Alumasc Rainwater says its range of pre-painted cast iron systems can provide a more cost effective solution than using primed systems for painting on site.
Cast iron is a popular and well-used material for rainwater guttering on many UK building projects, due to its strength and sustainability. Alumasc Rainwater says if a cast iron system is properly manufactured, protected and installed, it can last in excess of 100 years unless it is exposed to the elements without the proper protection.
The company says the key to ensuring longevity of cast iron rainwater systems is paint, but only paint that has been properly applied with enough coats. Primed systems for painting on site have long been specified with a view that they are the most cost effective, but Alumasc Rainwater says it has now changed this with its pre-painted cast iron.
While the solution is 13% more expensive than primed cast iron, the company says the long-term cost savings far outweigh this initial investment. The Apex Heritage cast iron rainwater goes through a four-coat system, using certified paint that is factory-applied under strictly controlled conditions. The paint, which is available in eight standard heritage colours, has been specifically developed to give a smooth and long lasting finish to the cast iron.
Care has also been taken to ensure that all surfaces are fully and evenly painted so that the final solution is not damaged by rust, which could put the entire guttering system and the fabric of the building it protects at risk.
Fully factory painted cast iron may need a touch-up in around five years to maintain the protection, with the entire system lasting up to ten years before repainting is necessary. This means lower materials and labour costs over the lifetime of the project.
Alumasc Rainwater has recently commissioned a series of independent 1,000-hour salt-spray tests to confirm the performance of their pre-painted cast iron range. These tests were performed on Alumasc’s factory certified painted finish; on a paint finish applied on site that was not an equivalent four-coat finish; and also on the painted finish of the competition.
The results of the tests will be published in a Technical White Paper, which will be available to download from the Alumasc Rainwater website in early 2015.
