Discerning homeowners know that a fully functioning guttering system is one of the most important things they can do to protect their home and its foundations or cellar from damage by rainwater. There are plastic gutters, aluminium gutters, copper gutters and cast iron gutters and choosing between them is not always easy. All of these options offer varying prices, lifespan and attractiveness. But the consistent winner is aluminium.
Both homeowners and designers are opting for aluminium gutters more and more. Their position as the cheapest type of guttering after PVC is one of the reasons for this. The savings that can be made on purchasing aluminium rather than other materials are furthered by it’s cheap installation.
One of the biggest advantages of aluminium guttering is the fact that no soldering is required to install it, so a professional’s help isn’t always necessary. Also, aluminium gutters require practically no maintenance. They won’t rust like cast iron gutters and require only the same cleaning as any other gutter to avoid leaf build up.
Leaks often appear at the seams and joints of other types of gutters and require repair. This isn’t a problem with aluminium gutters. There are no seams or joints since gutters are made from a single malleable tube bent into the required shape.
As a result of this simple and rare maintenance, aluminium guttering is long lasting. On average aluminium guttering will last three times as long as plastic which is likely to need replacing after only ten years. This is why aluminium gutters represent such good value for money.
Finally, homeowners and designers alike are, rightly, concerned with aesthetics. Sometimes guttering of a certain colour may be preferred to keep a home attractive. Whilst plastic and iron can be difficult to pain, aluminium is not. When cast iron has been painted, it is likely to peel; aluminium does not have this problem.
