The recent spate of heavy and destructive hailstorms that have caused millions of rand of damage to property across Gauteng have proven to be no match for a range of Rainflo uPVC gutters and downpipes manufactured by DPI Plastics – a leading manufacturer of water reticulation, drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa.

The latest hailstorm to hit the East Rand on Saturday, October 20, caused substantial damage to the roofs and windows of residential and commercial buildings. One building fitting that was not listed as a casualty of the storm is the DPI Plastics range of uPVC gutters and downpipes, which are fitted at the home of Incledon national product manager for plastics Phillip Bawden.

Incledon is a leading fluid conveyance and pumping solutions expert, and Bawden points out that the DPI Plastics Rainflo gutters and downpipes, which were installed at his home one year ago, showed no sign of damage despite being pelted with hailstones as large as golf balls.”Having extensively inspected all of the Rainflo gutters and downpipes, I am glad to report no damage whatsoever, despite the fact that the massive hailstones shattered windows, defoliated trees, dented numerous cars and smashed windscreens,” he explains.

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman notes that uPVC boasts inherently strong impact characteristics, which makes the material highly resistant to storm damage. “DPI Plastics has been manufacturing uPVC gutters and downpipes for more than 30 years, and we have developed a specialised formulation that ensures excellent impact strength that can withstand severe weather.”

What’s more, Snyman highlights the fact that DPI Plastics installed Rainflo gutters and downpipes at its head office in Roodekop, Germiston, more than ten years ago as part of the company’s commitment to testing its own products first-hand in the hail belt of Gauteng.

“In addition to surviving the numerous storms that are typical of Gauteng’s climate, the Rainflo gutters and downpipe located onsite at DPI Plastics’ headquarters have also not cracked or turned yellow as a result of UV exposure, thanks to a combination of UV stabilisers that are included during the manufacturing process. This has resulted in the company providing a ten year UV guarantee on all Rainflo uPVC products,” he continues.

Snyman adds that uPVC Rainflo gutters and downpipes have proven to be particularly popular along the coastal regions of South Africa, due to the excellent corrosion resistant properties of uPVC. “Steel gutters and downpipe are prone to rust in coastal regions, and Rainflo serves as the ideal replacement system, as uPVC is entirely rust proof.”

Rainflo is SANS 11 accredited, and gutters are available in D-shape systems, with 80 mm square and round downpipes. Snyman says: “The D-shaped gutter is ideally suited to residential and commercial applications, where flow rates are not excessive, while the choice of downpipe shape is entirely for aesthetic purposes. It is, however, recommended that one downpipe is placed for every 110 m² of roof area, in order to ensure the water is efficiently drained.”

According to Snyman, Rainflo gutters and downpipes come standard in white, although they can be painted any colour with exterior acrylic paint. “The UV stabilisers create the white characteristics of the products, although adding coloured acrylic paint will not affect the UV guarantee in any way whatsoever. Rainflo is installed using solvent cement, which allows for easy installation, in addition to regular maintenance and cleaning,” he concludes.