Rain water gutters are used to collect and drain water from the roofs. These can be used to harvest water from he roof into a storage tank. This water can be used as a clean supply to the house. Gutters can be designed and formed into different shapes and materials. These can be half round or square shaped. The materials can be concrete, PVC, cast iron or sheet metal. The water storage can be made in the ground or elevated above ground level. The position of the tank will depend on the height of the roof from the ground level.
The rain water gutters are connected with down pipes to drain into tanks or the ground sewers. This gutters start or are attached at the eaves end point of the roof on the fascia board. It is important to blend the rain water goods to the fascia boards. This will give good aesthetic factors to the house. When fixing the down pipes, they should also be made to match the wall facades. Colors used should not contrast with the wall finishes. Sometimes these down pipes can be concealed inside beams and columns into the ground or tanks.
The size of the rain water gutters is six to eight inches wide. The fixing is done using clips attached to the fascia boards. The concrete ones are cast within the flat roof slab. The fixing clips are supplied as part of the whole system. These are made to slope to one side of the fascia board. This will allow the gutter to drain water to the down pipe. Once the gutter is fixed to the clips, water is poured on the roof to check the slope. This should not too fast as it will not be self cleansing. Again the slope should not be too visible on the fascia board.
The roof corners are done with stopped ends connected to the gutter. This has a hole for the swan neck shaped pipe. This piece makes the bend from the roof to the wall. The down pipe is joined to it, to take the water down. The pipes are fitted straight and connected to the wall with brackets away from doors and windows. If a water storage tank is elevated, the pipe is joined from the swan neck to the tank. If it is on the ground, a pipe runs down and bends towards the tank. When water is not harvested, the pipe bends and lets out water onto splash apron.
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