GB2606382A

GB2606382A - Drainage system

Info

Publication number: GB2606382A
Application number: GB2106465.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stewart Rogers Joseph; Mark Taylor Julian; Andrew Kelly Mark; Harrison Mark; Brian George Siddons Graham; Harrison David; Kitching Malcolm; Bishop Allan; Dean Treherne James
Original assignee: Westdale Group Ltd
Current assignee: Westdale Group Ltd
Priority date: 2021-05-06
Filing date: 2021-05-06
Publication date: 2022-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 2041-05-06
Also published as: GB2606382B

Abstract

A gutter apparatus 501 having a channel 502 defined by walls and an underside, a first wall 503 having an outlet 506 extending from it, such that the gutter outlet is in the side wall. The invention also extends to a drainage system including the gutter apparatus in use on a building having an externally insulated 504 outer wall 303. The a second, inside wall of the gutter is connected to the outer wall of the building, preferably via an insulated fascia element, and a downpipe 601 extends from the outlet and is spaced from the outer face of the external insulation, with the insulation positioned between the downpipe and the outer wall of the building, to prevent cold bridging and water ingress to retrofitted external insulation. The preferably aluminium gutter underside or base may be angled and may be in contact with the top of the insulation, and there may be a sealing membrane of rubber which extends between the fascia and the gutter. The system may include a verge channel extending above external insulation at the roof verge.

Description

Drainage System

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is the first application for a patent directed towards the invention and the subject matter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a drainage system for the roof of a building, a building comprising such a drainage system and an apparatus comprising a gutter forming pad of such a drainage system.

Housing and buildings are typically provided with drainage systems comprising gutters and outlet pipes. Such drainage systems are designed to assist with removal of rainwater from the roof of the housing towards a drain. Many older residential buildings are frequently adapted to modern requirements. This includes providing insulation to the walls of the buildings to reduce heat loss. This can take the form of cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation.

An issue arises when such insulation is applied many years on from the construction of the building. Traditional guttering systems are unsuitable when combined with retrofit insulation of this type, as conventional solutions can lead to damp and/or mould in properties due to placement of the gutter and gaps in the insulation which are present to accommodate a traditional gutter system.

This problem is compounded in events wherein a gutter may become blocked due to debris, with existing seals only providing limited protection for relatively small volumes of escaped water from the gutter. These issues have led to a change in legislation in the United Kingdom meaning existing solutions are now prohibited.

A proposed solution is to extend the rafters and roofline of the roof and form overhanging eaves to move the water away from the building. In cases where bay windows are present on the building, the formation of overhanging eaves is not possible due to the presence of the bay windows. Additionally, in many traditional terraced houses, there is often limited space in front of the building to make the process practical. The process thereby incurs additional costs, and the alteration of the existing roof can lead to undesirable leaking. Aesthetically, it can also be difficult to obtain matching tiles for an extended roof, and this can lead to owners avoiding necessary insulation works.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved drainage system which addresses these issues.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drainage system for a roof of a building, comprising: a gutter comprising a channel having a first wall, a second wall and an underside wall connecting said first wall and said second wall; and an outlet for said gutter, said outlet extending from said first wall external to said channel; wherein said building comprises an insulating material fixed to an outer wall of said building; and said second wall is connected to said outer wall of said building, said underside wall extends beyond said insulating material, and said outlet is connectable to a downpipe such that, in use, said insulating material is positioned between said outer wall and said downpipe.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for providing drainage from a building, comprising: a gutter comprising a channel having a first wall, a second wall and an underside wall connecting said first wall and said second wall; and an outlet for said gutter, said outlet extending from said first wall external to said channel. Embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The detailed embodiments show the best mode known to the inventor and provide support for the invention as claimed. However, they are only exemplary and should not be used to interpret or limit the scope of the claims. Their purpose is to provide a teaching to those skilled in the art. Components and processes distinguished by ordinal phrases such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily define an order or ranking of any sort.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows an example residential building suitable for incorporating the drainage system of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a conventional

gutter system known in the prior art;

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a drainage system in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 shows a close-up view of the gutter of the drainage system of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows an isolated perspective view of the gutter and outlet of the drainage system of Figure 3; Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of the gutter and outlet of Figure 5 when applied to a building; Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a gable gutter in accordance with the drainage system of the present invention; Figure 8 shows a perspective view of part of a building illustrating the gutter and drainage system in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 9 shows a further perspective view of part of a building illustrating the drainage system and outlet in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 An example residential building to which a drainage system in accordance with the present invention can be fitted is shown in Figure 1. Building 101 comprises a plurality of outer walls, including outer wall 102 and outer wall 103 which support a roof 104. A drainage system is configured to transport rain water towards conventional drains by means of gutter 105 and downpipe 106.

