BUILDING SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT 1 ASSIGNMENT NO.

THE GUTTER
A gutter is a shallow trough fixed beneath the edge of a roof to carry off rainwater. Gutters are
responsible for water management by effectively channeling off rainwater during storms and
directing it appropriate areas away from the house. Without a gutter system, your roof can pick up
leaves, dirt and unwanted debris. Gutters are attached on the roof edges, onto the top fascia board.
For the house given in the assignment, there will be three PVC gutters attached onto the fascia to
transport rainwater; two (2) in front and a third gutter at the back. Two (2) gutters are needed in
front because of the change in the size of the fascia board. The gutters are positioned carefully on
the fascia boards, then drilled onto the top of the fascia board by its caps. If the gutter is a multiple
corner piece, then minimum space must be left after being drilled to fit onto the next gutter
continuously on the roof edges.

After the gutters are

fitted, a sealant of
choice is used to seal off
the gutter to prevent
damage, this is a priority
because PVC gutters
have a high chance of
leakage. The gutter is
then connected to the
downpipe to transport
water away from the
house.

Figure 1 example of a PVC gutter attached to fascia board.

Gutters can be made up of both plastic or steel, depending on your choice. Other materials used to
create gutters are; Aluminum, Copper, Steel and PVC. Aluminum is the best material used to create
gutters because of their lightweight, strong and easy to install property - also because they are
durable and can last up to twenty-five years. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is now used in the construction
of gutters because of its non-corrosive property and durability of up to 30 years due to advanced
formulations during its manufacturing process. But unlike aluminum which comes seamless options,
PVC gutters are only available in sections which causes it to have a high chance of leaking.

Gutters are available in different sizes and materials. The standard size of PVC for the gutter used is
a four (4) diameter half round gutter that is used to collect rainwater than transport to drainage
system.
DOWNPIPES
A downpipe is the pipe that carries rainwater from a gutter to a sub-surface drainage system or
ground level to prevent damage to walls and buildings. The downpipe should be connected to the
gutter outlet which transfers water from the gutter into the downpipe which then carries it to the
drainage system. Downpipes are fixed onto the walls using pipe hooks, straps or bolted saddle
brackets. The number of down pipes to be installed depends on the house type and the gutter type
and its size defers according to the gutter size and the outlet size.

Downpipes can be placed anywhere outside the

house with respect to the gutter and the drainage
system to which it should be later connected to.
The offset bend is the connecting piece which
connects the downpipe to the gutter outlet. Two
offset bends are usually used by connecting each
other to downpipe and the gutter outlet. No drills
are used in connecting this offset bends because of
its future use when the gutter is to be cleaned and
cleared out.

Figure2 PVC Downpipe connected to the gutter outlet by

offset bends, attached to wall by clips.

Downpipes can be rectangular or round and are available in sheet zinc alum, galvanized steel, iron,
copper, stainless steel, PVC, cast-iron and galvanized wrought iron. PVC can withstand harsh
weather and is water and moist resistant making it a good material for downpipes, it is also non-
corrosive and can carry 20 to 50 times weight in the case of water, debris and leaves – making it the
most commonly used downpipe material. The PVC downpipe is used in this house by connecting it to
the gutter from the back of the house. Two downpipes are connected to both sides pf the house to
carry the rainwater from the gutter to the drainage system.

Downpipes are available in different sizes and materials. The standard downpipe size depends on its
placement and purpose. The PVC down pipe from the gutter of the house to the drainage system
will be four (4) diameters to be equal in size with the gutter to ensure no water leakage occurs.
REFERENCE:
➢ GOOGLE - https://www.google.com/
- How to install a gutter onto the fascia board
- Gutter types and sizes
- PVC gutters
- Down pipe installation
- Gutter and down pipe connection
- Standard sizes of PVC gutter and downpipe
➢ Building services Handout
BUILDING SERVICES ASSIGNMENT NO. 2

NAME: Jaynnitha Angoro

COURSE: DAD/03

DATE: Wednesday 22/03/23

SUBJECT: Building Services