I’ve decided to put no gutters on the front of my house. However I have two valleys that are 32′ long and my roof is a 12/12. During downpours the water stream out of the valleys is about a 1.5″ diameter slug of water. It’s got substantial power behind it.
I plan on building a ground gutter that will effectively collect the roof water and divert into a daylighted pipe. But I’m not sure what to do with the big slug of water coming from the valleys. I thought about using a tall slender rock with a face that would allow the valley waterfall to hit and splash away from the house. This rock would be set in a large gravel bed, lined at the bottom with rubber to collect all the water.
I’ve also thought about burying a cutoff trash can and filling it with river rock or something. But I still like the idea of controlling the splash back on the house (brick veneer).
Maybe there is a tough bush (like some kind of juniper) I could plant that would be able to break up that water stream.
Any other thoughts or suggestions? If it helps I have raised beds all across the front of the house so anything I do can be disguised or otherwise integrated into landscaping. In other words, it doesn’t fall right into the lawn.
MERC.
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Scissors cut paper. Rock breaks scissors. Paper wraps rock.
Not sure what you need for advice. All but the plant sound like options -- it'd destroy the plant.
Merc,
Kiku rain chain?
KK
Agree with barmil that no plant can survive at that location.
Do you get heavy rainfall? The trash can solution can only work if it is drained away with pipe, same with the rock and basin. With the rain chain you have to somehow slow the flow before it hits the chain otherwise it'll just overshoot.
I always like the idea of a ground gutter system, what's your approach in building it?
I had a 15' tall holly tree under the one valley and it did a great job of breaking up the stream and getting to the ground nicely. But the tree was just too darn big for the front of the house.
My approach will be to let the rain mark the location. Then go out and dig 1' deep x 2' trench, line it with some EPDM roofing and then throw in some gravel to fill most of the trough, then some filter fabric, then cover the whole thing with a layer of decorative gravel or river rock. One end or the other of the trough will have an underground drainpipe daylighted (easy on my property).
I live in NC so I do get a decent amount of rain, some of it quite hard. The only piece of the design I haven't worked out is how to elegantly catch the big slug of water from the valleys.
I think my first approach will be a cutoff trash can full of gravel with a pipe in the bottom. then I will plant something behind the valley splash point to protect the house.
I will post pictures when I build it in the next few weeks.
MERC.
MERC, here is my idea to address your situation. Extend the catch area at the valley to a square/rectangle, some stone cropping if desired and/or planating in front.
Looking forward to the pics.
All seem like good ideas, depending on the rest of your landscape. The plant could be used with the others, if anything to absorb only the bounce back. Just something rather small to block what doesn't make it down the drain. There is a lot of EFIS (fake stucco) on the houses I work on, and it's funny to see the backsplash stains on multi million dollar houses. I'd say a plant would prove quite beneficial.
ADH Carpentry & Woodwork
Quality, Craftsmanship, Detail
IMO, and probably many others, this idea of "no gutters" is foolish.
It may look nice when there is lots of water volume shooting over the edge, but how about when the rain lets up or stops and the water then will just trickle for a few hours onto the side of the structure.
It will not be too long and you will have water "staining marks" on the siding/brick.
Then you will be asking 'why did I not install Gutters' as millions of others have.
The overhangs on my house are 31" so the drip line is quite a ways from the brick. I think I can control it with some creative landscaping. It is also the south side of the house, so it will get lots of sun and dry quickly.
I am hanging gutters on the North side of the house. And if I don't like the absense of gutters, I'll just hang them. No big deal.
MERC.
Hardscape. We use a french drain (slotted ABC) buried in gravel, wrapped in landscape fabric and topped by more gravel around the perimeter. The ABS leads to daylight or a large dry well.
Regards,
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934