Contacts with aggressive environment
Even the smallest violation of the polymer layer on the metal gutter creates a source of corrosion. And this complicates their operation in coastal areas too much. The air at sea is saturated with salts, which aggressively affect the metal surface.
As for plastic weirs, corrosion does not threaten them. And this means that it is more reasonable for residents of the coast to install just such structures.
We compared metal and plastic weirs in various ways. As a result, it turned out that there is no unequivocal answer to the question of which drain is better than plastic or metal - where one of them loses, the other wins. You just need to compare which of the parameters is more important to you and make your choice.
Resistance to mechanical stress
Advice
Having found a violation of the coating, even the slightest, it is recommended to immediately paint this area. This will help extend its service life.
- For the manufacture of gutters, thin metal is used, which can bend under the influence of mechanical stress.
- But plastic gutters are completely devoid of these shortcomings: pipes, like gutters made of this material, are not afraid of scratches or rust. Since they do not have a polymer coating on them, they also do not need to be painted.
- Plastic storm drains do not bend under the influence of sensitive mechanical loads, however, they can break if excessive force is applied.
Batteries connected to central heating
In this situation, monoblock or sectional radiators are connected, as a rule, with ball valves. They do not make it possible to regulate the flow of coolant, but only allow you to disconnect a specific radiator from the general heating system.
The reasons for shutting off the tap on the radiator may be as follows:
- it is necessary to gain access to the wall for cosmetic repairs in the room;
- radiators (especially cast iron ones) need to be flushed and limescale removed;
- the battery started to leak and needs to be repaired;
- decided to replace the radiator.
It should be noted that when the radiator is turned off in systems where there is no jumper in the heating riser, the residents of the neighboring apartment also lose heat. Therefore, when installing a ball valve for a radiator, it is desirable to provide a bypass, that is, an additional circuit with a shut-off and control element.
Where to buy a ball valve
If we talk about the Bugatti brand, you will definitely not find these products in the market near the house. Real ball valves from an Italian manufacturer are sold only in specialized stores.
There is nothing worse than paying a lot of money for a supposedly real Bugatti crane, bought at a local market or in a nearby shop. The chance of buying a counterfeit there is very high. After a breakdown, you are unlikely to be able to return the money back - as a rule, neither checks nor certificates are provided on the market.
We conclude: regardless of the brand chosen, it is better to buy valves in a certified store or at least in construction hypermarkets. To dispel all doubts, do not be too lazy to ask for a certificate confirming the quality of the chosen model.
Selection tips: what to look for when buying?
In addition to certificates, you can simply pick up the crane and inspect it visually. If you have a genuine Bugatti or an original ball valve from any other well-known company, it definitely should not have incomprehensible sags and bumps. The applied marking should have even letters that are easy to read and distinguish.
Brass marking is another point that you should pay attention to at the time of purchase. For example, Bugatti make their products from brass material marking CW617N
Be sure to look inside and find a ball there. If it is mirror-like and polished to a shine, this is a good sign of quality. Feel free to scratch the case a little - the yellow metal will indicate brass. Fakes are most often made from silumin or steel.
Finally, a few more tips:
Take Bugatti "reinforced" type cranes. They have a 6xx serial number and a PN 40 stamp. This figure indicates a valve operating pressure of 40 atm (a very good indicator).
Reliable taps have higher cleanliness, thicker walls at the threads, and more weight.
Try to avoid buying faucets that have plastic handles. The slightest effort will break the spitz, the handle will begin to scroll. Most often, such "pseudo-faucets" are placed on a washing machine, a toilet bowl and an eyeliner to a mixer.
The crane, even when buying, should spin freely enough (with minimal effort). If you managed to scroll only with a gas key, and at the same time you also rested your feet against the wall, it is better to refuse to buy
The thing is that the ball valve is never lubricated.
Pay attention to the size of the ball itself. The size of the "hole" in it must match the size of the attached pipe.
Structural strength
Drain metal
Metal is a high strength material. However, much depends on what specific material is used: steel, aluminum, copper, titanium-zinc.
- Steel weirs are galvanized. Recently, as an additional protection, a polymer layer is also applied on top.
- Aluminum gutters are more ductile than required, but this drawback can be completely leveled by increasing the thickness of the metal.
- All components of the gutter system, including metal gutters on the roof, pipes, fasteners used, have a greater margin of safety than plastic.
- Clamps in a metal structure are able to withstand the weight of an adult and even more, on average about 180 kg, and at the same time the drainpipe does not move at all. They also provide their fixing rigidity.
- Hooks, in turn, guarantee the same rigidity of fastening to the gutters: they are “tightly” clamped.
plastic roof drains
It will not be possible to achieve the same with plastic structures due to the characteristics of the material itself. The installation instructions clearly state that neither pipes nor gutters should be tightly clamped. This requirement is due to the fact that plastic elements are subject to thermal deformation more than metal ones. This is due to the fact that the value of the thermal expansion coefficient of plastic is about six times greater.
On a note
Assume that a 10 m long plastic gutter is installed. When the temperature rises by 10°C, it lengthens by 25 mm.
Thus, it is obvious that the integrity of the structure with rigid fastening will be violated, therefore, freedom of movement of the gutters in the brackets must be ensured. The same applies to the PVC pipes themselves.
However, due to loose fastening, a backlash will inevitably form, as a result of which the gutter structure will continue to loosen further. That is why in the matter of strength, metal gutters will be the winner.
