Why gutters fail in Newcastle
Salt from the underside
Rain rinses the top of a gutter but not the underside, which is where salt builds up. BlueScope recommends Zincalume and Colorbond gutters more than 200 m from salt marine influence and Colorbond Ultra more than 100 m. Homes closer to Merewether, Bar Beach or Stockton need that conversation before ordering.
Long gales
In the April 2015 East Coast Low, gale-force winds blew along the coast for about 30 hours, with gusts to 135 km/h at Newcastle. Gutters with rusted brackets or loose fixings are the first part of a roof that kind of wind pulls away.
Rain in heavy bursts
On 8 June 2007, 164.6 mm fell in six hours. Gutters that look fine in a shower can overflow into eaves and walls in a downpour like that, which can be a sign they're undersized.
Heritage cottages
Newcastle's nine heritage conservation areas include the Glebe Road Federation cottages, where hipped, gabled and pyramid roofs are defining features. Lysaght's OGEE gutter has a scalloped profile suited to heritage homes, with a high front that hides the roof edge.
Getting the new gutters right
Match the metals. BlueScope warns that galvanised gutters can corrode early under Colorbond, Zincalume or glazed terracotta roofs, so use Colorbond or Zincalume. Stainless steel, copper and lead mustn't touch them either, which rules out some old flashings and fixings.
Size and fall. The NCC asks for a fall of at least 1:500, brackets no more than 1.2 m apart and a way for overflow to escape away from the house. If your old gutters overflowed in every big storm, ask whether bigger gutters or an extra downpipe would fix it. Our gutter profiles page compares shapes and capacity.
Upkeep near the sea. BlueScope's maintenance bulletin says the underside of eave gutters should be washed every three months in coastal areas with salt spray. A hose from the ground does most of it.
Before you choose a Newcastle installer
- Does your NSW licence include roof plumbing, which covers guttering?
- Is the steel you're quoting rated for my distance from the surf?
- Are the brackets and fixings strong enough for a long East Coast Low?
- Will the new gutters be bigger than the old ones, and where will overflow go?
- Do the fascia boards behind need replacing too, and is that in the price?
If it were our house
Near the beach, we'd buy the right grade of steel for the distance and hose the gutter undersides every few months. Everywhere else, we'd replace in Colorbond or Zincalume to suit the roof, size up if the old gutters overflowed, and book it before May. On a heritage cottage, we'd ask for a profile that keeps its look. The national gutter replacement page explains the job, and the Newcastle page has the local background.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.