Types of Rain Gutters (Roof water collector)

Dayo Afolabi
3 min readMar 23, 2018

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Gutters come in many shapes, colors, and prices so you can easily find a match for your style of house and budget

SHAPES.
There are two basic types, and they’re referred to by the shape of their cross section. Both types come in 5- and 6-inch widths.

Rain Gutters Shapes

1. K-style gutters have flat bottoms and backs, and the front side of the gutter usually has a decorative shape, it is also called ogee and many styles are available. The “k” in the name refers to the vague curve of the outer shape when viewed from the side. These types of ornate gutters are popular with modern homes because of the molding-like silhouette. Coming in all manner of colors and finishes, including aluminum, pvc, galvanized steel and copper, these stylish systems easily blend into the architectural details of a home

2. Half-round gutters often are found on older, historic homes.The name for this gutter type isn’t hard to figure out, given the half rounded shape of the material itself. Half round gutters of today gained popularity in Europe as modern homes chose to adopt a period look similar to those used centuries ago. The main advantage to half round over k-style is the maneuverability of debris within the gutter itself, the symmetrically smooth interior of half round gutters are ideal for transporting runoff with ease. They are easier to clean and are less likely to corrode since water doesn’t have anywhere to collect.

Half round gutter systems hold less water than similarly sized k-style gutter systems, making them unappealing for homes in cities with heavy annual rainfall.

In general, K-style gutters have twice the capacity of their half-round gutter of the same width, and cost up to 50% more per linear foot. k-style gutter systems remain the industry standard because of the elegant shape resembling interior crown molding.

DOWNSPOUTS
Downspouts come as either round or square, in widths from 3 to 6 inches. The most common sizes are rectangular:

2 inches by 3 inches
Decorative varieties, such as spiral shapes, rain chain are available.

The size and number of downspouts you’ll need depends on the capacity of your system.

Rule of thumb: You need one downspout for about every 10 meters of gutter. To increase the capacity of your gutter system, add more downspouts.

Downspouts Shapes

Round downspouts are typically installed beneath half round gutter systems, as seen above.

Rectangular downspouts systems easily match the shape of the k-style gutters they tend to accompany. Also referred to as leaderpipe, downpipe, or drainspout, these types of downspouts work best for homes built in areas of heavy rainfall. And they too come in all sorts of color and finish options to match a home’s look.

RainCache Ltd installs rain gutter systems that help homeowners to control water damage, maximize the efficiency of their water dispersement and/or rainwater harvesting system. If you are located in Nigeria we can help you by scheduling a free estimate.

Company Information

RainCache Ltd|+2348158942188|www.raincache.ng

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