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Gutters, Down Spouts and Drainage
Seventy five percent of foundation space moisture issues can be attributed to poor roof drainage. For a home to be energy efficient, durable and attractive, proper roof drainage systems are mandatory.
THE PURPOSE OF GUTTERING SYSTEMS
The purpose of guttering systems is to collect water (rain) from the roofing area and disperse the water away from your home. Properly configured downspouts (leaders, drain pipes) are very essential.
Guttering systems require maintenance to insure protection for your home. Make sure your gutters are free from debris, leaves, granules from shingles, and birds or insect nests.
Rainy Season Inspection
To check the drainage around your house means getting wet. When it rains hard (not just a sprinkle), walk around your house and see if the water is draining away from your house without standing or puddling. If you see puddling, note the places the problem exists. The solution to the problem is positive water shed. That means the dirt should be higher at the foundation and slope away from the house at the rate of one inch per foot, and extend pass the roof line. If your house has gutters, be sure that both gutters and downspouts are free from obstruction, i.e.. leaves, etc. The downspouts direct the water away from the house past the roof line. Be sure that you have not built a dam around your house with landscape timbers, concrete trim, sidewalks or metal trim, that will not allow proper drainage. If you have a severe problem, it might be necessary to cut a swale or depression in the ground to direct the water. The last solution may be to install a French Drain. Remember, too much water in the rainy season is just as bad as not watering in the dry season.
Seamless Gutters
There are many different gutter materials to choose from, including steel, aluminum, vinyl, copper. Many types of gutters (steel and vinyl in particular) are sold in 10' lengths and require dozens of seams fastened with slip fittings, each one is a weak spot and a potential leak site.
Another alternative well worth considering is the installation of seamless aluminum gutters. Seamless gutters must be fabricated on-site by a professional contractor,
The term seamless gutters can be confusing because there are seams in the system. The seams are only at the corners and downspout outlets. These joints are fastened more securely and sealed for stability and leak resistance. The Seamless Gutter itself is continuous which makes them both strong and visually more appealing.
How to Determine Gutters & Downspouts
The most commonly used is the 5" Seamless Aluminum Gutter.
2" x 3" downspout for every 600 square ft. of roofing area.
3" x 4" downspout for every 1200 square ft. of roofing area.
For example: If your roof is 40ft. long and 16ft. to the peak.
40' x 16' = 640square ft. area *Requires (2) 2" x 3" downspouts or (1) 3" x 4" downspout.
6" Seamless Gutters may be required to accommodate steep pitch roofs, metal roofs, or slate & tile and should always be used with 3" x 4" downspouts.
Installation
For the average house, installation will be done in one day. AA RainTex will arrive with a truck or trailer-mounted seamless gutter machine with the color you've selected.
Each piece is measured individually, and fabricated on-site with our seamless gutter machine to create a continuous piece of gutter that is custom sized. Our Englert 650E is state-of-the-art and will form 5" and 6" "K" style gutters. All end caps and outlets are sealed with professional-grade self leveling sealant. We use color-matched screws and touch up with matching paint. Each section is attached to the fascia using a level to ensure proper drainage.
Some companies use different methods of securing your new gutters. One is the spike and ferrule - a hollow tube is placed inside the gutter to keep it from bending, then a long spike is driven through the face of the gutter at the top, through the ferrule and into the wood fascia board. Unfortunately, a 50 ft. section of gutter will expand over 1" in length on a hot summer day. The expansion and contraction will work the spikes loose over time. It is not uncommon to see spikes that have pulled out over an inch away from the gutter face on an older home.
A better option is the inside bracket or hidden bracket which interlocks into the gutter for a cleaner look and is then attached to the roof every 30" under the shingles with screws for superior strength. AA RainTex uses only this method.
The last step is the installation of the downspouts, which will be located as needed according to the amount of roof runoff each section of gutter has to handle, as well as the where the best location is for directing the runoff away from the house.
Water Collection Information
The drawing to the right illustrates the amount of rain a different pitch roof will collect. Assuming the rain comes straight down, they are all the same, even though the roof area of a 12/12 pitch roof is more than that of a 4/12 roof . The building area (foot print) is the same.
The difference is the rate the roof sheds water. The roofing material (metal, wood, asphalt, tile) also regulates run off. Larger or additional downspouts may be needed for a 12/12 metal roof. A standard rule is one 2" x 3" downspout per 600 sq. ft. area, and one 3" x 4" per 1200 sq. ft. area.
-Technical Information-
-One foot of 5" K-Style gutter holds 1.2 gallons of water.
-One foot of 6" K-style gutter holds 2.0 gallons of water.
One inch of rain on a 1 foot square flat surface area will produce .62 gallons of water. Using this value, you can calculate the amount of water that will come down your downspout on a given rain.
Using the illustration to the right, if line A is 15 feet and line B is 50 feet you would have 750 sq. ft. of roof area and will produce 465 gallons of water for every inch of rainfall. If you use this figure to include the entire 30' x 50' building, it is surprising that the amount of rain water produced is 930 gallons with a 1" rain! (30 x 50 x .62)
Performance Contracting and Consulting, llc
IRVINHADDAD and Associates
243 Governors Park Road
Bellefonte PA 16823
PAHIC#: 018039
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