GB2441831A

GB2441831A - Gutter with waterproof liner

Info

Publication number: GB2441831A
Application number: GB0618275A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Wiltshire
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-09-18
Filing date: 2006-09-18
Publication date: 2008-03-19
Also published as: GB0618275D0

Abstract

A refurbished gutter (1, fig 1) comprising a waterproof membrane 11 secured to the gutter with adhesive 32. The membrane may be pre-treated with an adhesive, which may be elastomeric to allow thermal expansion or may be chlorosulfonated polyethylene (i.e.HYPALON (RTM)). The gutter may include packing 31 beneath the lining and may have been treated with a conventional rust prevention treatment. Also claimed is a membrane which is pre-treated with adhesive. It may be reinforced with a fibrous material which may be a non-woven mat or fibre glass. It may be a metallic foil and polymer laminate, preferably a waterproofed aluminium foil with a polyester film backing, which may be used folded to shape to receive the gutter run. Aluminium flanged inserts may be provided for downpipes.

Description

2441831

GUTTER REFURBISHMENT The present invention relates to gutter refurbishment.

5 Zinc coated sheet steel gutters are susceptible to corrosion, in particular where the fall along the length of the gutter is such as to cause water to lay in the gutters. Essentially this is caused by the coating being thin and the zinc preferentially corroding due to galvanic action once a zinc/steel interface is exposed to water. The result is that the zinc corrodes from the area where the water lays. Once the zinc is 10 removed, the steel itself rusts. This results in premature degradation of guttering.

It is known to lay plastics material liners in degraded gutters. However, lain in liners can trap moisture which continues the corrode the gutters.

15 The object of the present invention is to provide an improved gutter refurbishment.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a refurbished gutter comprising:

• • •

• •• • 20 • an adhesive treatment of adhesive material to at least part of the side walls of

• •••

• •••* the gutter and

• a water proof membrane laid over the bottom wall of the gutter and adhered to

• • I

• the side walls at the adhesive treatment.

• • •

.* I 25 According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of refurbishing a gutter, comprising:

• applying an adhesive treatment of adhesive material to at least part of the side walls of the gutter,

• laying a water proof membrane over the bottom wall of the gutter and 30 • adhering the membrane to the side walls at the adhesive treatment.

Preferably the membrane is pre-treated with the same adhesive material or a compatible material, ensuring a thorough bond between the gutter and the membrane.

2

An elastomeric adhesive is preferred, to allow for thermal movement.

In the preferred embodiment below, I use chlorosulfonated polyethylene 5 adhesive. This is available from DuPont Performance Elastomers,

www.dupontelastomers.com. under HYPALON (DuPont Registered Trade Mark).

Normally the need for refurbishment arises from incorrect fall of the gutter. To correct this, packing is normally provided between the membrane and the bottom 10 wall.

Further, the corroded steel is normally treated with conventional rust treatment.

15 According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a membrane pre-

treated with the same adhesive material or a compatible material, for ensuring a thorough bond between the gutter and the membrane.

Preferably the pre-treated membrane is reinforced with fibrous material, such as non-woven mat or fibrous glass.

The preferred membrane is a metallic foil and polymer laminate, such as a water-proofed aluminium foil with a polyester film backing.

For down pipes, flanged inserts are provided, with adhesive pre-treatment on the sides of their flanges covered by the membrane and in their orifices, for ensuring thorough adhesion to the membrane. Typically the inserts will be of aluminium

For stop ends, the same membrane material can be used folded to shape either 30 laid to receive the gutter run of the membrane on top of side and bottom pieces or with such pieces laid over the end of the gutter run. In either case, the membrane is preferably pre-processed at overlaps to ensure thorough bonding.

• »•

• I •

•••• 20 • •••

• •

• •••

• • • • » • •

• • • 25 • • •

3

• ••• » « • •••

• ••• > • • • • •

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gutter between two low pitch roofs, being 5 corroded due to the left hand end being lower than the down pipe at the right hand end;

Figure 2 is a cross-section through the gutter shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-section of a lining of the invention for the gutter;

Figure 4 is a cross-section as in Figure 2, with the lining in place; 10 Figure 5 is a similar cross-section at a down pipe; and

Figure 6 is an orthogonal cross-section at a stop end.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, a corroded gutter 1 has its zinc coating 2 corroded away to the level of the lowest down pipe orifice 3 into which 15 water W can drain. Rust 4 is present where the zinc is corroded. The first step in the refurbishment process is mechanical cleaning of the gutter, including scrubbing of the portion 5 of the gutter side walls 6 above the rust and physical removal of the rust present on the lower portion 7 of the side walls and on the bottom wall 8 of the gutter. After physical removal of the loose rust, the exposed steel surface is coated with good 20 quality rustproof paint 9, shown in Figure 2.

