Unplasticised polyvinyl chloride, or PVCu (or uPVC) as it's more commonly known, has almost comprehensively swept the board in the new guttering and fascia market. Their are many reasons why homeowners now choose PVC-U when thinking of a guttering replacement and new fascias on their home.
It is now widely recognised that the maintenance trouble and the technical performance of wood, specifically for roofline, is no longer acceptable when compared with PVC-U.
A PVC-U roofline is better than timber because, as we all understand, wood is a porous substance. Once water has breached the external layer, it is a matter of when and not if it will need replacing. This then paves the way for woodworm and many other vermin to set up home sooner or later causing structural damage. PVCU rooflines will not rot, will never want painting, do not discolour and will continue being maintenance free for up to fourty years. All they will need to have is the occasional wash down with warm soapy water.
Soffits
Fascia boards, also known as soffits, are boards fixed to the top of the outer walls of a building, just under the rooftop, which then projects over the fascia. This used to be commonly made from wood, but these days PVCu replacements are more wanted as they are light, easy to fix, long lasting and more affordable. Timber boards need repeated painting and replacement and PVCu in reverse is very resilient, only fading and cracking after a number of decades.
Guttering
The guttering is fitted to the fascia and collects the rain from the roof, diverting it into drain pipes which take the water down into the public sewerage system, or away from the home to a soakaway, where it can scatter without damage. Larger diameter downpipes take effluent from the toilets down into the sewers. If the guttering or downpipe is blocked or cracked, then water can ooze over the brickwork and go through into the house, causing damp problems.
Gutters have been built from all sorts of materials, including concrete, wood, aluminium, galvanised steel and other metals, but before plastic became popular, they were mainly painted steel. This needs frequent washing down and re-painting and if it's not carried out, rust can set in and cause leaks. This will mean replacing sections, which is expensive and difficult because of the weight of the steel. PVC-U scores highly over steel on both those counts and when considering guttering replacement on your house we strongly recommend you opt for UPVC .
Understand Important Knowledge About Fascia, Soffits And Guttering On Your House Before The The Rot Sets In.