New Product integration Manager, Jonathan Fennell explains why PAM has introduced a steel rain water system to complement its current cast iron range.

Historically, building owners, roofing contractors and architects specified plastic rainwater systems primarily because of one key factor –price. They may have spent many hours debating and the choice of rainwater systems was of secondary importance, despite the fact that it was responsible for facilitating the rainwater off the roof and keeping the integrity of the building safe.

Nowadays everyone realises the importance of installing the correct rainwater system to suit the building type or construction – rainwater calculations using sophisticated software are carried out to ensure the correct size gutter is specified and the downpipes have the capacity to drain off estimated rain flow.

As with most building materials longevity and performance is vitally important – you wouldn’t install a roof that would last only 5 -10 years, all the more surprising then that plastic systems are still being installed when they are so susceptible to leaking, cracking, movement, UV degradation and vandalism –despite the often inaccurate claims by manufacturers . Price is still very much the issue.

Why fit plastic when you can fit steel?

Utilising the latest advances in steel manufacturing technologies, steel rain water systems can be offered at a price point comparable to a mid-range plastic system, removing the perceived notion that steel is more expensive than plastic.

Product innovation

Plastic guttering is normally connected, to reach the desired length, with plastic couplings and corners with rubber liners, this means potentially dozens of seams around the perimeter of the average building or home, and all of them are a weak spot and therefore a potential leak site. In addition the guttering is normally fixed to the fascia with plastic brackets and due to its constant expansion and contraction in warm or cold conditions, the gutter will eventually fail (sooner rather than later) resulting in leaking and some cases gutters falling down.

Click & Fit –It’s that easy

Steel on the other hand offers virtually no movement, it’s UV stable, the fixing brackets are steel too and importantly steel systems are engineered to simply click together for a perfect watertight joint. This means less time on site, reduced labour costs and more profit for the installer. The end user will be happy too in the knowledge that a steel system will last for at least the lifetime of his building – Its polyester coating will not fade, peel or blister and is guaranteed for 15 years.

A further advantage of steel systems over plastic is a higher load-bearing capability, which can be a benefit in periods of high snow build-up for example.

Sustainability

Not surprisingly for a Swedish product, the manufacturer is considered to be at the forefront of producing technologically advanced, innovative and eco-friendly products which offer real and sustainable alternatives to less environmentally friendly products such as plastic – without compromising performance.

Of course plastic systems just cannot compete with steel when it comes to sustainable and low carbon footprint comparisons either – a fact supported by recent research and the increase in sales we are seeing for Cyclone particularly from Councils and Housing Associations, many of whom have strict sustainable building products only criteria.

Cyclone with all its product benefits, performance, sustainable credentials, and meaningful guarantees is the real deal –in steel.

Jonathan Fennell – New Product Integration Manager
Jonathan.fennell@saint-gobain.com
Mobile 07702 906