Steel Gutters MN

What Are Steel Gutters? What Are the Benefits of Installing Them?

Stainless steel gutters are superior to their vinyl and aluminum counterparts. Of course, they are
more expensive than their cousins as well. However, making the financial commitment to install
steel will save you in the long run as these gutters will be able to endure practically anything
nature throws at them.

Steel gutters are typically constructed from painted steel or galvanized steel. The individual
pieces are either riveted together or soldered. A variety of attachment mechanisms can be used to
secure them to the building including: exterior brackets, hidden brackets or strap hangers.

Benefits of Steel Gutters

Besides their overall durability and strength, steel gutters are better equipped to resist weather
damage. Oftentimes, our gutters get pretty beat up due to snow storms, ice buildup, falling tree
branches and hail storms. After a severe wind storm, it is common to see puncture marks and excess
water leaking from traditional gutter materials.

Thankfully, this is uncommon with steel. Extra ladder support is another benefit during your
biannual cleaning routine. Perhaps you need to clean even more often if you reside under a
deciduous tree or have a copious amount of pine needles to contend with.

If you accidentally slip and step into a steel gutter while you are up on your roof, you will fare
better than if your work boot crunched into another material such as vinyl or aluminum. The
strength component is what makes these gutters stand out from the competition.

How Do Steel Gutters Compare To the Rest?

Believe it or not, original gutters were initially constructed out of wood! After the invention of
machines that could flatten and roll out and shape metal, other gutter products emerged on the
market. The most commonly used today include aluminum and vinyl designs. Copper gutters are rare
like steel and extremely strong as well.

Many people choose less expensive materials at first; however, after years of gutter replacement
and repairs (not to mention expensive water damage that can occur to your home if water leaks
behind the gutter and penetrates your foundation or exterior walls) many people are deciding to
increase their gutter budget and choose a product such as steel with a longer lifespan.

The Rust Dilemma
One of the main issues with steel gutters is their potential to eventually rust. Regardless if you
chose a painted material or decided on a shiny galvanized version, steel gutters are prone to rust.
If you want to ensure as little maintenance as possible in the future, consider choosing steel
gutters that have been coated with an aluminum-zinc layer. This process will offer you the strength
of steel that you desire, along with more corrosion resistance.

Temperature Fluctuation

There is the regular expansion and contraction issue to contend with steel gutters, as with any
metal during periods of heat and cold. A fifty foot length of steel will contract or expand
approximately one quarter of an inch with a temperature change of 50 degrees. Just for comparison
sake, aluminum gutters change at roughly twice that rate.

Routine Cleaning and Inspection

Regardless of what gutter material you choose, you will still have to clean and inspect your rain
gutters. Steel gutters are the strongest; however, they still need to remain free of debris in
order to function at their optimum level.