A method of providing sulfidation corrosion resistance and corrosion induced fouling resistance for a heat transfer component is disclosed. The heat transfer component includes a heat exchange surface formed from a chromium-enriched oxide containing material formed from the composition δ, ε, and ζ, wherein ζ is a steel containing at least about 5 to about 40 wt. % chromium, ε is a chromium enriched oxide (M3O4 or M2O3 or mixtures thereof) formed on the surface of the steel ζ, wherein M is a metal containing at least 5 wt. % Cr based on the total weight of the metal M, and δ is a top layer formed on the surface of the chromium-enriched oxide ε, comprising sulfide, oxide, oxysulfide, and mixtures thereof. The top layer δ comprises iron sulfide (Fe1-xS), iron oxide (Fe3O4), iron oxysulfide, iron-chromium sulfide, iron-chromium oxide, iron-chromium oxysulfide, and mixtures thereof. The metal M of the chromium enriched oxide (M3O4 or M2O3 or mixtures thereof) may comprise Fe, Cr, and constituting elements of the steel ζ. The steel ζ may be selected from low chromium steels, ferritic stainless steels, martensitic stainless steels, austenitic stainless steels, duplex stainless steels and precipitation-hardenable alloys.