An important element in the design of a private house is a drain. With its help, rain and melt water is removed from the roof. An incorrectly selected and installed drain can cause flooding of the foundation and excessive wetting of the walls. Which gutter system to choose - plastic or metal - is decided by the owner of the building, based on his needs and preferences.
Types of drainage systems
In the absence of a drainage system, walls and foundations are exposed to the negative effects of rain and melt water. The destruction of exterior finishes and load-bearing structures is accelerated. A correctly selected drain will postpone the overhaul of the building for a significant period.
Any system for draining water from the roof of a building has the same components: adapters, funnels, corners, elbows, plugs, gutters and pipes of different diameters. A variety of parts and mounting materials allows you to assemble a system of any complexity, length and configuration.
Drains are divided into two groups:
- plastic: PVC, polypropylene and polyethylene;
- metal: steel, copper, zinc and aluminum.
The choice of material for the installation of the roof drainage structure depends on the shape of the roof, the amount of precipitation, and the average air temperature in the region. Before buying a drain, you need to carefully study all the subtleties of the proposed options. Sometimes you need to give preference to metal, in other cases it is more practical to use inexpensive plastic.
The diameter of the drain is 5-15 centimeters. It is chosen in accordance with the angle of inclination of the roof slope: the greater the slope, the wider the gutters and pipes.
Features of metal construction
Metal ebbs are divided by type of material. The most common are:
- copper;
- galvanized steel;
- aluminum and its alloy with zinc;
- an alloy of titanium with zinc.
The advantages include:
- operation up to 150 years;
- resistance to loads;
- resistance to low and high temperatures.
Aluminum structures are resistant to corrosion, since the material in the air under the influence of ultraviolet rays is coated with an oxide film, which protects it from destruction.
Disadvantages of metal systems:
- The weight of the metal is significantly more compared to plastic. Before starting the installation, you need to check the strength of the rafter frame, otherwise the drainage system can cause roof deformation.
- The metal has high thermal conductivity and freezes in winter. For uninterrupted operation of the ebb tide during the winter period, in the northern regions resort to the installation of heating gutters and funnels.
- Under raindrops, the design is quite noisy.
- If the protective layer is damaged, rust appears.
So that the drain looks good and lasts longer, galvanized elements are coated with polymeric materials. Coating with pural or plastisol allows you to increase the service life of structures up to 35-50 years. The polyester coating will last up to 15 years, after which the protection will begin to thin out, the steel base will be exposed to moisture, it will begin to deteriorate. Teflon is sometimes added to polyester. This is a stronger protection, but its color scheme is limited to gray tones.
Features of a plastic drain
The plastic construction will last up to 15 years, some manufacturers guarantee a service life of up to 25 years. Such drains are not eternal, but have excellent characteristics, low cost, are made in a wide range of colors.
Manufacturers paint components for plastic gutters on the RAL scale, which allows them to be selected for the roof covering.The most popular are brown, silver or copper systems. The ebbs of plastic look better in combination with a roof made of ceramic and bituminous tiles.
Advantages of plastic systems:
- Weight lighter than metal, does not load the roof truss system. Due to this property, plastic drains can be installed during roof repairs on old buildings, where the roof frame has already decayed.
- Plastic is not subject to corrosion.
- The ability to maintain performance at temperatures from -50 to +70 degrees.
- Resistance to aggressive environments. Recommended for use on the coast or near factories.
- Easy installation. The design can be assembled independently, all the necessary components are sold in specialized stores.
- The walls are smooth, which does not allow dirt and small debris to linger on their surface. Even without constant care, the plastic construction retains a well-groomed appearance for a long time.
- Low noise during rain.
Design disadvantages:
- Low resistance to loads. The descent of snow and ice from the roof surface will irreversibly damage the plastic. To strengthen the design, you need to correctly calculate the required number of brackets and install them in increments of 50-60 centimeters.
- Temperature differences are reflected in linear dimensions. To prevent cracking in the structure in winter, it is assembled using special compensators and rubber seals.
- With a decrease in air temperature in winter, plastic becomes brittle. If the winter is snowy, the gutters will burst under the pressure of precipitation.
- In the sun, color gradually fades.
Drains made of plastic expand in the summer. The design of 10 meters in length is increased to 2.5 centimeters.
The choice of a gutter system directly depends on the financial possibilities of the homeowner, but proper care will help extend the life of even inexpensive products. The cheapest models are plastic and galvanized, the most expensive are copper and titanium-zinc.
