How to make a drain from the roof itself

19-09-2018

Pipes

When you built yourself a house or cottage, began to equip it, then you will definitely need to drain the drains from the roof. This problem will be felt immediately after the first rain, as all the water from the roof will flow on the steps, the foundation and even the walls, which is not good at all. Your task is to build a system of outflow of water from the roof, that is, drain. There are two options: buy a ready-made design or design it yourself. The first method is much cheaper and will save money, however, it will have to make some effort. We must choose what material the future discharge will be made of, what form it will take, and where all the water should flow. With all these nuances, you can figure out by reading our article. Moreover, we will consider why plums are needed, in particular, what functions it performs, what are the requirements for these elements, what it consists of and, directly, how to make a drain from the roof with your own hands. Let's find out about everything in the details.

And yet why

Drainage is an important part of the construction of the whole house. Its presence is very important for several reasons. You can see a house in which there is no drainage system on the roof, probably, only during the construction phase, since this system is usually done first. And all because of the fact that it performs important functions:

Protective function. Thanks to the sink, precipitation does not fall on the walls, foundation, steps and blind area. This is the main purpose of the drain. When it is absent, the base of the house will simply collapse within 5–10 years. Water will fall on the foundation, leaving the ground, as a result of which the foundation will be eroded. Moreover, traces of water, smudges and stains can form on the walls, which will spoil the aesthetic appearance of the entire building. Yes, and the steps of the porch will collapse over time.
Collection from the roof of rainwater. This is especially important for owners of a large vegetable garden or garden, because it is very good to water plants with rain water. If the drain pipe to take in a special container, barrel or large tank, then after a good rain you will have an additional source of water. This is useful not only for the soil, but also for your wallet. The presence of such technical water does not hurt anyone.
The element of decor for your home. If you make a beautiful outflow with your own hands, you can complete the overall picture of the house, giving it a complete look.

All this makes the drain system an important component of the entire building. Of course, it is possible to do without it in some cases, but this is fraught with undesirable consequences.

It should be noted that it is also impossible to make a drain on a fast hand, so that it functions correctly and for a long time, you need to comply with some requirements:

The product must have high strength, resistance to various mechanical deformations and high loads. It must withstand strong gusts of wind, hail, the weight of the snow layer in winter, etc .;
Durability. The material must be resistant to various external factors, corrosion from water, withstand changes in temperature and precipitation.
Last but not least, a good appearance, because no one wants one detail to spoil the whole facade.

All these requirements are important to comply with, then your efforts will not be in vain. But from what material can you make a drain, and which one will be better? Let's find out.

Materials for production

The water drainage system is made of various materials, which differ in their characteristics and price. There are two main materials for the manufacture of drainage:

Metal.
Polymers.

These are the most common materials from which you yourself can make water drainage. If we talk about metal, then it is more expensive than plastic due to its strength. In the manufacture of plums, it is additionally covered with an anti-corrosion agent and a decorative coating, because, as is well known, the metal's disadvantage is the tendency to corrosion. In addition, during operation, the drainage of metal from time to time must be further processed by the same means, so that it does not rust from damage, dents and scratches that may occur during operation.

If you want to make a metal construction, it is better to choose such:

galvanized steel;
copper;
aluminum.

To make a drain from galvanized steel, it is necessary to purchase it in sheets whose thickness reaches 1 mm. For additional protection of the material from corrosion, choose a material coated with polymers: polyester, plastisol or pural.

The design of aluminum is quite light, which is its advantage. Sheet thickness can be from 0.8 mm to 1 mm. To protect the material using a special varnish. It not only protects aluminum, but also improves its appearance. Such structures serve for a long time, and if aluminum does not contact with other metals, rust will not form on it.

The advantage of copper products is that they do not need to be further processed. Such an ebb is considered more durable, beautiful and high-quality, it is ideal for the manufacture of a water drainage system in the event that your roof is not made of another metal. Copper, like aluminum, should not be in contact with other metals. The only negative is the high price of the material.

Tip! During operation, copper is covered with a greenish patina.

Plastic plastic is another matter. They do not need additional treatment, are more durable and do not corrode. Increased strength, durability, quietness and resistance to ultraviolet - all these functions made plastisol and polyester the main materials that are ideal for the manufacture of reflux. Drains made of plastic have another advantage - polymers can be of different colors, so you can choose one that fits the color scheme for your home.

