Nangona ibala lokugcina elimanzi okanye 'umhlwa omhlophe' kunqabile ukuba liphazamise amandla okukhusela elaphu eligqunyiweyo, sisifo sobuhle ekulula ukusiphepha.

Ibala lokugcina amanzi lenzeka xa izinto ezisandul’ ukugalelwa zichatshazelwa kukufuma okufana nemvula, umbethe okanye ukufuma (ukufuma okuphezulu), kwaye zihlala kwindawo enomoya omncinci phezu kwendawo engaphezulu. Ezi meko zinokuchaphazela indlela eyenzeka ngayo i-patina ekhuselayo.

Ngokwesiqhelo, i-zinc iqala isabela ngeoksijini ukuze yenze i-zinc oxide, ize emva koko ibe nokufuma ukuze yenze i-zinc hydroxide. Xa umoya ungena kakuhle, i-zinc hydroxide emva koko iguqukela kwi-zinc carbonate ukuze ikhusele i-zinc, ngaloo ndlela icothisa izinga layo lokugqwala. Nangona kunjalo, ukuba i-zinc ayinayo indlela yokufikelela emoyeni ohamba ngokukhululekileyo kwaye ihlala ivezwe kukufuma, i-zinc hydroxide iyaqhubeka nokukhula endaweni yoko kwaye yenze ibala lokugcina elimanzi.

Umhlwa omhlophe ungakhula kangangeeveki okanye ubusuku bonke ukuba iimeko zilungile. Kwiindawo ezisemacaleni olwandle, amabala okugcina amanzi angavela nakwizinto eziqokelelweyo zetyuwa emoyeni ezifunxa umswakama ebusuku.

Ezinye iintsimbi ezigayiweyo zinokuvelisa uhlobo lwebala lokugcina elimanzi elaziwa ngokuba yi-'black spotting', elibonakala njengamabala amnyama ane-white powdery rust okanye angenawo. Olu hlobo lwebala lokugcina elimanzi lixhaphake kakhulu kwi-light gauge steel efana namaphepha, ii-purlin kunye namacandelo angenanto anodonga oluncinci. Kunzima kakhulu ukuyicoca kuneendlela eziqhelekileyo ze-white rust, kwaye ngamanye amaxesha amabala asenokubonakala emva kokucoca.