Replies

1. 
   CloudHidden | May 16, 2002 02:20am | #1

   I'm going to be trying them after I finish the fascia. They were occasionally a hot topic on the prior incarnation of Breaktime, and what I remember is that when they are effective it's because there was sufficient drop between the drip edge of the roof and the Rainhandler. Too short of a drop and you don't get the dispersion.

   
   

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   Edited 5/15/2002 8:38:36 PM ET by Cloud Hidden

2. 
   BossHog | May 16, 2002 02:20pm | #2

   Could be that people are tired of talking about it. These things are asked about once a month or so. (At least it seems like it)

   Try searching the archives and see what you come up with.

   I stayed up all night worrying about why I've been so tired

1. 
   NormKerr | May 16, 2002 02:33pm | #3

   key points:

   - the gutter's job is to collect all the water from your roof (a large surface area) and prevent it from being deposited right next to your foundation.

   - the rainhandler will spread the water out a little bit, but basically still put it all near to your foundation.

   So, in climates with high rainfall, or with foundations that should be kept dry (older basements and such) the rainhandler may be a bad choice.

   In climates with small rainfall, or with a brand new foundation with the latest technology to overcome the quantity of water the roof collects and the rainhandler deposits, or with a home built on a slab in which case you don't care about ground water, then the rainhandler could be an acceptable choice.

   The main thing the rainhandler is good for is preventing erosion from all the roof-collected water pouring in one thin line.

   If you have any concern about ground water and your basement dryness then you really want all that water at LEAST ten feet from your foundation (really, a 45 degree angle from the bottom) as a rule of thumb.

1. 
   Woodchuck | May 16, 2002 04:56pm | #4

   I put them on my house 3yrs ago and have been happy with them. If we get a frog choker there will be some washing of the mulch in the flower bed, but no more then when it was time to clean the gutters. Also I no longer have to stand 2.5 stories (highest point) up on the ladder to clean out the pine straw, sweetgum balls and leaves which are wet rotting and cold every fall. The wind always seemed to start to blow after I got up there too. And without the gutters I can see how much damage the carpenter bees are doing this year.

   Will

1. 
   CloudHidden | May 16, 2002 06:18pm | #5

   Did you learn anything in the installation of them that will help the rest of us poor suckers thinking of using them?

1. 
   NormKerr | May 16, 2002 07:34pm | #6

   instead of using the rain handler I tried the Gutter Topper.

   My house is surounded with huge fir, maple and oak trees that filled my gutters 3+ times a year. I was up 2.5 stories several times each year to try and keep up.

   Since having the gutter topper put in a little over a year ago I've had no more trouble.

   My house is on a 100yr old foundation and needs the ground to be kept quite dry to prevent water / humidity issues in my basement in the summer time so I am maybe more critical than some people who's more modern basement construction is more tolerant of water concentrated right near it.

2. 
   Woodchuck | May 17, 2002 03:05pm | #7

   I used a story stick to mark where the brackets should go for each section, but I would have liked to have a template for pre-drilling for the brackets. This is more important on the high sections when you are running out of ladder and don't have the reach.

   The template would not be hard to make, use a piece of masonite or plexiglass, but it has to be set for your roof/fascia (sp) geometry. I did not make one since I only had about 160" to hang and all but 30" was less than 15" off the ground. However, if I had made one to start the whole job would have been easier.

   As far as deciding to cover gutters or use Rainhandlers depends on your groundwater issues. the only thing I miss about gutters is not being able to collect the water for the garden during watering restrictions.

   Will