Categories
Blog

How Screen Tech Industries support our Gutter Guard Customers

As a tradesperson or a trade business owner, New Year brings about a busy time of the year. After all, everyone looks at improving their homes and office buildings at this time to give it a fresh re-make!

While the sales side of things look healthy, you still want to source for the best materials for the job, ensuring that they are made of top quality and affordable. This is important as using the best quality materials promote customer satisfaction.

If this is what you’re looking for, then you have come to the right place! Screen Tech Industries has been in the trade business for 20 years and counting, and we are familiar with the requirements for the type of supplies you’re after.

Supplying only the best quality materials such as polyethylene, aluminium, colorbond and stainless steel mesh, we provide our customers a wide range of gutter guards to choose from.

Common Questions

There is often an air of hesitation surrounding buying industrial and trading materials. After all, it seems like a gamble to place bulk orders of these on the phone without actually understanding its quality.

We can assure you that our gutter guard materials are made from the most durable resources and they come in a range of colours to complement your roof and gutter orders. We conduct quality tests on our materials to ensure that we are only wholesaling the best quality ones and we replace the stocks that have been worn out.

When placing a wholesale order on gutter guard materials, you may have a number of questions that come to mind like these:

  • How will I receive the materials?
  • When is the soonest I can receive it if I have an order to complete ASAP at hand?
  • How durable are the materials?
  • I have an order with a colour I can’t find anywhere. Is there a way to solve this?
  • Can I brand the catalogue to show my company’s logo?

Solutions for Your Business

Fret not! We are here to help. Here at Screen Tech Industries, we have a dedicated team of experts to guide you through the entire wholesale purchase process. Our team of dedicated trade sales support team are familiar with the products and can provide you with a free personalised quote.

You can have a conversation with our team of experts who can provide you with technical assistance and professional consultation, from the use, installation and all other features relating to our gutter guard products. As part of our customer support service, we provide tailored suggestions and free advice on the best materials to use for the job at hand.

If you are looking to order online, try our easy-to-use website. With you in mind, we have designed it to allow you to have a seamless experience in viewing all product options. That way, your office staff can save time and easily place orders when required.

If your customer is still unsure about the type, material or colour of gutter guard they want for their order, then feel free to bring our catalogue along to site. We provide branded catalogues with your company logo on request so that you can bring them on site when quoting to customers. This way, you can layout out all colour and material options available to them.

Ever received an order with a short turnaround time of 24 hours? We’ve all been there! Being an industry expert, we understand the need for urgent materials to complete a job in a given weekend or day. At Screen Tech Industries, we offer expedited shipping times and same-day dispatch to meet your order requirements. Our team of experts are available throughout the dispatch process to help you understand the tracking status of your order as well.

Being 20 years in the business, we pride on being the top industry expert in understanding your business needs. We have only been able to achieve this by ensuring that you come first, and that your customers receive only the best products. Our customers see us as a long-term, reliable and trustworthy business partner, providing premium quality products. We don’t focus on short-term gains, but rather, we have a vision to focus on developing a long-term business relationship with you and your business.

We hope that by addressing these, you feel confident in placing any wholesale gutter guard orders with us. Be it a single-item wholesale order or a complete stock of gutter guard materials, we aim to provide you with a service that exceeds your expectations. We also follow-up post-delivery to understand your experience and how we can further improve our service.

We are here to help you as Australia’s top gutter guard wholesale provider. We look forward to being your partners in succeeding through the trade business!

Categories
Blog

We have Australia’s leading gutter guard product range

Screen Tech are leaders in their field and have cultivated a cohort of knowledgeable staff who can guide businesses towards making the best choice for their clients. They were the first company in Australia to offer a 100% Aluminium solar skirt solution that requires no drilling when installing them. Instead, the skirt is attached to the solar panels using special aluminium clips as well as our incredibly durable Tuffmesh. We take great pride in the quality of our products, and so we will guarantee this system for 25 years. This guarantee is the same length of time as the warranty on most solar panels. This will allow you to be confident that your investment is well protected.

We are a specialised company that offers the widest range of gutter products in Australia. Their expertise means that they can direct you on which six mesh types and fittings will best suit your situation. The current product range is offered in conjunction with a variety of fittings, including corrugated, tile, klip-lok, and trimdek roofs. We can provide these products in all colorbond colours, but a complete list is available on our website. We are can also cater for specially developed house colours for tile roof applications like terracotta and dark brown. The products are also available for next day shipment, offering you flexibility as you order.