Tip! It is worth noting that the price of plastic is much lower than the metal, so polymer plums will cost you less.

If we talk about the minuses of the material, then there is one significant: at low temperatures, the plastic becomes brittle. And, despite the various additives in the production, in extreme cold plastic may crack, because of which the tightness of the entire system will be broken. True, if you live in a region with a temperate climate, this lack will not bother you.

Considering all the above, you can decide what material to make to drain the water from the roof of the house. Before you start making a low tide, let's find out what elements it consists of and how it works.

Components of the water drainage system

First you need to determine what exactly to make, because the drainage system consists of various elements:

Gutter One of the main elements of the whole structure. It serves to collect water from the slopes of the roof. It can be round or square, mounted horizontally below the roof overhang. The size of the gutter depends on the area of the ramp that it will serve.
Trumpet. The vertical part of the structure, which allows you to divert water to the place you need, whether it is a drainage system or a tank for collecting rainwater. Pipes are attached to the wall of the building.
Drain inlet or funnel. The element that connects the chute to the pipe.
Turns and angles. Structural elements that allow you to bypass the house, various protruding elements, etc. Thanks to them, it is also possible to mount the pipe at different distances from the wall of the house.
Stubs In those places where the funnel and the pipe is not provided, install a plug.
Gutter connection. When the wall is long, the gutters are interconnected by special connecting elements.
Fasteners for pipes and gutters, allowing tightly fix these elements to the wall.
Leaf trap. Sometimes a trap is installed into the system that looks like a lattice. Thanks to her, the leaves do not penetrate into the system and do not clog it. You just have to periodically remove the leaves from the trap.

As they say, it’s better to see once than to hear a hundred times, therefore, below is a diagram in which you can visually see all the components of the system.

How to find out how much material is needed for work

Before you get to work, you need to resolve another issue. It should be determined how much to buy material for the construction of the drain, so as not to have to spend money on delivery again. Yes, and the excess material may lie for a long time dead weight, until you decide to use it in the construction of any outbuildings.

So, how to calculate the amount of material, it is necessary to create a drain. In fact, everything is not as difficult as it seems. To work, you need to arm yourself with a tape measure of more than 5 m, a pencil or pen, and also a notebook for records. It all starts with the fact that with the help of a roulette the total footage of all grooves around the perimeter is calculated. The resulting number will show you how many meters of material needed for gutters. Write down all the data so that you don’t forget anything. And, of course, do not take the material with an accuracy of a centimeter, a small margin is required.

Tip! The cross section of the gutters can be of two types: round and square. Which type to choose depends on your own preferences. Only here it is worth noting that it is easier to care for round products, as they are easy to clean. The square shape does not allow to thoroughly clean the dirt in the corners.

Now you need to figure out how many funnels will go on the system. Make it even easier. Usually, one funnel is installed on the gutter every 10 m. If the house is small, then often the funnel is placed simply on its corners. If the length of one of the walls of your home exceeds 10 m, professionals recommend making several drain points. The number of funnels should also be recorded.

Location options for downpipes and gutters

You do not even need to calculate how many pipes are needed, since this number will be equal to the number of funnels. All that needs to be done is to measure the distance from the roof to the ground or the place where you want to divert water in order to find out the desired length of the pipe itself.

Turns and knees are calculated strictly individually according to the design features of the facade of the house. It all depends on the number of corners, obstructions and turns. Take into account the desired distance of the pipes from the walls.

Upon completion of all calculations, you need to know the required number of fasteners: brackets and clamps. The brackets will fix the diverting gutters in increments of 60–80 cm. The total length of the grooves should be divided by the distance between the brackets. So you know exactly how many pieces you need. As for the clamps that will fasten the pipes to the walls, it is definitely difficult to say something. Basically, 2-3 collars are sufficient per pipe, it depends on the height of the wall. Look at the number of pipes in your drainage system and determine the number of clamps.

That's all, the calculation is over. It was the easiest stage of the construction of the drain, it will be much more difficult to mount it. Now you have to look at your records, and go with them to the store to buy all the necessary material. When everything is ready, you can get to work.

How to make a drain from the roof

Consider how to make your own drain from plastic pipes, as this is the easiest and most effective option. As practice has shown, the best materials for this business are plastic sewer and ventilation pipes.

