How To Solder Aluminum Gutters

Regards ted mooney p e.

How to solder aluminum gutters.

Aluminum gutters seem less physically robust than galvanized steel but i have never seen one fail by corrosion. Soldering galvanized requires vigorous abrasive cleaning. We also carry the flux and brushes that are necessary for prepping the copper. Easy to overheat then you have to start all over.

6 aluminum k style gutters are commonly found on light commercial buildings multi family buildings and homes with large roof areas to drain and or long roof valleys and or numerous corners for the water to navigate around to reach a downspout. Actually aluminum can be soldered with aluminum solder. Be sure and post how it turns out. Professionally installed seamless aluminum gutters and do it yourself steel or aluminum systems available at the retail level.

I ve got to add a piece of gutter below a roof valley to allow it to drain into an adjacent gutter and figured soldering would be the best way to go. Soldering has long been the standard trade practice for joining seams in copper gutter and copper roofing applications. Not easy and the solder is very expensive. Once you ve obtained the solder online or from an unusually well stocked hardware store the main challenge lies in working quickly enough to join the aluminum immediately after the aluminum oxide layer has been scraped off the.

I think gutter sealant will be a lot more practical. And soldering aluminum gutters is probably one of them. If we want the gutters to last long enough to patina solder is the low or no maintenance solution. I recommnbed rosin flux because any residue of acid chloride flux will rust em.

If you want to rivet tin surfaces first. The silicone gutter sealants seem to leak a fair bit. Traditionally copper gutter installers rely on solder to seal joints because it s a permanent solution. In fact leaky overflowing gutters can buckle basement walls in just a few years so it pays to keep your system working properly.

Few things are absolutely impossible but many things are impractical. 6 gutters provide extra capacity while maintaining a clean look. You will need to track down a specialized solder or brazing alloy intended for use on aluminum or for joining aluminum to a different metal depending on your project. Bars with 50 lbs.

When the time comes to replace your gutters you ll have tow major options. My gutters are galvanized. Per box and can be purchased by the pound. A gutter would be nearly impossible to solder even if it was new and clean.