HELP! Rehabbing a kiln after a hurricane

[Catmanolis]

I had been saving for a Skutt KS 1027 for over a year when a new acquaintance said she'd GIVE me one because it had been through Hurricane Florence and had definitely been flooded. After talking to Skutt via phone, I just ordered 3 new 3 heat switches and 5 plugs. They thought that was a good start and would probably  do the trick. My questions now are:

1) Does anyone know the best way to get rid of this weird mold growing on the lid?(see pic)

2) What is the best way to clean up the rusted metal latches etc? (see pics)

3) What is the best way to clean up the rust and mold inside the red boxes? (see pics)

THANK YOU for any help you can provide on this!

[liambesaw]

The mold on the lid is actually efflorescence.  It happens when kilns get wet.  Soluble salts migrate to the surface where the water evaporates, leaving a fuzzy layer of salt and discoloration.  It will eventually go away.

[Denice]

The temp you will be firing to will eliminate  any mold.  I would scrub your cover and take a wire brush to the rusted areas,  you could hit it with some high temp engine paint.   Denice

[neilestrick]

Just take a wire brush to any loose rust. If you want to paint the boxes you could but the rust will likely come through the paint and ruin it eventually. Don't worry about discoloration of the bricks or stainless steel.

[Catmanolis]

Thank you all for the great input! I'm getting the impression that these babies are tanks, virtually bullet proof! So excited that there is something that our many and extreme hurricanes can't destroy!!

[Mark C.]

I took my boxes off last year and wire wheeled all the paint off and then treated the metal with ospho deruster then painted with high heat paint

you cab do the same with any rusted metal.  That kiln need a lid support to hold it open by the way skutt sells them. You only need the flat rod as the rest is there

[neilestrick]

32 minutes ago, Mark C. said:

That kiln need a lid support to hold it open by the way skutt sells them. You only need the flat rod as the rest is there

Can't buy just the rod. You have to get the whole kit. But that's not a bad thing because the new style is much better than the old one on that kiln.

[Catmanolis]

Thank you, great input! I'll start wire wheeling today! And, you are right about needing a brand new lid support, that one is obsolete now.

[JohnnyK]

As for the rust, Krud Kutter makes an excellent rust removal product Krud Kutter The Must for Rust 8 oz. Rust Remover and Inhibitor-MR086 - The Home Depot  I've used a number of rust removers and found this one to be the best...

[Ann E. V.]

Im wondering how your rehabbed kiln worked?  I, and several friends, have had kilns soaked with saltwater from Hurricane Ian and would love to know if there is any hope?  My kiln is an L&L and they told me to scrap the kiln due to the salt absorbed into the brick which would turn into a salt-glaze and would ruin the porosity of the brick and also corrode the elements.  I would love to find that wasn't so?

[Bill Kielb]

4 hours ago, Ann E. V. said:

I would love to find that wasn't so?

Sorry I can’t think of a simple way to remove the sodium chloride effectively. I am afraid they are right.