In conventional systems, rain water in the gutter can flow backwards onto the building, and, when this is absorbed by the outer walls, can lead to damp and/or mould problems both inside and outside of the building.

While Figure 1 illustrates a residential building, it is appreciated that alternative buildings are also suitable for incorporating the drainage system described herein and the invention is not limited to such use on a residential building.

Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic view of a conventional gutter system for drainage purposes found on residential buildings is shown in Figure 2.

Building 201 comprises an outer wall 202 which supports roof 203. As shown, roof 203 comprises rafters 204 and laths 205 which support the tiled roof. Insulation 206 is contained within rafters 204 and a sarking felt 207 is positioned between the roof and the insulation as a further defence against rain water from the roof. It is noted that the rafters of the roof are indicated generally by the numeral 204, but are not visible in the present drawing, as they are obscured by the insulation 206. However, it is appreciated that the rafters 204 are substantially similar to conventional rafters found in a typical roof.

In this illustrated example, the drainage system of this conventional roof arrangement comprises a gutter 208, which extends forward of outer wall 202 in order to collect rain water which flows off the roof. As shown, external wall insulation 209 is applied and fixed to outer wall 202 in order to provide increased thermal properties to the inside of the building. The combination of a light gauge aluminium trim 210 and a mastic seal 211 are traditionally included with the insulation 209 to provide weather proofing, however, the effectiveness of this arrangement is limited.

Firstly, uneven brickwork and the small or potentially weathered mastic seal can result in water overrun onto outer wall 202 due to the gap between the insulation and the gutter itself. Secondly, if the gutter becomes blocked with debris, water also overruns from the gutter 208, again onto outer wall 202.

Given the lack of insulation on the inside surface of outer wall 202, a cold bridge 212 can occur on the inside of outer wall 202 (i.e., inside the building) such that condensation and mould can build up on the internal wall face. Consequently, the solution shown in Figure 3 seeks to avoid the issues arising from the cold bridge and prevent mould and damp.

Figure 3 A drainage system for a roof of a building in accordance with the present invention will now be described with respect to Figure 3. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional schematic view of a drainage system.

Building 301 comprises a roof 302 arranged in a substantially similar manner to that as previously described in respect to Figure 2, comprising rafters and laths.

Building 301 comprises an outer wall 303 to which an insulating material 304 is fixed by means of appropriate fastenings.

To prevent the cold bridge described in Figure 2, a drainage system comprises a gutter 305 and fascia 306. Gutter 305 comprises a channel 307 having first and second walls and an underside wall connecting the first and second walls. Gutter 305 comprises a cross-section which, as shown, is substantially u-shaped.

In the embodiment, gutter 305 is fixed to fascia 306 which is fixed to a front surface of outer wall 303 such that the underside wall extends beyond the width of insulating material 304. Gutter 305 and fascia 306 are positioned substantially flush against the outer wall 303 such that no gap is present between the insulated material 304 or the fascia 306. Fascia 306 comprises a further insulating material and thus, provides further insulation along the outer wall 302.

In the embodiment, fascia 306 comprises aluminium grade 1050a material with mineral wool or aerogel strip insulation. In a specific embodiment, the aluminium fascia is one hundred and fifty millimetres (150mm) by one hundred and ninety millimetres (190 mm) deep and the mineral wool is twenty-five millimetres (25mm) thick. In the embodiment comprises aerogel strip insulation, the aerogel strip may be ten millimetres (10 mm) in thickness. It is appreciated that these compositions are examples only and other suitable materials and dimensions may be utilised in different embodiments.

When fitted in the manner illustrated in Figure 3, sarking felt 308 is brought over the gutter 305 to further avoid leakage.

Figure 4 A close-up view of gutter 305 is shown in Figure 4 providing further detail of the arrangement of the drainage system of the present invention.

Gutter 305 comprises channel 307 having a first wall 401, second wall 402 and underside wall 403. Underside wall 403 connects first wall 401 to second wall 402. In the embodiment, underside wall 403 is arranged at an angle to first wall 401 and at a corresponding angle to second wall 402. In the arrangement, first wall 401 is arranged at a corresponding lower position to second wall 402. Thus, underside wall 403 provides a sloping portion which is configured to encourage rain water to flow away from the outer wall of the building and from second wall 402 towards first wall 401.

In the embodiment, second wall 402 is fixed to fascia 306 and sarking felt 308 is brought over the edge of second wall 402 to prevent leakage onto the inside of the building. Second wall 402 and fascia 306 are substantially flush against the outer wall of the building.

