Which gutter system to choose: plastic or metal?
What material is safer for the drainage system: plastic or metal? Almost all people who are at the stage of building a house face this question. Let's take a closer look at each type of material.
Plastic drainage systems have become popular due to the cheap, but high-quality material - polymer. It contains vinyl, as well as stabilizers that improve the material's resistance to ultraviolet radiation. The service life of these products is from 10 to 25 years. Yes, this is far from eternal material, but it has a lot of positive performance characteristics. Let's consider them in more detail.
Advantages of plastic gutter:
- Ease.
- Anti-corrosive qualities.
- Resistant to external irritants and high temperatures.
- Fast installation.
- Smooth surface.
- Low emission of sounds during rain and other precipitation.
- Affordable cost.
Now let's consider the disadvantages of a plastic drain:
- Low resistance to stress.
- Change in size when freezing and heating.
- The fragility of the coating.
Now I will talk a little about the characteristics of metal gutter systems. In the drainage market, metal products are in high demand and remain in demand for many years. Metal systems provide durable, uninterrupted drainage of rain and other precipitation. Durability is a very important advantage of metal gutter systems.
Despite the differences between different types of metal, they all have a number of the same positive properties:
- Durability (up to 100 years).
- Durability and reliability.
- Resistant to sudden changes in temperature.
- Resistant to thermal expansion.
Disadvantages of a metal drainage system:
- Heavy weight.
- High thermal conductivity.
- High noise levels.
- The likelihood of rust.
So which gutter should you choose: plastic or metal? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to pay attention to many factors, especially the cost and durability of the material.
The most optimal choice of material is considered, the service life of which is the same as the durability of the roof. That is, the need to replace the roof should come at the same time as the need to replace the drainage system.
If you choose by cost, the cheapest systems are plastic gutters, as well as galvanized models. The most expensive models are copper and titanium-zinc systems. However, it is important to understand that without proper care and timely repair work, even the highest-quality system will not last long.