Rain gutter

Rain gutter and downspout

A rain gutter (also known as eavestrough (especially in Canada), eaves channel^[1] guttering or simply as a gutter) is a narrow channel, or trough, forming the component of a roof system which collects and diverts rainwater shed by the roof.

A rain gutter may be a:

• Roof integral trough along the lower edge of the roof slope which is fashioned from the roof covering and flashing materials.
• Discrete trough of metal, or other material that is suspended beyond the roof edge and below the projected slope of the roof.
• Wall integral structure beneath the roof edge, traditionally constructed of masonry, fashioned as the crowning element of a wall.^[2]

The main purpose of a rain gutter is to protect a building's foundation by channeling water away from its base. They also help to reduce erosion, prevent leaks in basements and crawlspaces,^[3] protect painted surfaces by reducing exposure to water,^[4] and provide a means to collect rainwater for later use.

Rain gutters can be constructed from a variety of materials, including cast iron, lead, zinc, galvanised steel, painted steel, copper, painted aluminium, PVC (and other plastics), concrete, stone, and wood.

Water collected by a rain gutter is fed, usually via a downspout (traditionally called a leader or conductor^[5]), from the roof edge to the base of the building where it is either discharged or collected.^[6] A collection system strategy for water carried from rain gutters may include a rain barrel or a cistern.^{[citation needed]}

Types of gutters

Weeds in roof gutter.

Different styles of gutter, known as profiles, are produced.

A Box gutter is a deep gutter which is concealed within the structure of the roof.^[6]

Cold forming technology exists to allow continuous gutters to be created, on site, in long individual lengths suitable to roof edge conditions, thereby reducing joints along the length of the gutter. These mostly joint free gutters are referred to as "seamless", and available in various shapes, sizes, and finishes.^[7]

Rain gutters can be equipped with gutter screens, louvers or solid hoods to allow water from the roof to flow through, while reducing passage of roof debris into the gutter.^{[citation needed]}

Precautions

Broken gutter.

Clogged gutters can cause water leakage into the house as the water backs up. Clogged gutters can also lead to stagnant water build up which allows mosquitoes to breed and also allow grasses and weeds to grow in the gutter.^[8]

In popular culture

• The episode of Ask This Old House on WETA-TV, that teaches viewers to install a fiberglass bathtub and shower enclosure, also teaches how to fix a leaky rain gutter.^[9]
• In The Sopranos episode, "The Telltale Moozadell", A.J. Soprano and his friends are caught vandalizing their high school. As punishment, Tony and Carmela ground A.J. for a month with no television, DVDs, computer or Nintendo, and force A.J. to do household chores, beginning with cleaning out the rain gutters. Tony and Carmela are slightly appalled when A.J. doesn't even know what a rain gutter is.

References

1. ^ Sturgis, Russell (1901). "A Dictionary of Architecture and Building: Biographical, Historical, and Descriptive". http://books.google.com/books?id=RdkjAAAAMAAJ&printsec=titlepage#PRA6-PA843,M1. 
2. ^ Sturgis' Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture and Building: An Unabridged Reprint of the 1901-2 Edition, Vol. II: F-N, p.340, isbn 0486260267
3. ^ Truini, Joseph. "How to Install Rain Gutters". This Old House Magazine. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,442134,00.html. 
4. ^ Abrams, Gary (November 19, 2000). "How to Make Sure Your Rain Gutters Do Their Job Properly". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2000/nov/19/realestate/re-54226. 
5. ^ "Architectural Graphic Standards," First Edition, 1932, ISBN 0-471-51940-5, p. 77, 'Parts of a gutter' illustration
6. ^ ^{a b} Ching, Francis D. K. (1995). A Visual Dictionary of Architecture. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. p. 209. ISBN 0-442-02462-2. 
7. ^ "Architectural Graphic Standards," Ninth Edition, 1994, p. 390, ISBN 0-471-53369-6.
8. ^ "Mosquitoes and West Nile Virus in Delaware", dema.delaware.gov
9. ^ Ask This Old House episode synopsis

See also

• Chantlate
• Cornice
• Rain chain
• Box gutter
• Gargoyle

External links

• "Gutter" in 1911 Britannica
• Ask the Builder on seamless vs traditional gutters
• An Illustrated glossary of roofs and roofing terms.