By preventing rainwater from being in contact with the facade, the gutters avoid unsightly traces of pouring. They also prevent damage to brick joints, door and window framing. Exposed to rainwater, they will lose their luster, but also swell under the effect of moisture. The facade closures will no longer fulfill their role of protection against the weather and noise and thermal insulation of housing will no longer be assured. Installing gutters thus preserves the value of your home, but also the well-being of its occupants.
Before swallowing the facade or painting it, it is necessary to repair any gutter leak or replace it in whole or in part. Only small clogging is possible on an aging gutter. On all materials, including PVC, you can use self-adhesive bitumen tape or bitumen spray or putty. For zinc or steel gutters, repair can also be done with a tin solder.
Install gutters: for the aesthetic and practical aspect
Installing gutters avoids splashing on the bottom of the facade. The thoughtful evacuation of rainwater also prevents the plants from being drowned.
In addition, depending on your choice, the gutter will be more or less aesthetic. Among the most discreet gutters is the creeping gutter, placed on the crawling roof. This gutter solution, however, remains reserved for steep roofs. For a roof terrace, you will therefore have to orient yourself towards the traditional hanging gutter. But some materials, such as zinc, give the facade some character. The zinc gutter is, moreover, the most widespread. It is often imposed when the house or building is in a protected area. The copper gutter, meanwhile, remains one of the most noble solutions, but also the most expensive. Finally, the aluminum gutter is available in several colors. It harmonises with the front door and the windows.
The hanging gutter can take different forms: ovoid, half-round or square with regional variants. Thus, the gutter has a traditional half-round shape, but is distinguished by a larger (diameter) developed. The square profile, meanwhile, is the most modern.
Install gutters: a legal obligation?
Article 681 of the Civil Code forbids you to dump your rainwater directly on your neighbor’s land. If your home is in the middle of the field, you are free to install or not a gutter. On the other hand, if your house is semi-detached, you must set up an evacuation system to prevent the water from your roof from falling on the neighboring plot. However, if for more than 30 years, water from your roof ends in the neighborhood, you have actually acquired servitude.
In all cases, the water once on the ground can flow on the neighbor’s land because of the natural slope of the place. This neighbor cannot get any compensation, even if this evacuation causes inconvenience. Neither can he erect a dike to prevent the mechanical evacuation of ground water.
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