It is not uncommon in the construction industry to encounter scenarios where it was assumed that stainless steel would not corrode. There are multiple grades of stainless steel: austenitic, martensitic, ferritic, duplex, and precipitation hardening. Duplex stainless steels were developed to combine mechanical and corrosion resistance properties of austenite and ferrite phases and consequently, they have found increasing application in highly corrosive environments. However, they are not immune to corrosion attacks due to sensitization or high temperature and high chloride environments.  

There are many other factors to consider when choosing stainless steel components for enhanced durability. For instance, if the stainless steel is not properly passivated, chances are it will end up corroding unless the corrosivity of the environment is very low. There are also design, fabrication, and installation factors that could completely undermine stainless steel’s capacity to reach its expected service life.

To summarize, the selection of stainless steel does not imply that your assets will be immune to corrosion. If minimizing assets’ life cycle costs is your top priority, engaging corrosion protection specialists is the best warranty any asset owner could have.