Contents

 – Copper gutter: many advantages

 – Profiles and dimensions of this gutter

 – Welded or socketed installation of the copper gutter

 – Price of a copper gutter

Copper is highly resistant in both cold and hot climates. This material is indifferent to corrosion, sea air and urban pollution and does not require maintenance. Its installation is somewhat complex and requires taking into account the expansion of the copper gutter. 

Note that gutters are available in many materials:

 – PVC gutters: the most economical,

 – Copper gutters: the noblest, but the most expensive,

 – zinc gutters: the most common,

 – galvanised steel gutter: the strongest,

 – aluminium gutters: the lightest,

 – the wooden gutter: the most rustic,

 – composite gutter: the rarest.

Copper gutter: many advantages

This gives the copper gutter some fantastic qualities:

 – an excellent resistance to the most vigorous climates, both cold and hot,

 – a malleability that allows it to be readily worked,

 – an indifference to corrosion: resistant to sea air and urban pollution,

 – robustness: it is not affected by temperature variations.

Finally, the copper gutter does not require any maintenance.

Profiles and dimensions of this gutter

Depending on your roof’s layout, you must determine the shape and size of the copper gutter.

The copper gutter is available as a hanging gutter or a creeping gutter.

Copper gutters come in various sizes:

 – diameter: 80 or 125 mm,

 – standard size: DEV 160 or 250,

 – standard length: 2 or 4 metres.

Laying the copper gutter by welding or interlocking

For the installation, you must observe a 2 or 5 mm slope, depending on the model.

2 types of assembly

There are two methods of joining copper gutters:

 – by soldering with tin-lead (the most suitable process): sometimes riveting is done beforehand to increase the solidity,

 – by simple interlocking for recent models:

 ◦ male element in the female element,

 ◦ the overlap must be greater than 4 cm,

 ◦ a silicone glue then provides additional sealing; it even allows for thermal expansion.

Beware of copper expansion

Beyond 12 metres of gutters, you must take the expansion of copper into account.

There are several solutions to this problem:

 – implementation of mechanical expansion cuts at the top of the slope, which amounts to :

 ◦ interrupting the continuity of the gutter, either by cutting the profiles or by making them overlap without welding,

 ◦ closing the two channels with vertical walls, called expansion beads,

 – laying expansion joints between two profiles with a vulcanised neoprene part, this material is intended to absorb the thermal variations of copper.

The elements required for installation

All the following elements are available in copper

 – Gutter profile,

 – gutter support,

 – hook or bracket,

 – variable angle bend (90°, 60°, 45°) in or out,

 – junction, collar, clamp,

 – gutter bottom, right or left,

 – gutter birth,

 – downpipe with a diameter of 60 or 80 mm.

Price of a copper gutter

Equipping your home with copper gutters is a major investment, although it will undoubtedly pay off in the long term.

The installation of a copper gutter is more expensive than a gutter made of another material because it requires a professional’s intervention (zinc worker).

The noblest material, but also the most expensive…

You can read more here:

What Are Gutter Collector and Gutter Downspout Used For?

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