Do you have to redo the gutters in a house near the sea? And do you want to know what is the most suitable material in this type of environment? Let’s see together our expert Alessandro’s answer to one of our blog readers who asked us this question.
The question
Our reader asks if AISI 304 stainless steel can be a valid material for gutters to be assembled in a house located in a maritime area. Of course, the answer must be preceded by some important premises.
Gutters for a house near the sea. Which steel to choose?
In this case, it is necessary to have more detailed indications of the proximity to the sea of the house we’re talking about. If this is very close to the sea, it could have problems with salt or suffer aggression from a saline environment. In this case, AISI 304 stainless steel is not the most suitable solution. Our expert instead suggests the use of the AISI 316 stainless steel or, even better, the AISI 316L. The latter, in fact, is ideal for use in saline environments or near sea areas for limited exposures (i.e. not permanently in contact with salted or submerged water).
Why choose the AISI 316?
The AISI 316L stainless steel is the most suitable material for several reasons. Let’s see why:
- Molybdenum present in the alloy (with a percentage between 2%and 3%) helps chromium oxide to improve the protective film. The passive layer, thus, is more resistant to the attack of chlorides (such as the sodium chloride).
- Thanks to a carbon content not exceeding 0.03% (“L”, in fact, stands for “low carbon”), it can guarantee excellent corrosion resistance (even after reaching certain temperatures necessary for welding) avoiding the risk of precipitation of carbides.
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