gutter overflow disaster!

[elchanco]

Hi,

I need to have a down pipe installed in my gutter at the rear of my house (3bed end terrace). There is 3 houses in my block being serviced by one down pipe.

When it rains heavy the corner of my gutter overflows very badly (there’s no down pipe on my house)! I went up to have a look recently and there seems to be a build up of rain water in the gutter.

I had a friend (builder) have a look & he said there is a dip in the gutter where there should have been a down pipe installed!

How did my engineer not spot this when i bought the house (3years ago)!

Would HomeBond cover this problem!

There is no drain for the rainwater to flow so will I have to drill an additional drain?

Any ideas/advice please

 

[tommyl18]

Hi you know you said theres a dip for a downpipe is that a union for a downpipe thats been capped off ? is it plastic guttering?

 

[elchanco]

Hi you know you said theres a dip for a downpipe is that a union for a downpipe thats been capped off ? is it plastic guttering?

there’s a gradual dip in the gutter which may be sagging from the strain of the rain water or there should have been a downpipe installed? I’m not sure?
Its plastic guttering & I don’t think a downpipe has been capped off!

 

[tommyl18]

if it was me id cut out the area that is sagging get a plumb line on the clips that hold it in place realine them with a plumb line or replace them if needed and fit a new piece and then if the fall is correct it should drain away ok to the existing down pipe

 

[xerxes]

It may be that you simply need to install one or more additional brackets to support the gutter without cutting it, if what is happening is that it sags under the weight of the water.

Installing an additional downpipe would mean providing somewhere for the water to drain to, such as a soakaway, and could involve some realignment of the gutter on neighbouring properties.

Your surveyor may be excused for not noticing the problem if it wasn't raining when he visited, and if there was no evidence of water damage. Without water in the gutter it could look as if it's properly aligned.

 

[cmother1]

If you've got standard half-round gutter it was probably OK when installed, but the increase in torrential rain in the last 15 years means that it's often overwhelmed now, especially if you haven't enough downpipes.

You need to work out what happens to your surface water at present to see if it's feasible to easily add another downpipe. You aren't allowed to put additional rainwater into foul-water drains any more though this doesn't stop people.

If you and your neighbours ever club together to do something about your gutters go for a deep-flow system. It's well worth the modest extra investment.