In the embodiment, gutter 305 comprises extruded aluminium. In a specific embodiment, the extruded aluminium comprises a thickness of two and a half millimetres (2.5 mm). It is appreciated that other thicknesses may be suitable in other embodiments and the invention is not limited to a particular thickness. In an embodiment, the aluminium is grade 6063 with T6 temper. Again, it is appreciated that this type of aluminium is an example, and any other suitable material may be utilised to form gutter 305. In these example embodiments, the seams in the gutter are manufactured with aluminium welded seams and jointed with extruded aluminium grade 6063 with T6 temper internal union. The joints are further sealed with silicon sealant. This creates relatively heavy-duty joints between sections of the gutter, thereby reducing any possibility for leakage.

Figure 4 further indicates the existing gutter 208 in dashed form for comparative purposes. It is noted that gutter 208 does not exist in the drainage system of the present invention and is shown only to illustrate the difference in volume between conventional systems and the present invention. It is noted that gutter 305 provides a substantially larger volume for supporting rain water, which inhibits overflow onto the building. Further, the nature in which gutter 305 avoids gaps in the insulation provides improved protection to the outer wall of the building in question.

In the embodiment, a sealing membrane 403 is provided between fascia 306 and gutter 305. Sealing membrane 403 further extends between gutter 305 and insulting material 304. Thus, this provides an extra layer of protection from any rain water that may overflow gutter 305 from getting to either fascia 306 or insulating material 304.

In the embodiment, sealing membrane 403 comprises a rubber material, for example, a synthetic rubber material such as neoprene. In an example embodiment, the sealing membrane comprises an LDPE (low-density polyethylene) neoprene (polychloroprene) membrane. In the embodiment, the sealing membrane is between two hundred and fifty millimetres (250 mm) and three hundred millimetres (300 mm) in width.

Thus, the sealing membrane assists in preventing water ingress towards the building. In particular, rather than in conventional systems as depicted in Figure 2, where a mastic bead is utilised, leading to condensation and mould growth, this can be eliminated by combining the sealing membrane with the additional fascia of insulated material.

Figure 5 In the embodiment, the gutter is further provided with an outlet to ensure that any rain water collected in the gutter, is suitably transported away from the building. Figure 5 illustrated an isolated perspective view of a gutter of the present invention and its outlet Gutter 501 comprises a channel 502 having a first wall 503, a second wall 504 and an underside wall 505. As described previously, underside wall 505 is arranged at an angle to first wall 503 and second wall 504 which are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other. Underside wall 505 therefore provides a sloping portion towards first wall 503 and outlet 506. Outlet 506 extends from first wall 503 and is configured to receive a downpipe for removing water from gutter 501 and towards a drain or water treatment system.

In the embodiment, the gutter and outlet are manufactured as a single piece from an aluminium material. It is appreciated that alternative materials may be utilised provided they have suitable waterproofing and strength properties. For example, alternative metallic materials or strong plastics may be utilised.

Figure 6 A cross-sectional schematic view of the drainage system comprising gutter 501 and outlet 506 is shown in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 6, outlet 506 extends from wall 503 external to channel 502. Thus, a downpipe 601 can be connected to outlet 506 in use in the manner illustrated.

In this way, downpipe 601 is offset from the front face 602 of insulating material 504 on the outside of outer wall 303 of the building. Underside wall 505 extends beyond the thickness of the insulating material 505 such that downpipe 601 is positioned parallel to insulating material 504 but with a space between the insulating material 504 and the downpipe 601. This ensures that rain water is further kept away from the building.

Figure 7 The drainage system of the present invention may further provide a solution to the drainage from the edge of the building roof by providing a gable gutter. A cross-sectional schematic view of a gable gutter in accordance with the present invention will now be described with respect to Figure 7.

In the embodiment, the building comprises an outer wall 701 onto which a fascia 702 is provided and to which an insulating material 703 is attached. The embodiment further comprises a gable gutter 704 which extends away from the building and outer wall 702. The arrangement further comprises a verge channel 705 which is positioned between the insulating material 703 and outer wall 702. Gable gutter 704 is fixed to verge channel 705 by means of a suitable fastening. A further sealing membrane 706, which may be substantially similar in composition to the previously described sealing membrane is positioned between the gable gutter 704 and the verge channel 705. This again serves the purpose of preventing ingress of rain water into the building. Verge channel 705 is further fixed to fascia 702 and positioned between fascia 702 and insulating material 703.