We pride ourselves on manufacturing these products in-house so that all products can be custom fitted to suit any building needs. In a country like Australia, versatility and durability are important for any quality builder. Buildings need to be able to withstand various extreme weather scenarios and last the test of time.

As a local Australian company, we pride ourselves on being leaders in innovation and development. We have been at the forefront of the gutter community and are trusted advisors for many businesses. As such, our team have developed better fixings using specialised stamped aluminium and steel. We use ribbed structures in these products to provide increased strength which improves the longevity of the product. This increased life means that we have confidence and provide a lifetime warranty. As a testament to the quality of our products, we haven’t had a warranty claim for 20 years.

We were behind the development of Tuffmesh. Tuffmesh is the world’s leading product for strong mesh that can withstand the needs of today’s weather conditions. Tuffmesh features a thicker mesh so it can withstand heavy debris, ice, or snow build-up. Despite the stronger product, the gutter retains the flexibility to form to your roof, ensuring a great, long-lasting fit.

Further, we pioneered using a gutter guard as the first stage in a rainwater capture system. This system is environmentally sustainable and passes AS4020 Australian drinking water standards. It is a brilliant addition to any eco-home or water-saving home. The gutter guard is economical and durable as other models, working in well with multiple building scenarios. If you require further advice, please feel free to contact one of our knowledgeable staff for further advice.

Categories
Blog

Difference Between Ember Guard and Gutter Guard

Bushfires devastate the country and hurt millions of homeowners with thousands of Aussie businesses and homes destroyed. 70% of residents living in bushfire risk zones are unaware of the importance of ember guard against flammable debris. Educate your customers on the significance of ember guards vs gutter guards.

So, what is the difference between gutter guards & ember guards? The primary difference is the aperture size in the gutter mesh. An ember guard compliant mesh must have a hole size of 2mm or less, while there is no size requirement for gutter guards.

A gutter guard stops leaves and debris from blocking gutters, while an ember guard prevents ember attacks in bushfire-prone areas. Ember attacks occur when windborne embers ignite unprotected gutters and gaps in homes and buildings.

There are minor differences between the two gutter mesh types, including non-combustible material requirements and BAL ratings for bushfire-prone areas. Continue reading to understand better the difference between your gutter guard products: ember guard mesh & gutter guard mesh.

Read: Ultimate guide to the best gutter guard in Australia

Gutter Guard Vs Ember Guard

The table below details the differences between ScreenTech’s gutter guards and ember guards. Some variations will exist between other gutter protection systems on the market.

Gutter Guard

Ember guard

Base Material

aluminium & polyethylene

aluminium, steel or bronze

Aperture size requirement

No size minimum

maximum 2mm

Application Type

ember guard or gutter guard

ember guard or gutter guard

Coating/Colouring 

powder coating D1010 or Colorbond® steel, no coating 

powder coating D1010

Manufacturing Technique(s) 

expanded or extruded 

expanded, expanded single direction or machine-woven or extruded

Best Fit Solutions 

leaf guard, rainwater harvesting, bird & pest proofing, reduce maintenance & safety 

ember proofing, leaf guard against fine debris, bird, pest & possum proofing, reduce maintenance & safety 

Warranty

10-25-years

15-years

Bushfire Tested

AS3959-2018 compliant 

 AS 3959-2018 compliant

Gutter Guard Bushfire attack level (BAL) suitability

BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29

BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29, BAL-40, BAL-FZ

Ember Guard Bushfire attack level (BAL) suitability

N/A

BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29, BAL-40, BAL-FZ

Need gutter guard installed?

What is Ember Guard Protection?

According to Australian Standard AS3959-2009, ember guards must cover any opening or roof cavity to protect from burning embers. In bushfire prone areas, 85% of homes burn down through windborne embers and not via direct contact with the bushfire.

Ember guards protect from burning embers meeting Australian Standards. Corrosion-resistant ember guards are non-combustible gutter mesh covers for roof ventilation openings, fascia, valleys, ridges, and hips. You can also intrinsically ember-proof roof ventilators, vent pipes, vented roof lights, roof light glazing and eaves ventilation openings.

 

Ensuring that houses are adequately protected from a bushfire is the best solution to such fire hazards. Installing ember guards to meet Australian standards is the best protective solution to the problem.

