The estimated annual cost of corrosion is a staggering 3% of the US GDP, and with tighter state and federal budgets, the impact is being felt more and more. The direct life-cycle cost of maintenance due to corrosion for any one project is 2-5 times the initial cost, while indirect costs are estimated at 5-11 times the direct cost of repair.

The growing corrosion problem in North America and associated costs make the selection of a corrosion protection system for your project critical. However, too often the only cost analysis performed when a project begins is initial cost. Life-cycle cost (LCC) is a more complete analysis as it considers the  total cost over the life of the project (initial + maintenance).

Many specifiers have the perception hot-dipped galvanizing is cost prohibitive on an intial cost basis. However, due to regular process improvement over the past ten years, hot-dip galvanizing has steadily become more competitive (and often less expensive) on an initial cost basis than other corrosion protection systems. Furthermore, because galvanized steel requires no maintenance for 70 or more years in most environments, it is often two to six times more economical on a life-cycle basis, i.e. over the expected life of a project.

Because projects are often complex and comprised of different steel sizes and quantities, your local galvanizer is best suited to assist you with pricing for your specific project. Find a galvanizer now. However, the American Galvanizers Association (AGA) has developed an online LIfe-Cycle Cost Calculator (LCCC) that automates the calculation found in ASTM A 1068 and allows you to compare the initial and life-cycle cost of hot-dip galvanizing to 30+ other corrosion protection systems. The galvanizing cost calculator allows you to input the specific parameters of your project in three quick screens, and then provides a customized, printable comparison of initial and life-cycle costs of galvanizing and your selected corrosion protection system.