In the embodiment, verge channel 705 comprises extruded aluminium grade 6063 with swaged joints and T6 temper. In this embodiment, verge channel 705 is two millimetres (2mm) in thickness. It is appreciated that alternative dimensions may be appropriate in alternative embodiments.

In the embodiment, sealing membrane 706 comprises a rubber material, for example, a synthetic rubber material such as neoprene. In an example embodiment, the sealing membrane comprises an LDPE (low-density polyethylene) neoprene (polychloroprene) membrane. In the embodiment, the sealing membrane is between two hundred and fifty millimetres (250 mm) and three hundred millimetres (300 mm) in width.

Figure 8 A perspective view of the corner of a building 801 incorporating the drainage system of the present invention is shown in Figure 8. Building 801 is shown comprising roof 802 and rafters 803, which are shown exposed in this schematic view. To the front of the rafters is the insulated material and fascia to which gutter 804 having outlet 805, and gable gutter 806.

Figure 9 A perspective view of part of building 801 illustrating the gutter and outlet of the present invention is shown in Figure 9, with the roof fully tiled over the rafters.

Thus, when rain falls on roof 802, it can be directed from the roof verge onto the gable gutter 806 and into gutter 804. The shape and arrangement of gutter 804 will therefore direct rain water towards outlet 805 and into downpipe 901 for removal from building 801 away from the insulation provided on the outer walls of the building.

In the embodiment, downpipe 901 comprises extruded aluminium grade 6063 with T4 temper and swaged socket in line with the extruded aluminium utilised for the drainage system. In an embodiment, downpipe 901 has a seventy-six-millimetre (76 mm) diameter with one point six millimetres (1.6mm) wall thickness. Further wall mounted pipe brackets may also be provided. The system provides an effective 'cap' for the external wall insulation provided on the outer wall of the building. In this way, rainwater or drainage water is directed away from the building and to the downpipe with water ingress towards the building being prevented by the features of the invention. Thus, the building walls are therefore not provided with the means to develop damp or mould issues internally. The system also provides a solution which is aesthetically pleasing, relatively cost-effective and efficient to implement when installing external insulation.

Thus, the system provides an increase in water flow capacity, eliminates the issues with cold-bridging, condensation and rain water penetration risks without needing to extend the existing roof structure thereby reducing the amount of building work necessary and consequently costs.

Additionally, the improved thermal integrity of the external wall insulation system provides reduced energy costs, while avoiding condensation and water damage, thereby resulting in lower maintenance.

Claims

CLAIMSThe invention claimed is: 1. A drainage system for a roof of a building, comprising: a gutter comprising a channel having a first wall, a second wall and an underside wall connecting said first wall and said second wall; and an outlet for said gutter, said outlet extending from said first wall external to said channel; wherein said building comprises an insulating material fixed to an outer wall of said building; and said second wall is connected to said outer wall of said building, said underside wall extends beyond said insulating material, and said outlet is connectable to a downpipe such that, in use, said insulating material is positioned between said outer wall and said downpipe.
2. The drainage system of claim 1, wherein said gutter comprises a cross-section which is substantially u-shaped.
3. The drainage system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said second wall is substantially flush against said outer wall of said building.
4. The drainage system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said underside wall is arranged at an angle to said first wall and said second wall, such that said first wall takes a corresponding lower position to said second wall.
5. The drainage system of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a sealing membrane.
6. The drainage system of claim 5, wherein said sealing membrane comprises a rubber material.
7. The drainage system of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a fascia positioned between said outer wall and said insulating material.
8. The drainage system of claim 7 when dependent on claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said sealing membrane is positioned between said fascia and said gutter.
9. The drainage system of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said fascia comprises a further insulating material.
10. The drainage system of any preceding claim, wherein said gutter comprises aluminium.
11. The drainage system of any preceding claim, wherein said building comprises a roof verge, and said drainage system further comprises a gable gutter positioned at said roof verge, extending away from said building.
12. The drainage system of claim 11, further comprising a verge channel, said verge channel being positioned between said insulating material and said outer wall.
13. The drainage system of claim 12, wherein said gable gutter is fixed to said verge channel.
14. The drainage system of claim 11 or claim 12, further comprising a second sealing membrane positioned between said gable gutter and said verge channel
15. The drainage system of claim 11, wherein said verge channel is fixed to said fascia.
16. A building comprising the drainage system of any preceding claim.
17. Apparatus for providing drainage from a building, comprising: a gutter comprising a channel having a first wall, a second wall and an underside wall connecting said first wall and said second wall; and an outlet for said gutter, said outlet extending from said first wall external to said channel.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said underside wall is arranged at an angle to said first wall and said second wall, such that said first wall takes a corresponding lower position to said second wall.