When choosing a rainwater system, there are many factors to consider. The decision on which material is best for you will often be related to cost, maintenance needs and installation. However, there are other important factors that also need to be considered. How long will aluminium gutters last? How much do aluminium gutters cost? Will aluminium guttering require much maintenance? Is aluminium guttering difficult to install? Are they environmentally friendly? What are the colour options? What profiles are available?
When specified and installed correctly, an aluminium gutter system will provide peace of mind in knowing that the property will be protected against water ingress for many years. Aluminium gutters are robust and durable, require minimal maintenance, and offer some serious kerb appeal!
1. How long will an aluminium gutter system last?
Aluminium is commonly used in applications where high corrosion resistance and longevity is essential (e.g. car bodies, aeroplanes, ship hulls, oil rigs etc).
When specifying an aluminium gutter system, it is crucial that the correct grade of aluminium is specified in order to prolong the life of the system. That’s because using lesser grades of aluminium will considerably reduce the life of the products.
Alugutter products are manufactured from high grade aluminium. We only use LM6 grade aluminium for cast parts and 6063 T5 hardened aluminium for extrusions. This ensures our systems are extremely robust and corrosion resistant - even in the harshest of environments!
The paint system applied is a baked-on exterior grade architectural polyester powder. Again, this is a high grade, durable solution that will last for many years.
All Alugutter products have a functional life expectancy of approximately 50 years with minimal maintenance. The polyester powder coating colours provide a decorative finish for more than 25 years. At the end of the paints’ decorative life, the gutters can be overpainted with a good quality metal paint.
The below table shows the approximate life expectancy of many popular gutter materials.
|
Material |
Material life expectancy |
Decorative life expectancy |
|
Aluminium (cast / extruded) |
50 years + |
25 Years |
|
Seamless Aluminium |
20 Years |
20 Years |
|
Cast Iron |
50 Years + |
10 Years |
|
Galvanized Steel |
20 Years |
10 Years |
|
Plastic |
20 Years |
5 - 10 Years |
2. How much does Aluminium guttering cost?
Typically, aluminium guttering is more expensive than a PVCu equivalent and is comparable to a galvanised steel system. As our aluminium gutters have a 50-year plus functional life expectancy, they will last much longer than other material choices, resulting in a better return on investment in the long term.
The installation cost of an aluminium gutter system will be slightly higher than a PVCu system. This is due to the additional application of high-performance silicone sealant, which must be applied into the joints. The joint sealant utilised is a low modulus sealant, which is specially designed to remain elastic in order to accommodate thermal movement.
This specialist type of sealant will not harden with age or perish at the same rate as a rubberised seal, enabling the system to remain leak free for much longer.
|
Material |
General material cost per 1m |
|
Aluminium |
£26 |
|
Cast Iron |
£38 |
|
Galvanized Steel |
£23 |
|
Plastic (Premium textured finish) |
£27 |
|
Plastic |
£8.50 |
*Sept 2021
3. Maintenance requirements for aluminium gutters
Powder coated aluminium rainwater systems have a proven track record for being extremely durable whilst requiring little maintenance.
This is one of the reasons they are widely specified in industrial and commercial applications. Commonly seen on high rise buildings, office blocks, schools, churches and retail units, they offer a significant saving on maintenance costs when compared to other materials.
However, as with aluminium windows and other painted surfaces, periodic cleaning of aluminium gutters should be undertaken to keep the system looking fresh.
In most cases, rainwater will wash away light grime build-up. To wash away pollutants or salt in saline environments, polyester powder coated surfaces only require fresh water and a soft brush to bring the original appearance back.
Once a year, or twice in a marine environment, we recommend that the gutter system is cleaned and joint integrity is checked. Any collected gutter debris should also be removed.
4. Are aluminium gutters difficult to install?
Each Alugutter system has been engineered using the latest manufacturing technologies, and with unique design features, to provide a simple and fast installation.
Installation can be carried out by either a competent trades person, or DIY enthusiast, when following our comprehensive installation guides.
Using either a hack saw with 18 teeth to 1” blade, or circular saw with appropriate aluminium cutting blade, gutter lengths can be cut to suit. Do not use angle grinders, as this will create an unsightly burr to the cut edges.
Our snap fit gutter systems clip together in a similar fashion to PVCu gutters. Low modulus silicone sealant is then applied to the joint surfaces, ensuring product longevity.
All our recommended screw fixings are A2 grade stainless steel, ensuring no bi-metallic corrosion can occur. These can be purchased on our website.
5. What are the environmental credentials of aluminium?
It is widely known that aluminium is one of the greenest metals available today. Aluminium has been used for over 125 years and 75% of that aluminium is still in use today. As an elemental material, aluminium is 100% sustainable: once produced it can be infinitely recycled without loss of properties and reused. This keeps scrap values high and means it should never go to landfill. Additionally, recycled aluminium uses just 5% of the initial energy required to produce new aluminium.
Aluminium federation fact file
6. Aluminium gutter profiles and colour options
Alugutter offers a range of standard aluminium gutter profiles including Half Round, Deepflow, Box and Traditional Moulded Ogee. We are also happy to consider bespoke options formed from aluminium sheet, so the choices really are infinite!
Colour choices are an important consideration in any build project. Our aluminium eaves systems are offered in an extensive range of standard colour options including the popular RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey and Textured Black. If you’re looking for a specific colour for your project, we are able to coat to any RAL or BS colour (for an additional charge).
7. Can aluminium guttering and downpipes be overpainted?
Following many years of service, once the paint finish loses its original lustre, the painted surfaces can be overpainted using a good quality metal paint.
Surfaces should be first be sanded down with a light abrasive to remove any of the old loose paint. The system can then be cleaned in preparation for the primer.
Apply a good quality metal primer, leave to dry, and then apply the paint as per manufacturer’s instructions!
8. Fire rating of aluminium guttering and downpipes
Aluminium as a material does not burn. It is classed under BS476-4 as a non-combustible building material and Class A1 under European regulations.
The decorative polyester powder coatings used on our products are rated under EN13501-1 as A2-s1, d0.
This means our products conform fully with Approved Document B requirements and can be utilised on any part of any building without limitation.
Sources:
To view our full range of high performance aluminium guttering systems please click here.
For any further information please visit www.alugutter.co.uk or call us on 01234 958 659 where our expert technical team would be happy to discuss further.