Are you sure it's copper? kind of looks likes old galvanized to me.
If it is copper it should clean up nicely with a little effort.
 
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Old 06-14-18, 12:35 PM
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I am not sure, but a magnet does not stick and I scraped the edge and it looked gold colored, so I assume it is.

What would you use to clean it that would not get rid of the more natural looking patina?
 
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Old 06-14-18, 12:43 PM
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I think any dish soap, 409, simple green, etc... would clean dirt without removing the patina.
 
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Old 06-14-18, 12:45 PM
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..... and if you do end up removing some of the patina - it will return in a few yrs or less.
 
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Old 06-14-18, 12:46 PM
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Thanks Guys! I will get on it.
 
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Old 06-14-18, 01:59 PM
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It certainly looks like a rain or drip line, but I don't think that alone would give you that look, so would also think the walnut tree is a contributing factor. I would do at least a little research into what acids or whatever that walnut trees have, and then a little more into how those elements react with copper, just to see how critical it may or may not be. Then it becomes a simple choice of cleaning it regularly out of necessity, cleaning it periodically as a matter of aesthetics, or letting it go and see if the rest of it begins to match over time.
 
 

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