To work you need these tools:

Bulgarian.
Screwdriver or screwdriver.
Roulette.
Cord or thread.
Screws.
Sandpaper.
Level and plummet
Marker.
Silicone sealant.
Scaffolding or ladder.

And as materials required to purchase:

Plastic pipes with a diameter of 80, 90 or 110 mm, of which the gutters will be made. They are cut in half.
Plastic pipes with a diameter of 50 mm, which will act as vertical pipes for draining.
Plastic fittings that will be funnels, connecting the gutter and the vertical pipe.
Bypass angles and knees, due to which gutters can bend around the corners of a building, as well as change the direction of the vertical drain pipes to the right place.
Plastic caps for pipes, which also have to be cut in half.
Plastic brackets and metal clamps.

First of all, it is necessary to determine the cross-section of pipes, which depends on the area of the roof itself. There is a special calculation formula by which you can find out the required diameter. If the area of the roof slope is 50 m² and smaller, it is better to use pipes with a diameter of 80 mm. When the area of the roof slope is 125 m² and less, then choose a pipe of 90 mm. And when the area of the roof slope is more than 125 m², A pipe with a diameter of 110 mm is required.

Tip! More will require funnels, sockets and adapters, but their diameter is determined based on the diameter of the pipe, which moves from the gutter.

Now we will manufacture the gutters - this is the hardest work, requiring accuracy and correct calculation. As the gutters will be used pipes that need to dissolve in half in length. It will be easy to cut them, but to do it smoothly is difficult. From one pipe you will get two identical gutters. Here is what you need to do:

Take the pipe of the desired diameter and place it on the boards. For convenience, fix the pipe with a screw to the board with a screw.
At the very top, on the front side of the pipe, retreating a few centimeters, twist the screw into it exactly in the middle. Do the same on the other side. Twist the screws to the end is not necessary.
Pull the thread between them. Make sure everything is smooth.
Now mark the cut line on the pipe with a marker.
Remove the thread and, focusing on the markup, begin to cut the pipe grinder. For safety, wear protective glasses. Be sure to cut the pipe evenly, as the overall appearance of the gutters will depend on it.
It remains to do exactly the same on the opposite side of the pipe. Only now the pipe to the board is fixed in two places, since, having cut the pipe, you have made two separate parts of it.
Depending on the number of gutters required, cut all pipes designed for this purpose.
Using emery paper, strip the cuts on the pipes.

This is how you can independently make the gutters, which will become the basis for the drainage system. Now you only need to connect the elements of the gutters together, given the required length on each wall. One with the other, the finished gutters will be connected with screws. Since these are sewage pipes, one end of which is wider, you can easily connect them;

One chute is inserted into the other overlap by 5–10 cm.
Using a screwdriver or screw, fasten them to each other in three places: on the sides and bottom.
The finished mount can be smeared with silicone sealant to prevent water leakage.
To make the corner gutters, you need to take the knee, and by the method you already know, cut it in half.
At this stage, in places where vertical pipes will be located, it is necessary to already insert a plastic fitting and fix it with self-tapping screws. Again, you need to cover the junction sealant.

Tip! When you connect the elements with each other, do not twist the screws too tight, so that the joints are slightly movable. Due to this, the structure will walk under the influence of wind and various temperatures, without collapsing.

We can say that your roof drainage system is ready, it only remains to put everything together and install it in the intended place.

All stages are shown in detail in the video:

Rules of installation of the drainage system

The installation scheme of the gutter bracket

Before you install your homemade design, it is important to familiarize yourself with some of the rules for installing water drainage elements. They concern not only plastic products, but also any other. Compliance with these rules is very important, because thanks to them the structure will be folded long and properly perform its functions.

