Alternatives to gutters

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Didn't know if anybody had used or has seen these being used anywhere;
Rain Handlers
I'm building a two story house with full wrap around porch/deck. Most of it is covered (see attached).
We're in a heavily wooded area, so lots of leaves and the soil is VERY rock so digging drain tile would be a huge pain. Thought that these might be a good alternative.
I went ahead and order three pieces so I can test them, but they're not here yet.

Any thoughts or ideas, I'd appreciate it.

-dave

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Rear photo (not very good or recent...sorry)

-dave

[Tevi]

I think they would work ok in a no wind situation.I think you'll find the water spray on the decks to much

[DUMBDOG]

My opinion on them is that they will disapate the rain running off of the roof so you do not have the dirt washing away by the house. With the trees that you have around your house, it would be a challage to keep standard gutters clear of the the leaves so that they would work.

[Pat]

I'm not sure what your objectiion to standard gutters is. If it is aesthetics then build in the downspouts. Yes built into the house.... not visible externally and connct them to underground drain lines that drain to daylight. Install cleanouts. This IS DONE and it DOES WORK.

I spent all of about 10 seconds considering rain handlers. Fine for rain with no wind but a wind changes their output back to rain and so what is the gain?

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

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I have no real objections to gutters. What I am trying to solve is;
1) Leaves....I am completely surrounded by 60'+ tall Red & White Oaks and Hickory's.
2) The soil is VERY rock 12" diameter rocks are too common, to trenching downspouts to daylight will be no fun.
3) We are in an area where during winter we have HUGE temp changes to ice dams in gutters can be a problem.

I realize that the wind will blow the rain or gutter blow-off where ever it will. I was thinking more along the lines of the three above items. I'm not even really concerned with the water/foundation dynamics. I have a 8' (9' covered) fully wrap around porch, so that any water that falls will be atleast 9' away from the foundation. Additonally when we put 3'-4' of 1" gravel under the footings & foundation and we backfilled the front (the high side, the house is a walkout) with 2"-4" clean. So any water that would hit the foundation will pass down and out the back to daylight.

I just recieved three 5' pieces (I can refund up to a year) I'll put them up today and see how they do.

-dave

[Pat]

Dave, I'm sure the install will be easier and more clog free. I just don't see how they do much for you. You can put a plastic UV stable mesh over the guters and end the leaf problem. I like to run thte gutters into a drain rather than run the water into the yard. If water on your rocks 9 ft from the house doesn't bother you, then don't trench in drains.

I suppose during initial construction you could have incorporated a drain in the porch slab. One retrofit would be a cement planter box along the edge of the porch slab with a drain pipe hidden in it.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[GaryM]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
You can put a plastic UV stable mesh over the guters and end the leaf problem.

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Pat, these things are no good, at least in an area with Maple trees! The little winged beasts get caught in the mesh, then the wing rots off and the seed falls through. Next Spring there's a regular forest of seedlings growing up through the mesh. Looks right pretty though! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Pat]

Gary, Clearly you selected too large of a mesh size! I don't have any maple trees...yet. I'm intending to keep trees far enough from the house to not have too much problem with gutter blockage.

I had avacado and pepper trees sheding in my gutters at previous haouse neccessitating twop or more cleanings a year.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[GaryM]

Didn't happen to me Pat, but to a close friend.

It was the plastic stuff they sell for covering gutters so it must have been the right size! [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Kind of funny to see all these Maple and Elm seedlings reaching for the sun.