Can I fit a downpipe without a drain?

seamus · 26-11-2018 03:03PM #1

Probably a simple one. The gutters on the front of the house have no downpipe onto my property, it runs all the way across to the far side of the neighbour's property and downpipe into the drain.

This has resulted a couple of times in moss buildup causing overflows at my end of the drainpipe, most recently overflowing down the wall and managing to leak into the house through the top of a bedroom window. Because the downpipe is so far away it appears that any kind of debris buildup means the gutter just can't empty fast enough in heavy rain.

Yes, I should pay someone four times a year to just clean out the gutter the whole way along. But I'm also thinking putting in another downpipe at my end will help avoid the issue between cleans. Only problem is that I have no drain there and no way of fitting one.

There's more than enough of a fall in the driveway though - am I allowed to just drain rainwater onto the concrete like that? Or should I fit it on the boundary of the houses and drain the water into my garden?

listermint · 26-11-2018 03:10PM

You need a gutter, it can result in damp problems if you dont.

What should happen here is that you clean it once, and also fit gutter mesh over the top to keep debris out.

I dont know any gutters that need to be cleaned 4 times a year.

seamus · 26-11-2018 03:36PM

It's mostly moss, the front of the house faces ENE. I was up yesterday on a borrowed ladder and there was plenty of moss in the gutter and plenty more on the roof waiting to slide in. Would a mesh actually work for this, or would it end up just catching the moss, and maybe pulling the gutters down with the weight?

Calahonda52 · 26-11-2018 04:01PM

The boundary position is better because you will have the slope of the gutter along your portion of the house.
There will be no slope at the end

If the garden gets sodden, you may have to fit a soak hole at some point

zapitastas · 26-11-2018 04:56PM

You could put the end of the gutter into a water butt

Cerco · 26-11-2018 07:20PM

Op,
I believe you are responsible for managing any water run off from your property.
I would not let water run down the drive as it will eventually end up running off your site. You could leave yourself open to claims should anybody slip on this if it freezes I think the water butt suggestion maybe a solution. This would allow you to manage the flow of waste water.

the_pen_turner · 26-11-2018 07:40PM

get someone to soft wash the roof and kill the moss. then clean the gutters
adding a hopper with a mesh grid in it would help stop the moss blocking the downpipe

tradesman · 27-11-2018 06:03AM

There is a new gutter product specifically designed to overcome these problems. take a look at www.magiflo.com for the details & watch the video. Once fitted the gutters never need cleaning again. I must declare I am involved with the product but am not trying the hard sell!

fred funk }{ · 27-11-2018 10:12AM

tradesman wrote: »

There is a new gutter product specifically designed to overcome these problems. take a look at www.magiflo.com for the details & watch the video. Once fitted the gutters never need cleaning again. I must declare I am involved with the product but am not trying the hard sell!

Looks like a nice product but it looks difficult to gain access to clean eventually with the narrow gap.

_Brian · 27-11-2018 10:21AM

zapitastas wrote: »

You could put the end of the gutter into a water butt

And then after ten minutes when it’s full wit happens ?

seamus · 27-11-2018 10:26AM

_Brian wrote: »

And then after ten minutes when it’s full wit happens ?

Ah, you wouldn't fill a 200L water butt in Ireland from a single gutter. Not even over the whole winter. It's a nice idea, but the butt would be sitting in front of a hall window, I don't think the missus would go for it :pac:

LollipopJimmy · 27-11-2018 10:36AM

seamus wrote: »

Ah, you wouldn't fill a 200L water butt in Ireland from a single gutter. Not even over the whole winter. It's a nice idea, but the butt would be sitting in front of a hall window, I don't think the missus would go for it :pac:

You would actually fill a 200litre drum easily. I have a 50litre on my shed, after emptying it does be full again within a day or two of rain. The rain today would have filled it.

Great for the flowers though, I use it for watering, I have a tap attached the bottom of the barrel

Lumen · 27-11-2018 11:57AM

Rainfall on the east coast is about 1000mm/year from what I recall.

So each m2 of roof generates 1m3 or 1000L/year. I think.

Tabnabs · 27-11-2018 12:02PM

seamus wrote: »

Ah, you wouldn't fill a 200L water butt in Ireland from a single gutter. Not even over the whole winter. It's a nice idea, but the butt would be sitting in front of a hall window, I don't think the missus would go for it :pac:

You'll fill it several times over, this is on the east coast with the relative lack of rain we get as compared to the west coast. You might struggle to fill an IBC however.

tradesman · 27-11-2018 12:17PM

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Looks like a nice product but it looks difficult to gain access to clean eventually with the narrow gap.

Thats the point. It doesnt need cleaning! If you feel the need to clean a hose will let water through the gap.we opened a gutter after a year and it was only discoloured on the inside

fred funk }{ · 27-11-2018 01:51PM

tradesman wrote: »

Thats the point. It doesnt need cleaning! If you feel the need to clean a hose will let water through the gap.we opened a gutter after a year and it was only discoloured on the inside

My comment was based on the video where it said it would stay clear for 5 years so I assumed it would need to be cleaned then.

_Brian · 27-11-2018 02:38PM

seamus wrote: »

Ah, you wouldn't fill a 200L water butt in Ireland from a single gutter. Not even over the whole winter. It's a nice idea, but the butt would be sitting in front of a hall window, I don't think the missus would go for it :pac:

We have 12 ft gutter filling a 1000l IBC tank and it would fill over a few wet nights

Cerco · 27-11-2018 04:06PM

tradesman wrote: »

There is a new gutter product specifically designed to overcome these problems. take a look at www.magiflo.com for the details & watch the video. Once fitted the gutters never need cleaning again. I must declare I am involved with the product but am not trying the hard sell!

Would not work for Op, unless both they and their neighbor agreed to install. Op’s Side might be fine and clear but neighbors side would block.

Op, have you thought about installing drain pipe at mid point between you and your neighbour ? This might give more options to waste water management.

loyatemu · 27-11-2018 04:13PM

I pass a number of (old) buildings in Dublin on my way into work where they have downpipes discharging directly onto the footpath.

tradesman · 27-11-2018 05:31PM

Cerco wrote: »

Would not work for Op, unless both they and their neighbor agreed to install. Op’s Side might be fine and clear but neighbors side would block.

Op, have you thought about installing drain pipe at mid point between you and your neighbour ? This might give more options to waste water management.

It would work as we would keep the 2 gutters seperate. Putting a stop end onto the neighbours & a downpipe on the op's side. Works perfect

Can I fit a downpipe without a drain?

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