To prevent the precipitation flowing from the roof from destroying the walls and foundation, a drainage system is installed. It can be made of various materials, but the principle of fastening and functions are the same. If you have experience, you can make a drain with your own hands. In the absence of time, you can order a ready-made system in a specialized company, whose representative first measures the dimensions of the house, and then installs all parts of the structure in stages.
Types and arrangement of drainage systems, choice of materials
Drainage systems are distinguished by the method of manufacture, materials and method of fastening. To increase the lifespan of the gutter and reduce the risk of ice formation, you can take a number of additional measures - install heating or attach a mesh so that debris does not fall into the gutters. It is desirable that a storm sewage system be equipped on the site, the drains from which can be discharged into a separate clean septic tank or into a ditch outside the site. This will keep your lawn looking good and will also help prevent puddles and flooding.
Gutters are usually made of lightweight materials so that the fasteners do not damage the plaster and do not fall off under their own weight. At the same time, they must be resistant to corrosion and decay, otherwise you will have to often make repairs and replace the broken sections of the gutters.
Metal gutter
Previously, gutters were made of galvanized steel. Now this method is still in use, although new, much more practical materials for installing drainpipes have appeared. Galvanized steel is a lightweight material, but it has its drawbacks - if the metal is damaged, it will quickly rust and will have to be replaced. The cost of such a drain is available to most owners of private houses, but the appearance at the same time leaves much to be desired - it cannot be painted in a different color, therefore, the structure will stand out against the background of all other details of the facade.
A galvanized gutter system can be made by hand. The material lends itself well to correction, so any inaccuracies in measurements are easy to correct.
Other alloys are also used - based on copper, titanium. They last longer, but the cost is higher. The gutter brackets are made of the same metal and attached to the finished roof.
Aluminum is quite suitable for the manufacture of gutters. It does not lend itself to corrosion, has been in service for over 50 years, and is easy to use.
Copper plates look luxurious, but at a price they are expensive, especially if the fastening material is also made of copper.
Plastic gutters
You can buy ready-made or make yourself from pieces of plastic pipe. To do this, choose a suitable material with thick walls, saw it in half with a grinder, grind the scuffs and hang it on the mounts. The fastening material is then made from available materials, for example metal.
Plastic has several advantages:
- does not corrode, therefore it lasts longer;
- in case of mechanical damage, functionality is not reduced;
- long service life - more than 50 years;
- has a smooth surface, so various debris is quickly washed off by streams of water;
- you can choose the right color, since there are different shades of polymers on sale;
- the material is resistant to ultraviolet radiation.
The disadvantage of plastic is that it cannot be adjusted if the measurements were made inaccurately. The only way is cropping. The cost of polymeric materials is higher than that of galvanized steel.
Color coated metal
The cost is cheaper if you do it yourself. Custom models are expensive. The material requires careful installation and operation, since the slightest scratch can trigger the process of rusting. In this case, the appearance will gradually deteriorate.
The advantage of the products is that you can choose a color for any shade of tiles, which will immediately affect the appearance of the house. The smooth polymer coating prevents debris build-up. When it rains, it is washed off. Plastic well tolerates temperature extremes and exposure to sunlight, therefore, with careful use, it can last a long time.
Plastic bottles as gutter material
If there is a need to equip a water drainage system urgently and cheaply, you can use plastic bottles with a volume of 5 liters. To do this, the neck, bottom and narrow part are cut off, and the bottle is cut in half. From these parts, an overlapping gutter is laid out, which is screwed into wooden slats. The upper troughs are made in a similar way, but use a 2 liter bottle. From the middle of the roof, which is the highest point, the plates are laid out towards the edges of the house. Large bottles are placed in the corners, through which water flows into a homemade gutter and further outside the site.
This option is suitable for a country house if there are no aesthetic plans.
Designing and carrying out the necessary calculations
Any construction work must be done after preliminary calculations. There is no need to try to combine parts of the drainage system from different manufacturers - there may be a discrepancy between the size of the fasteners and the diameter of the gutters and other nuances.
