Air Pollution to Property

This building in Copola, Mexico, has been damaged by acid rain.
Click on image for full size (155 Kb)
Courtesy of UCAR Digital Image Library
In addition to damaging the environment and human health, air pollution can harm buildings, monuments, outdoor statues, and other such structures. The acidic properties of air pollution corrode materials such as sandstone, limestone, mortar, and different metals. Acid rain dissolves calcium carbonate, a substance found in different types of stone, and leaves crystals behind. The crystals grow and create cracks in the stone.

Repairing the damage, particularly to historic structures, can be very expensive. The National Center for Preservation Technology & Training studies the environmental effects of pollution on cultural resources and works to restore and protect historic structures and monuments.

Homeowners also pay a price for air pollution. Acid rain can dissolve paint and corrode aluminum siding, while dirt particles in the air diminish a home's aesthetic appearance.


Air Pollution to Property

This building in Copola, Mexico, has been damaged by acid rain. This building in Copola, Mexico, has been damaged by acid rain.
Click on image for full size (155 Kb)
Courtesy of UCAR Digital Image Library
In addition to damaging the environment and human health, air pollution can harm buildings, monuments, outdoor statues, and other such structures. The chemicals in air pollution eat away at materials such as sandstone, limestone, mortar, and different metals. Acid rain dissolves stone and can create cracks in buildings.

Repairing this damage, particularly to historic structures, can be very expensive. The National Center for Preservation Technology & Training studies the environmental effects of pollution on property and works to restore and protect historic structures and monuments.

Homeowners also pay a price for air pollution. Acid rain can dissolve paint and eat away at aluminum siding, while dirt particles in the air stick to a house and ruin its appearance.


Air Pollution to Property

This building in Copola, Mexico, has been damaged by acid rain.This building in Copola, Mexico, has been damaged by acid rain.
Click on image for full size (155 Kb)
Courtesy of UCAR Digital Image Library
Air pollution isn't just bad for people, plants, and animals. It's even bad for buildings and other big structures you see outside, like statues and monuments. The chemicals in air pollution eat away at the stone the buildings are made out of and can cause cracks in them. It can also make them look dirty. When it rains, air pollution in the rain can ruin the paint on houses.

It costs a lot to fix a building once air pollution has harmed it, especially if it's a very old building. Luckily, there is a place called the National Center for Preservation Technology & Training that is studying the problem and trying to fix buildings that have been damaged by air pollution.



Page created February 7, 2006 by Jennifer Bergman. Last modified February 13, 2006 by Julia Genyuk.
The source of this material is Windows to the Universe, at http://www.windows.ucar.edu/ at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). © The Regents of the University of Michigan. All Rights Reserved. Site policies and disclaimer