 

Read: Colorbond® Gutter Guards Complete Guide

Ember Guards & Bushfire Attack Levels

Like gutter guards protect homes for a range of solutions, different ember guards meet different bushfire ember attack levels from BAL 12.5 to FZ BAL rated. These BAL standards are specified for new homes as a bushfire proofing measure. 

 

The Australian Standard AS3959-2009 mandates a different gutter guard product for a different BAL rating. For example, gutter guards in BAL 12.5 rated areas must have seal gaps that are more than 3 mm, such as that in roof sheeting, but BAL-Flame Zone ember guard mesh must be 2mm, steel or copper and cover all roof and gutter cavities.

Choose the right ember guard for your BAL rating:

  • BAL-LOW indicates low risk from burning embers, radiant heat, or flames, and your gutter guard choice should suit your gutter protection needs and not be restricted by ember guard requirements.
  • BAL-12.5 indicates some risk of ember attack, burning debris or radiant heat up to 12.5KW/m2, and aluminium ember guards comply with BAL 12.5.
  • BAL-19 suggests a risk of ember attack, burning debris or radiant heat up to 19KW/m2 with aluminium or steel ember guard complies with BAL 29.
  • BAL-29 means a high risk of ember attack, burning debris or radiant heat up to 29KW/m2 and aluminium or steel ember guards comply with BAL 29.
  • BAL-40 signifies extreme risk of ember attack, burning embers or radiant heat up to 29KW/m2 and only complies with steel or bronze ember guard mesh.
  • BAL-FZ means a severe risk of ember attack, burning embers and radiant heat over 40 kW/m2 and only comply with steel or bronze ember guard mesh.

Read: Plastic vs metal gutter guards | What’s best?

 

Other ember guard application

The smaller hole size is also useful for other gutter guard solutions. Aluminium ember guards protect against fine-leaf trees like pines, jacarandas, and she-oaks. The smaller mesh hole size encourages other leaves and debris to filter through only a minimal rainwater runoff

 

Read: What is commercial-grade gutter guard?

Need gutter guard installed?

Ember proof with steel mesh

The mesh must be bronze or steel to be BAL-40 And BAL-FZ ember guard-compliant mesh. You must install steel or bronze ember guards if your customer’s home is located in a BAL-40 or BAL-FZ-rated bushfire-prone area.

 

Read: Difference between aluminium vs steel gutter guard

Steel mesh vs aluminium ember guard

The table below details the differences between ScreenTech’s SteelMesh and TuffMesh® Ember guards. Some variations will exist between other gutter protection systems on the market.

SteelMesh Emberguard

TuffMesh® Emberguard

Base Material

Colorbond® steel

aluminium

Aperture 

1.9 mm

1.6 mm

Application Type

ember guard or gutter guard

ember guard or gutter guard

Coating/Colouring 

N/A

powder coating D1010

Manufacturing Technique 

expanded

expanded single direction

Strand width 

1.4 mm

1.5 mm

Strand thickness

0.55 mm

0.7 mm

Mesh Weight

2500 gsm

1000 gsm

Warranty

15-years

25-years

Max size

600 x 1200 mm sheets

103 cm x 2200 mm Sheets

Standard Widths in mm

250, 500, 1000

custom width in 25mm increments

Bushfire Tested

AS3959-2018 compliant 

 AS 3959-2018 compliant

Gutter Guard Bushfire attack level (BAL) suitability

BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29, BAL-40, BAL-FZ

BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29

Ember Guard Bushfire attack level (BAL) suitability

BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29, BAL-40, BAL-FZ

BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29

Should you choose an ember guard or gutter guard?

At ScreenTech, choosing a gutter or ember guard comes down to the solution you require. 

Ask yourself this: 

  • What type of gutter guard solution do you need? 
  • Do you know the BAL ratings for your customer’s area? 
  • Are you in a BAL-40 or BAK-FZ rated area? 
  • Do trees with fine debris surround the property? 

If you are not sure whether you need an ember guard or gutter guard, contact ScreenTech for free advice. 

Need gutter guard installed?

Want to know more? ScreenTech sends out Colorbond® gutter guard samples and guides to architects and discusses projects and considerations.

Look no further than ScreenTech’s TuffMesh®, GutterMesh, SteelMesh and SolarMesh products. Our mesh suits Klip-Lok®, Timdeck® corrugated roof types and tiled roofs. Get in touch with a ScreenTech installation partner today.