In order to save money, the drainage system can be made independently from scrap materials. In this case, they use not only purchased pipes, gutters, other plastic or galvanized parts, but also ordinary plastic bottles. With a responsible approach to work, a self-made drain in a private house will last up to 10 years.
Creation of a drainage complex
The easiest way to assemble it is from plastic pipes. They are inexpensive, easy to process, and the range of suitable parts is wide. It is also realistic to create a galvanized drainage system. If you do not want to spend money, you can take plastic bottles for armament.
Sometimes drainage systems are also installed from wood. Pine, larch or fir are suitable for these purposes. Carpentry skills and significant material costs will be required, since high-quality wood is expensive.
Drawing up a scheme and carrying out calculations
When creating a drainage system from any materials, first of all, a detailed drawing of the future structure is drawn up. To do this, measure the roof around the perimeter and take into account the height of the building. When drawing up the scheme, it is taken into account:
- length of the roof overhang;
- the total number of funnels and drain pipes - they are located in the corners and every 10 meters of the overhang;
- slope of gutters (3-5 mm);
- distance between pipe holders - up to 1.5 m;
- the height of the bottom drain above the ground is 30 cm.
For the arrangement of the drainage system, it is necessary to correctly make all the calculations and plan the purchase of building materials, which will avoid unnecessary costs. First of all, the roofing area is calculated and determined with the dimensions of the drainage parts:
| Roof area (sq. M) | Chute width (mm) | Drain pipe section (mm) |
| Up to 50 | 100 | 75 |
| 50 to 100 | 125 | 87 |
| Over 100 | 150 | 100 |
The total number of gutter segments is determined depending on the sum of the lengths of the eaves overhangs of all roof slopes on which the system is installed. Since the standard gutter is 3 or 4 m long, and from galvanized it is 2 m, the resulting amount must be divided by 2, 3, 4. The number of pipes is calculated based on the distance from the ground surface to the roof and the number of drains to be installed.
Installation of polymer gutters
- sewer pipes for creating gutters;
- pipe elements for vertical parts of the drainage structure;
- tees and adapters for joining construction parts;
- sealing material;
- strips of metal sheets for suspensions.
From tools for arranging a drainage system with your own hands, you will need an angle grinder with a disc for cutting metal, an electric jigsaw, a construction cord, a screwdriver, and self-tapping screws.
To make a gutter piece from a previously purchased sewer pipe, you need to cut it in half using UGShM. If this is not possible, use a cloth from a hacksaw for metal. You can also make patterns from wood to create gutters of the same size.
It is better not to cut the sections of the pipe at the points of connection of the risers - this way the structure will be stronger. It is quite enough 150-200 mm on each side of the drain pipe. A hole in the groove section can be cut with a jigsaw.
The connection of the gutter sections is carried out with a special silicone sealant or aluminum clips.Semicircles made of plastic sheet are glued as plugs.
Before you start assembling the gutter, you will need to make brackets. They are made of metal strips, bending in the shape of the drainage system.
The assembly of the entire structure is carried out after the installation of the holders, which are fixed with self-tapping screws on the cornice board or support rafters. To maintain the required slope, use a construction cord. Tees are installed in the places where the drainage system is connected to the risers, not forgetting to seal the joints.
Galvanized steel systems
Self-creation of gutters and galvanized pipes with your own hands is quite possible. You will need a metal sheet half a centimeter thick, metal scissors, a hammer, pliers and a marker.
According to a preliminary design, a galvanized sheet is marked, after which the lined elements are cut out.
The cut strips are given the required shape using a mallet and pliers. To facilitate this task, as well as more accurate execution, pre-made templates from wood or pipe will be required.
Weirs from plastic bottles
It is quite possible to make gutters and downpipes from plastic bottles. They will last a year or a little longer. But with a minimum of cash investment, this option will help to cope with excess moisture in the off-season.
To create a drain you will need:
- plastic bottles;
- scissors;
- electric drill;
- stationery stapler with staples;
- thin wire.
Only a non-embossed container in the form of a cylinder is suitable, since the ribbing will lead to a quick blockage of the system.
To calculate the number of bottles and determine the slope angle of the gutter, it is necessary to measure the length of the drainage system along the entire perimeter of the roof. Following actions:
- Remove the labels and cut off the bottoms and necks of the bottles.
- Cut the resulting cylindrical elements along the seam with scissors.
- Fasten the rectangles with an overlap using a stapler.
On the roof, the gutter structure is fixed with wire through holes drilled in the slate or metal tile.
The weir installation process is simple. The neck from one bottle is inserted into the place where the bottom of the other is cut, after which the edge of the groove segment is installed into it. As a riser, cylinders fastened to each other with a stapler or necks connected by wire, creating the effect of watering cans, are used.
As a temporary roof drainage system, this is the most cost-effective option. The material at hand is free, and the time and labor costs are minimal.
Operation and maintenance
The drainage complex requires a systematic check. Regular cleaning of the gutter can help identify problems. Inspection of drainage systems is required at least once a year. Traditionally, cleaning is done in the spring, which is the best time to remove leaves and debris.
The weir is cleaned from the gutter elements. Cleaning is carried out with a soft brush, and then washed with water. Sharp objects are not allowed as they can damage the protective coating. After that, you can start checking the patency of the weir risers. Flushing is carried out with a water jet under pressure (for example, from a hose).
Installation errors can cause system problems. The wrong choice of the cross-section of pipe sections and the number of funnels will not allow you to cope with a large water flow. If the pipe is very close to the wall of the house, it leads to wetting of the surface. Horizontal installation of gutter sections causes water accumulation and overflow of these elements. This is especially dangerous in winter, when frozen moisture can damage the elements of the system.
If you avoid mistakes and approach the self-assembly of the drainage complex responsibly, it will last almost as long as the purchased one.
