Why Choose Steel Rain Gutter
So why choose steel rain gutter. Choosing a rain gutter was a decision I needed to make recently. My old gutter had deteriorated to the point that it had more holes per running foot that I could justify keeping it working. I have time on my hands and less money in my pocket. This was going to have to be a DIY project.
Continuous Gutter Machines
Now I could just as easily have it replaced by calling one of those traveling gutter making machines. I had seen them working on my neighbors home. They do produce a beautiful product. No seams in their product. Also, it would definitely take less time to complete the project with these guys. But making this a DIY project will help me save a few dollars over the gutter machine guys. Also, I can live with the seams. Also sealing a seam is a piece of cake(very simple).
Getting to the Roof
All thru its life, I have been up and down on the roof too many times to count. A ladder placed against the gutter to get up there each and every time. I don’t want to worry about my gutters getting dented when I need to get on the roof. Gutters last a very long time and I don’t want to see dented gutters. Besides if I need to, I can always install an extra spike and ferrule to reinforce the places I use to get to the roof.
On the Shelf
A steel rain gutter is an “off the shelf” type of item. I can easily make this a DIY project. Luckily for me, all the gutter parts I need are “on the shelf” of my local big box store. I can buy all the pieces to put together my new gutter.
Simple Design
Gutters can come in many shapes. Some rain gutters shapes can have fancy curves. I like the look of my steel gutters. They have a simple profile with straight lines. I’m lucky no fancy curves to have to deal with in my case. The gutters are full-faced with the width of the fascia boards. They blend into the house and do not call attention to themselves. I like that.
Longevity
You might want to say “What about rust?”. Well, I have had this failed gutter after forty years and it now needs replacement. That is a very long time before rust got thru the gutter. Besides, there are coatings now that were not available when this original gutter was first pressed into service. I can use these new coatings and rust inhibitors to extend the life of the new steel gutter even further.
Load Capacity
Another plus for steel gutters is what recently happened to me recently. I had not caught the fact that my gutter guard screens had deteriorated. They had allowed the gutter to become clogged. A recent rain completely filled the gutter to the top. That’s a lot of weight. Steel is stronger and resists bending more so than an aluminum gutter. I think, had the gutters been aluminum their shape would have distorted under that kind of weight.
In Conclusion
So my thoughts are that the new gutter will be steel. The reasons why I choose steel rain gutter are:
- Steel for durability.
- I can place the ladder against it to get to the roof without worry of dents.
- All the parts are “on the shelf”(no special parts needed) making it a good low dollar replacement choice for a homeowner.
- It has a simple design with no fancy curves.
- With off the shelf corners, both inner and outer corners available, a complex gutter design can be assembled by a homeowner if needed.
- New coatings can be used to extend the life of the gutter.
- I’m going to save some cash by doing it myself over the gutter machine guys.
(By User:Randall1022 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)
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