Gutters are fixed at the lower edge of the roof of a building to collect rainwater and drain it on downspouts. Just like any home improvement strategy, guttering plays a significant role in stabilizing your building. Apart from adding an aesthetic effect to the appearance of a building, it’s a drainage system that directs water from your building, thereby preventing potential water damage. It protects a building’s foundation, prevents basement flooding, erosion, paint chipping, mould growth and keeps your landscape safe, among others.
A guttering system can be made from wood, steel, cast iron, or plastic. However, plastic guttering, such as unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), keeps proving to be the preferred material for constructing a gutter among builders and owners. This is due to the several advantages it offers over other materials.
In this article, you’ll learn four key advantages of using a plastic guttering system.
1. Strong And Durable
Plastic guttering is produced from moulded plastic, which makes it exceptionally stronger and durable than metal or wood guttering material. The fact that it doesn’t have welded seams and produced as one mould makes it corrosion free and water resistant. The longevity of your plastic guttering is guaranteed, as it can never rust, freeze, or corrode. It can also withstand different temperatures and the harshest of weather conditions.
Going for plastic guttering produced by reputable retailers such as EasyMerchant ensures the top-notch quality of the materials they offer. Furthermore, plastic guttering is built to be flexible enough to adjust to extra weight. You don’t have to worry about snow, water, debris, and other materials weighing down your guttering system.
Also, unlike the flaw in metal guttering, it doesn’t bend, twist, wear, or tear and shows fewer dents or blemishes. It keeps the appearance you paid for for several years.
2. Easy To Install
Another advantage of using plastic guttering is its lightweight nature, which makes it easier for builders and roofers to load and transfer around on-site. Carrying wood or steel up a ladder for installation requires more effort and risk.
Plastic guttering poses fewer risks to roofers. Since plastic is lightweight, this also makes the installation process quicker and more convenient than other guttering materials. Every part of a plastic guttering system can be installed easily from the gutter brackets, guttering downpipes, utter brackets, and others. All its parts simply clip easily with each other, making attaching it to roofs more secure.
This makes it an ideal do-it-yourself (DIY) project for anyone, but it’s always advisable to get professionals and experienced roofers to install your plastic guttering. This is to avoid errors that may have been prevented. Installation errors will put your building or house at risk of water damage, possibly costing you double in the long term.
3. More Affordable
Plastic guttering is still the best you can come by at a decent rate for someone who wants a long-lasting guttering system within a fixed budget. Among every other guttering material, plastic is widely accepted to be the most affordable. Steel guttering can cost almost as much as plastic guttering.
This cost-effective solution comes in a variety of styles, colours, and shapes, which means you can design a plastic guttering system that suits your building’s aesthetic. The parts can also be easily replaced since they don’t cost much. Besides, since installing plastic guttering is easy, labor costs could also be low.
However, the quotes you’ll get from contractors and roofers may vary. It mostly depends on the type of quality of plastic guttering you’re purchasing and where you’re getting it from. Get quotes from different suppliers to ensure you’re being offered a fair price. Most importantly, ensure the quality of the plastic guttering you’ve chosen to get the most value for your money.
4. Low Maintenance
It’s a popular belief that gutters can be time-consuming and expensive to clean. Plastic guttering negates this belief as it requires low maintenance. Since it’s made of uPVC, it doesn’t rust or corrode; its blemishes and scratches are less visible, so you don’t have to repaint it to maintain its appearance. The color doesn’t wash out either, as it’s part of the material and has not been painted. This makes it nearly maintenance-free.
All it really requires to keep it working is removing blockage occasionally. Hosing it regularly is vital to flush out any blockages. Its setup makes it very convenient to clean. You just need to remove debris so rainwater can flow easily through it.
Conclusion
A plastic guttering system is a great choice for protecting your building’s structure from water damage. Its advantages can’t be overemphasized. It’s strong, durable, easy to install, affordable, and requires minimal maintenance. Ensure a competent and well-experienced contractor is installing your plastic guttering system to enjoy all its advantages.
