Gutter Alternatives

[JPope]

Anybody have any experience with this house gutter alternative:



http://www.rainhandler.com/

 

[fox]

Yes, I do.



We were asked to install this product on a new house a few years back. We did, and I made a prediction to the owners and builder.

After the first week of rains, I was asked to get them off and put 5" aluminum on it.



Here is what I predicted and happened.



If you study the install, you will see that the product is installed at the bottom of the facia board. (also that the product is very weak in design), the rain will come off of the roof with some velocity and flow over past the product. Very little water comes over the edge and turns straight downward. It will be more likely to if the pitch is very low-like a flat roof- where the water is moving slowly.

Also, it need to be moved out farther, but this requires more strength.

For those who haven't seen it, it is like a venetion blind. Water hits it and is dispersed.

It is like many products in the rainware business that will be site specific. There is no "one size fits all".

BTW, many leaf guards that are on the market will keep quite a lot of water out of the gutter too!!! Is that what a customer wants? I always ask the customer to get a few feet of the product to try for 1 year before buying big.

I've been it the business for 26 + years. I've seen most of them. I've been paid to remove and discard many of them too. I HATE to see a customer get taken. Boils my blood.

 

[TowPro]

By buddy is thinking of getting them. I personaly don't like them. I use the gutters to move all the water off my roof away from my foundation. Everyonce and a while if my gutter gets clogged and over flows I get wet marks on the basement block wall.

 

[JPope]

Appreciate the comments.

Fox: your points seem to be reasonable and was one of my concerns, e. g. the water flowing beyond the reach of the rainhandler. My roof is steep, 1:1.

finished it last fall, and watching to see how things go before installing anything if at all. Getting the trench in the lawn where it drips right now, and the water in the trench drains away, had it sloped sufficently to ensure drainage away.



Towpro: If your buddy tries them, keep us informed as to results



Have not heard any good from any of the various gutter cover products due to reasons you stated. On the previous place I tried the screens over the gutters, as you had to clean gutters at least 4 or 5 times a year, due to nearby pine trees and maple trees. Ground around the house on the front side was flat so not enough drainage. Screen covers helped but not as well as desired.



As of now deciding between a really nice architectural gutter, or putting something (gravel with drain line?) in the lawn trench to receive the water and minimize further erosion.