Have you ever thought about how your home would be without gutters? Any rainfall would run off the roof and fall directly at the foot of the house. Some of the water would sip under the roof and cause damage to the fascia and the underlying roof structure.
The water that falls to the foot of the house soaks the earth around the house and compromises the foundation. The garden and driveway would be flooded from the excess surface water, and the running water would damage the brickwork, windows and doors.
From this perspective, you can see how crucial gutters are to the integrity and longevity of your home.
Although simple, it's essential to understand gutters and how to install them. You should know about each part of the guttering system, the role it plays and its positioning in the guttering system.
The Rainwater Guttering System
When you look at the gutters, the most obvious parts are the gutters and the downpipe. However, there is more to the system. The complete rainwater drainage system consists of the following:
- Gutters
- Gutter support brackets or fixtures
- Gutter unions
- Stop ends
- Gutter angles
- Running or stop-end outlets
- Downpipes
- Offset bends
- Downpipe connectors
- Downpipe clips
- Downpipe shoes
- Downpipe branch
We stock all these and other essential parts for a proper gutter installation. We stock cast iron, steel, and aluminium gutters in various colours, sizes and designs to suit different architectures and budgets.
If you're installing your first guttering system and aren't sure what you need to buy, we have a breakdown of the different gutter components below in their installation order.
What Are Gutters?
Gutters are a system of rainwater collection that collects the water that runs down the roof of a building and diverts it away into a drain or a reservoir, preventing the water from damaging the structures of the building.
Functions of a Gutter System
Gutter systems are installed around the eaves of a house. Water runs down the roof when it rains and falls into the guttering. The gutters have a slight slope that encourages the water to run away into the downpipes.
The downpipes are positioned at the end or centre of the gutter, depending on how your system is set up and where you want the rainwater directed.
Guttering System Structure
Below is a breakdown of the guttering system structure and the role of each component of the system:
Stop end
Stop ends sit at the end of the gutter run. They help with directing the water to the downpipe. We recommend purchasing gutter stop ends with a rubber seal to create a watertight joint.
The level of the gutter should always fall away from the stop end to prevent water from overflowing.
Gutter support bracket or fascia bracket
Fascia brackets are the fixtures that hold the gutters into place. The brackets are screwed onto the fascia board, supporting the guttering and other components like union joints.
Gutter angle
Angles are used at the corners of the gutter installation and come in different designs and angles to match the design and installation requirements of the gutters.
The internal and external angles are identical for half-round, square, deep-flow style gutters. You must specify when ordering for the others to ensure you get the right parts.
Gutters
This is the unmistakable part of the system and the most popular. A length of gutter is a moulded channel that collects water at the end of the roof and channels it away into the downpipe.
The gutters come in different profiles, including half-round, square, Victorian Ogee, moulded Ogee, and others. The gutter profile you choose will determine all the other components of the system you install.
Gutter union
Gutter unions are used to join two gutter runs. The union is fixed to the fascia board using the gutter support to provide additional support to the joint.
Running outlet
Running outlets are installed in the middle of the gutter run. They are used to connect the gutters to the downpipes. These are push-to-fit joints and don’t require any glue. They come with rubber seals for a watertight joint.
Offset bend
Offset bends are used when the wall and the fascia board are not on the same level.
Two offset bends and a small offcut downpipe make a swan neck shape that returns the downpipe from the eaves to the wall.
Downpipe connector
This is also referred to as a downpipe socket. It connects two downpipes, and it is also a push-fit connection.
Downpipe branch
A downpipe branch also connects two downpipes but at an angle. It's also a push-fit connection. We also have it in other angles.
Downpipes
Towards the end of the guttering structure is the downpipe. Rainwater downpipes carry the water collected by the gutters from the roof to a drain at ground level.
Downpipe shoe
The last component of the guttering structure is the show, which directs the rainwater into a gully. It is fixed at the bottom of the downpipe.