Most commonly rust forms in gutters when water pools inside them either due to improper installation improper slope over time or a clog inside the gutters that allows water to stand rather than flow freely.
Why do steel gutters rust.
Aluminium gutters resist rust better than galvanized steel gutters and the metal won t thin over time.
This zinc is easily scratched off and the scratches are difficult to see.
Installation is fairly easy because aluminium is lighter than galvanized steel.
Gutters made of galvanized steel are strong and durable but they re no longer as popular as they once were because of their susceptibility to rust after a few years.
This is due in part to the fact that the steel is coated in a thin layer of zinc to prevent rusting.
Sometimes rust corrosion can eat all the way through galvanized steel gutters.
Why does steel rust.
Any material made with iron that is exposed to both oxygen and water will rust.
How to treat rust spots on your gutters.
The protective zinc coating does eventually begin to wear away exposing the bare metal.
However aluminum resists it slightly better than galvanized steel.
Luckily rusted gutter repair isn t too difficult.
Because steel is made almost entirely of iron it is the most highly manufactured man made material that is subject to rust.
Although they probably won t rust aluminum can be punctured more easily than steel gutters.
Some materials including steel may begin to rust over time from simply being exposed to humidity.
Adding a layer of acrylic latex paint or oil based paint adds helps metallic objects like rain gutters from rusting.
Both aluminum and steel gutters resist rust.