Guttering is one of the necessary evils of homeownership. Shopping around for guttering isn’t exactly the most exciting part of building a new home or performing mandatory home improvement projects. I’m writing this today to show you a good comparison between galvanized gutters and copper gutters, and to give you five reasons you should choose a copper guttering system instead of galvanized or vinyl systems.
Whether you’re upgrading the guttering on an older home or just built a new one, choosing between copper and guttering made from other material types can create quite the dilemma. Here are the top five reasons to choose copper guttering over other materials:
Sophisticated Beauty that Ages with Your Home – Every house ages differently based on the amount of yearly maintenance performed. Copper ages very gracefully and turns to a lovely green patina as your home ages.
Unique Appearance – Copper isn’t your everyday material choice for guttering, downspouts, and flashing. Your home may be the only one in the neighborhood with a copper guttering system.
Durability – Copper doesn’t rust and is a very durable metal.
Customization – An experienced coppersmith can create a variety of shapes and designs using copper. Why settle for an average, mundane guttering system when you can go with an extraordinary design that really attracts attention?
Lifespan – The average lifespan of copper gutters is between 25 and 50 years. Most other guttering materials rust away in less than half that time.
Copper Guttering vs. Galvanized Guttering
Now that I’ve already given you five good reasons to choose copper guttering, let’s do a quick comparison between galvanized steel guttering and copper. Copper is obviously prettier than standard galvanized or vinyl guttering options. But let’s talk about durability, cost, and longevity.
Durability
Both copper and galvanized gutters are durable. Galvanized may take more of a beating from flying debris and tree limbs without showing visible damage. Copper is a softer metal and shows dents more easily.
Cost
Galvanized guttering is cheaper than copper guttering, and vinyl gutters are even cheaper. If you’re looking for the cheapest option available regardless of appearance and durability, vinyl is an option. Just don’t expect a beautiful finished look.
Longevity
Galvanized gutters need to be replaced about every 10-20 years depending on your yearly maintenance routine. Galvanized steel does rust, so you may need to use a rust removal agent before painting each year. Vinyl obviously doesn’t rust, but it does warp over time and must be replaced about every 15 years depending on damage over time.
What it Boils Down to
Choosing a guttering system for your home comes down to personal taste and budget. Yes you will pay more for copper guttering than other materials, but if it lasts twice or three times as long, why should that matter? Buy what you want the first time instead of living with a cheaper decision for a decade, and then choosing differently. Give me a call any time to discuss copper gutter and downspout designs in detail.