The Importance of Downspouts and Gutter
The role of a functioning downspout
Downspouts can easily go unnoticed through time because nobody would really care about them unless you’ll be the first to receive the impact of a damaged downspout. But that seems unlikely since the downspout is connected directly to the gutter, and they function together.
A downspout is a pipe attached to the gutter of your roof. Without the downspout, all water that has amassed on the gutter will carelessly pour on the ground, damaging different parts of the guttering system and the receiving walls and ground as well. Your gutter’s downspout is a crucial component for your home’s roofing system.
To ensure that the downspout installed on your roof functions properly, you might also want to check if the gutter does its job perfectly. The gutter system, which includes the downspout, should keep your home protected. Otherwise, the presence of your roof would lose its essence in diverting the water to where it should flow.
Downspout structure
A piece of a connecting pipe, the downspout will serve its purpose well if it is glued effectively to the gutter. The gutters commonly have holes in each corner. From there, you will notice the placement of downspouts on those holes. This attachment is crucial in keeping the water out because a slight opening will allow the water to leak. When it rains hard, the damaged downspout will not be able to bear the water pressure, slowly detaching itself from the hole. This is the common scenario for a failing gutter system. In such a case, the downspout needs replacement.
Broken downspout. 
Downspout made of copper. 
PVC material downspout and gutter.
Some homes have downspouts built for curb appeal. It depends on the design of your home and on how your roofer will install the downspouts. Whether downspouts are hidden beneath the wall or exposed, the pipes go down directly to where flash guards are built and a narrow trench on each of them good enough to accommodate the pipe. These pipes travel through the home’s main water drain system, usually situated just under the front yard. The purpose of the downspout system is to drive water correctly so the water won’t erode the soil and make further damage on the masonry eventually. The grounding pipe in the trench serves as a catch basin for all the water coming from the roof.
The gutter
The gutter is the perfect pair for the downspout. Its main function is to redirect the water collected from the rain or snow. When the water is routed correctly, it will save your home’s foundation from crumbling. The soil on the ground will soon erode if it continuously receives the run-off water, slowly damaging other parts of your home.
Gutters are made of different materials. They can be aluminium, copper, steel, PVC, or cast iron. In order for the gutters to work properly, they should be free of clutter. Today, roofers and homeowners place gutter guards to keep debris away. A gutter guard, cover, or mesh, will prevent any kind of object from hampering the flow of rainwater. Ask your roofing provider for a durable gutter cover fit for your gutter and roof design.
The gutter should be designed to serve as an effective channel in driving the water down the spout. The truth is, water is scary on this aspect because it can ruin everything. Imagine a gutter that is damaged, clogged, broken, aged, or rusted, water will find its way somewhere, and the danger lies that when it’s uncontrollable, the damage it can do to your home is immeasurable.
For example, the attic; when water roll off on your roof but the gutter fails to catch all of it, the tendency is that water will creep in the underlayment of the roof. Trapped water will build up moisture. And then some of this moisture will cause fungi on wood. The plyboards and wood built, including insulation sheets, in the attic will soon rot.
With an effective guttering system, your home will be free from the following:
- Deterioration of tiles, fascia, soffit from moulds and fungi.
- Moisture buildup within walls and ceiling.
- Damage to home’s foundation and basement due to flooding.
With the extent of trouble the water brings to every part of your roof, make sure that the guttering system is inspected for possible damage. Call your hired roofing contractors in Bristol and other areas in the UK. They can for certain conduct periodical inspection and prep your roof before a major outburst of storm or snow.
For all your roofing repair, trust only the experienced builders. Contact us now and let our team assess your place.