The installation of grooves along the perimeter of the house should be carried out on the frontal bar of the cornice, the edge of the truss system, directly on the roof. It is better to choose the first two methods. But, It is worth noting that it will be easy to implement them in the case when the drainage system is installed at the construction stage of the house, before the roofing material is laid. If you have already completely built your house or cottage, you can fix the gutters on the edge of the roof.
When metal pipes are used as the gutters, the brackets should be arranged at a distance of 80 cm to 1.5 m. If the gutters are made of plastic, the minimum distance from 60–80 cm.
The gutters need to be fixed so that they easily catch the stream of running water. To do this, you need to retreat from the edge of the roof to a third of the cross-section of the pipe, so that two-thirds of the gutter protrude and the water falls clearly into them.
To prevent water from accumulating in the channels, they should be installed with a slope to the funnel. For each 1 m length the slope should be 3-5 mm. This will be enough for the water to flow freely down into the funnel.
The distance of the upper edge of the gutter from the edge of the roof should be not less than 30 mm. If this requirement is not met, the entire structure may be disrupted by a snow mass or ice that comes down from the roof.
It is important to ensure good sealing of the joints so that water does not leak through them. To do this, you can use either a sealant or a pipe seal - a rubber band. It should be cut into two parts and put on the junction where it is screwed with screws. It will also serve as a thermal gap, which is required for the design to be movable.

These are all the rules that you need to follow when installing a water drainage system. Now you just have to put everything into practice!

Installation of a sewer system

First you need to choose a starting point, that is, the place where you will start work. Since the work will be carried out at a height, take a stepladder and check whether it is reliable. You should be especially careful, because gravity can play a cruel joke. The installation process itself is not entirely complicated, adhering to the instructions, any amateur builder can perform it. So let's consider everything in stages:

The first step is to fix the brackets into place. It would be better if you drew a schematic picture of the future reflux system on paper to better navigate. In the first section you need to make a markup, given the slope. To make it easier for you, count the required degree of slope. At the beginning and at the end of the curtain board, mark the starting and ending points. It remains to connect them and mark the location of the remaining fixing brackets along the line.
In the designated places, install all the brackets, securing them with screws.
Now take the chute and reinstall it. They are attached to the brackets with screws. So that the pipes do not curl under the influence of sunlight, there are special holders on the brackets. If it is not on your details, make struts and fix them with self-tapping screws. In deaf places, at the end of the gutters, where there is no funnel, install plugs.
When the gutters are securely fixed, you can proceed to the installation of vertical pipes. Since they will be attached to the pipe, a gap is created between the funnel of the gutter and the pipe. You can fill it using the knee, which will move from the fitting to the location of the pipe. So get a smooth transition that will look beautiful.
Now you need to tighten the clamps to fix the pipes in the wall. To place them smoothly, take a plumb line and make marks along the line. Approximately 1 m of pipe requires 2 straps. On the whole small wall you will need 2 or 3: one from the bottom, one from the top, the third, if necessary, additionally fix in the middle. In the marked places, make a hole and drive a dowel in there from the clamp, taking into account the distance of the pipe from the wall, which should be 50–100 mm.
Cut the sewer pipe to the required length. It remains to connect it to the knee and fix in the clamps.
At the end of the drain pipe, a guide elbow is mounted to divert water to the place you need. It is desirable that it protrudes approximately 30 cm from the wall.

That's all, now all the same thing to do around the perimeter.

The system of water drainage from the roof is ready. Most importantly, you spent a minimum of money on its purchase, as you did it yourself.

You can make a homemade grid of building mesh to protect the system from foliage. It will take a certain number of meters of the grid, which must be cut into strips of such a width so that, turning it into a cylinder, you can get a diameter that is slightly less than the diameter of the chute pipe itself. Make such cylinders and place them in the gutters, fixing there securely. This will protect the structure from all kinds of garbage.

The advantages of sewage drainage

Why did we consider the design, which is made of plastic pipes? There are several reasons for this. One of them is that it is easiest to do it yourself. As you yourself noticed, there are no special difficulties during assembly, and the process itself is quite simple. The plastic system has several advantages:

Low price. If your funds are limited, this is ideal for you. Since the material and all the additional elements cost a little, and no one has to pay for the work, you can afford it.
Large assortment of goods. In hardware stores, you can buy pipes of different diameters and colors, fittings, elbows and fasteners.
Low weight. Thanks to this, you can easily transport the pipes and, more importantly, install them in their places. You can do all the work yourself, without the help of friends or relatives (this will allow you to do without Magarych).
It is easy to work with plastic. Pipes are easy to cut with a grinder or a handsaw. Everything is cut like clockwork. Therefore, little effort to cut the pipe in half is not necessary to apply.
Sewage pipes are not subject to corrosion, resistant to fluctuations in temperature and ultraviolet rays.

If you have additional questions, ask them below in the comments to the article. If you have already made such a drain system, share your experience: how much time it serves you, were there any problems during installation or during operation that you can advise inexperienced craftsmen.