As a homeowner, you are aware that all aspects of your house which are exposed to the great outdoors need regular maintenance and occasional replacement. Examples of this would be your deck railings, gutters, window surrounds, mouldings, and trim. As you begin the research to replace any of these items, you will notice that they are available in a variety of materials, such as cast iron, zinc, lead, steel, copper, aluminum, stone, concrete, and wood. However, there is one type of material somewhat newer to the scene you should consider, and that is Cellular Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). Any outdoor item made from PVC carries with it a number of benefits.
- PVC can withstand extreme weather conditions. For example, PVC gutters were first used in Scandinavia, where temperatures can dip to 40 degrees below zero in the winter.
- PVC is sturdy enough to hold up against the weight of large amounts of rain and snow melt.
- PVC is very low maintenance, as the material will never corrode, rust, or tarnish, due to its water-resistant properties. You will find that water will actually repel off of scratches to the surface, rather than seep in and create issues with molding, rotting, swelling, or splitting, as you would see in an outdoor item made of wood. Since PVC is incredibly versatile, it can be cast in a way that is will look and feel exactly like wood, but without the maintenance hassles wood brings.
- PVC has a certain amount of flexibility which will protect it from being dented when hit by tree branches, rocks, or errant baseballs.
- PVC is resistant to ultraviolet light, making it much less likely to fade over time.
- PVC is impervious to bugs.
- PVC can be recycled and therefore does not contribute to the overcrowding of landfills.