A lining 11 of pre-prepared membrane material is based on a laminate of an aluminium foil 12 backed by a polyester film 14 and coated with a water proofing . layer 15 over the aluminium. This laminate is pre-treated with a layer of HYPALON 25 adhesive 16 and a distribution of reinforcing glass rovings 17. The lining is pre-creased to have a central section 18 of the same nominal width as the width of the bottom wall of the gutter and side sections 19 having a width (height when installed) to extend appreciably above the corrosion, if not to the top of the gutter side wall. (The top may not be accessible in an installed gutter, being obscured by cavity closure 30 21 depending from an outer skin 22 of a roof at which the gutter is installed.)

Before the lining is installed in the gutter, the lack of fall to the down pipe orifice 3 is corrected by laying foam 31 of as many layers as may be required on the bottom wall 8. HYPALON adhesive 32 is applied at least to the top non-corroded

4

portion 5 of the gutter side walls. Provided there is no adverse reaction with the rust treatment, it can be applied to the rust treated corroded portion or an upper portion of it as well. Before the adhesive has cured, the lining is laid in the gutter, and the side sections rolled firmly into contact with the un-cured adhesive. Even although the 5 adhesive on the lining has previously cured, it adheres strongly to the un-cured adhesive on the side walls.

Two details require attention:

1. At down pipes 3, flanged inserts 35 are placed in the orifices of the down pipes.

10 The exposed surfaces 36 of the flanges 37 have adhesive 38 applied to them.

Further adhesive 39 is applied in the orifices of the inserts. An four cut cross (not shown as such) can be made in the lining once laid over the insert and the resultant fingers of the lining material turned down into the insert, becoming firmly adhered to it, with the lining also being adhered to the flange 37.

15 2. At stop ends 41 of the gutter, the lining has been preliminarily prepared by removing the waterproof layer 15 from the end few centimetres 42 of the lining with methyl ethyl ketone. This area has adhesive applied to it. A lining stop end 43 folded up from a flat piece of lining material is positioned against this adhesive and further adhesive applied to the stop end 41 of the gutter.

• •• • • •

•••• 20

• • • • •

The gutter is now fully lined where corroded, with waterproof, adhesive joints sealing access to the corroded region.

The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above 25 described embodiment. For instance, the lining can be fitted to a non-corroded gutter, which is leaking for instance at the joints. In this instance, the rust treatment is not required.

Further in the case of gutters with siphonic down pipes, the lining can be 30 adhered to the outer rim of the outlet bowl of the down pipe, without needing to be turned down into the bowl.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A refurbished gutter comprising:

• an adhesive treatment of adhesive material to at least part of the side walls of the gutter and

• a water proof membrane laid over the bottom wall of the gutter and adhered to the side walls at the adhesive treatment.

2. A refurbished gutter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the membrane is pre-treated with the same adhesive material or a compatible material, ensuring a thorough bond between the gutter and the membrane.

3. A refurbished gutter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive, to allow for thermal movement.

4. A refurbished gutter as claimed in claims 1, claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the adhesive is chlorosulfonated polyethylene adhesive.

5. A refurbished gutter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the gutter further includes packing between the membrane and the bottom wall.

6. A refurbished gutter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein any corroded steel is treated with conventional rust treatment.

7. A method of refurbishing a gutter, comprising:

• laying a water proof membrane over the bottom wall of the gutter and

• adhering the membrane to the side walls at the adhesive treatment.

8. A method of refurbishing a gutter as claimed in claim 7, including the step of pre-treating the membrane with the same adhesive material or a compatible material, to ensure a thorough bond between the gutter and the membrane.

9. A method of refurbishing a gutter as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the adhesive is an elastomeric adhesive, to allow for thermal movement.

10. A method of refurbishing a gutter as claimed in claim 7, claim 8, or claim 9, wherein the adhesive is chlorosulfonated polyethylene adhesive.

11. A method of refurbishing a gutter as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, including the step of inserting packing between the membrane and the bottom wall to correct the fall of the gutter.

• •

• • • •• • • •

• • • 0

• •<

12. A method of refurbishing as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11, further including the step of treating any corroded steel with conventional rust treatment prior to application of the adhesive treatment.

13. A membrane pre-treated with the same adhesive material or a compatible material, 5 for ensuring a thorough bond between the gutter and the membrane.

14. A membrane as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pre-treated membrane is reinforced with fibrous material.

15. A membrane as claimed in claim 14, wherein the fibrous material is a non-woven mat

10

16. A membrane as claimed in claim 14, wherein the fibrous material is fibrous glass.

17. A membrane as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the membrane is a metallic foil and polymer laminate, such as a water-proofed aluminium foil with a polyester film backing.

18. A membrane as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein flanged inserts are 15 provided for down-pipes, with adhesive pre-treatment on the sides of their flanges covered by the membrane and in their orifices, for ensuring thorough adhesion to the membrane.

19. A membrane as claimed in claim 18, wherein the inserts are of aluminium.

20. A membrane as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein the membrane 20 material is used folded to shape either laid to receive the gutter run of the membrane on top of side and bottom pieces or with such pieces laid over the end of the gutter run.

21. A refurbished gutter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

25

22. A membrane substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

• •

• • • • • •