Our fire place has a brass colored attached screen that seems to be corroding. (I think the material is brass but I don’t actually know.) How do I determine what the metal is and stop the corrosion?
You can hold a magnet to it & if it sticks it has a Steel/Iron base. It may be able to be replaced for a cheap price. If you prefer to focus on preventing future corrosion, there are many options. If it is fully removable, you can take it to a powder coating specialist & have a clear powder coating applied. This will seal out the oxygen & water that is corroding the material. Another cheaper alternative would be to buy some “Automotive” Header/block paint or grill heat resistant paint good to 1600-2000 degrees & you can spray the clear coat onto the material as is and take changes of coverage. It is always best to prep the material first by scuffing it with a nylon brush and use a tack cloth to remove debris before painting.