When making calculations, you need to take into account:
- average rainfall in the region;
- the size of the largest roof slope in order to select the correct size for the gutter;
- the location of the gutter relative to the roof so that water does not fall on the walls;
- the length of the slope.
Approximate dimensions of gutters and drain pipes with rainfall up to 100 mm per hour:
- gutter with a diameter of 100 mm, drain pipe - 75 mm;
- chute 125 mm, pipe 90 mm;
- gutter 150 mm, pipe 110 mm.
The slope of the gutters must be observed so that the water does not stagnate or overflow, but flows into the downpipe. For every 4 cm of distance, 1 cm of slope is calculated. This increases the length of the workpieces, so they are calculated in advance.
It is important to minimize the number of joints, so you need to buy enough material to avoid using small pieces of plastic or metal. In this case, the reliability of the structure will be higher. There are two sizes of gutters on sale - 3 and 4 meters long. If necessary, you can cut off a small piece from each and place two or three identical parts under the roof.
After determining the dimensions, you can calculate the cost of materials and their quantity. Consider the screws that will hold the system, as well as rubber gaskets, funnels and plugs. Hooks can be attached in two ways: if the roof is already ready, use the short version, if the roof is not finished, you can attach a long hook.
Tools required for the job
- hacksaw for metal or grinder;
- scissors for metal, if you plan to cut sheet aluminum or galvanized steel;
- tape measure for measurements at least 7 meters;
- clamps for pipes;
- building level;
- cord for marking the slope of the brackets;
- flat bend for bending hooks;
- a hammer;
- screws for fastening brackets and clamps to the wall;
- stairs;
- screwdrivers or screwdriver.
For cutting plastic, it is better not to use a grinder, since during friction the material overheats and melts, which affects the evenness of the cut and the quality of the product.
Installation steps
Work begins with determining the slope of the brackets and marking the level with a cord. Fasteners are mounted from the corner of the house. Installation steps after all hooks are screwed on:
- Funnels are cut out in those places of the water intake where the drain pipes will be attached.
- Install a water intake and screw it to the hooks. The roof slope should be in the middle of the water intake so that in heavy rain, water can enter the gutter.
- Rotary parts or plugs are placed in the corner parts.
- To arrange the drain, 2 pipe joints are made according to the type of elbow. Do it from top to bottom.
- In the lower part, a drain is performed, which is directed to the storm drain grate or specially equipped ditches.
- The pipes are attached to the wall with clamps. It is not recommended to tighten them so that during temperature changes the system can move freely in any direction.
To install a heating system on downpipes, you need to have skills in handling electrical appliances. Otherwise, it is better to call a specialist and set the task.
To prevent falling leaves and bird droppings from clogging the system, a mesh with small holes is attached over the gutter.
Common mistakes when installing drainage systems
The number of funnels must match the number of vertical drain pipes. A lack of them can also lead to overflow. The absence of plugs at the edges of the gutters will cause a powerful stream of water in the corners of the house.
Saving on brackets and hooks can cause the drainage system to sag and even collapse in winter, because ice and snow accumulate in the gutters.
If PVC is used for the manufacture of water intakes, the gutter cannot be fastened with a tight joint - as the temperature rises, the PVC expands and may burst.
The lack of a slope leads to overflow of water. On houses with a large roof area, a double slope is made - from the middle of the roof to its corners, in order to evenly distribute the load during rain.
An insufficient number of clamps can play a bad role during squally winds - the downpipe will simply tear off the wall, damaging the plaster. You should also fix the drain pipe at some distance from the wall so that it has time to dry out and does not create high humidity.
Leaks can be observed due to improperly installed rubber gasket at the junctions between the funnel and the drain pipe.
The absence of a protective grid on the gutters can cause dirty water with debris at the beginning of the rain, after which the area will have to be cleaned.
The cost of the drain can be reduced if you do the main work yourself. In this case, the price for the work on the installation of the drainage system will not be taken into account. It remains to count the number of pipes, brackets and hooks. You may have to purchase any construction tools and consumables.
