The Gutter Mesh Wars: Plastic vs Metal
Suppose you go out into the market to look for the right gutter mesh for your requirements, the first and major thing you are going to look for in a gutter mesh is the material it is made from.
Types Of Gutter Mesh Materials
The majority of gutter meshes in Australia are made from plastic, steel, or aluminum. However, the material that is best for you is determined by your budget, how high or low the risk of bushfire is in your area, the requirements of how strong the mesh should be, and so on. By considering the environment and the place where your house is situated can narrow down the options for you and make it easier to decide which gutter mesh material you should buy.
Protection From Fires
In order to protect your house from fire, you are required to get non-combustible materials that would protect your house from an ember attack or the risk of a bushfire. These materials are heat-resistant steel or aluminum. Many gutter meshes are made from plastic also withstand fire. However, it is important to note that in order to withstand a bushfire or an ember attack, you need to install a gutter mesh with a hole size of 2mm or less. In addition to that, it should either be made from corrosion-resistant steel, bronze, or aluminum, in areas where BAL is 40 or FZ, or firm corrosion-resistant steel or bronze in areas where BAL is 12.5, 19, or 25.
Strength Of The Gutter Mesh Material
Each type of gutter mesh material comes with different strengths. Since breakage, punctures, or any tears can compromise the effectiveness of a gutter mesh, the strength of the mesh becomes an important factor in deciding which material to purchase.
After testing the strength of our mesh through ways such as puncture resistance and the capacity to bear the load, our aluminum mesh turned out to be consistently strong.
UV Performance
UV won’t be much of a hurdle for you if you plan on buying gutter mesh with the material steel or aluminum since both of them are naturally resistant to it.
However, if you plan to purchase a plastic gutter mesh, you’re advised to consult the manufacturer regarding its ability to act against UV breakdown. UV treatment can make the plastic mesh go a long way, so it is better to consult before buying.
Protection Against Corrosion
It is a universally acknowledged fact that nature corrodes, but what is important to note is that everything corrodes at a different level or rate. The reason why plastic corrosion is not commonly known is that it corrodes slowly. However, if steel and aluminum are properly installed in buildings, they also prove to withstand corrosion to a large extent, since it is also very durable.
