It's essential to use a level when installing eavestroughs. Most homeowners are aware that there should not be pooling water in their eavestroughs. This creates overflows and swamp-like conditions that mosquitos love to hang out and lay eggs in. No one would want this but unfortunately many homes in Toronto have this situation. It's of epidemic proportions. The good thing is, it's completely avoidable.
The use of a level when installing your new system will take all the the guess work out of things. It seems that many installers think that they have a good eye and can tell when the eavestroughs are sloped in the right direction. Well I see the proof everyday that this is not the case as we get numerous calls from homeowners complaining about how xyz company did their eavestroughs and they are full of water. I also see it almost everyday I go out to see homeowners who want a new system.
There have been numerous times we talk to a homeowner who has had a company install their eavestroughs with slope problems. They call them back fix it and they still don't get it right the second time. If the company had used a level this embarrassment wouldn't have happened!
Not using a level and eyeballing the install will create problems because the houses often do not sit perfectly level in the first place. A house could be an inch or two higher on one side than the other and it's highly unlikely anyone would ever know just by looking. This can affect a person's frame of reference. It can give the illusion that eavestroughs are sloping in the proper direction.
I think the main reason why levels are not used is because it does slow the install process down significantly by times. With most of the Toronto eavestrough market consisting of subcontractors getting paid piece work this type of attention to detail is to hard on the pocket book and is neglected. We at North Shore Eavestroughing do things differently. All our team members are highly knowledgeable on proper install methods and paid hourly. We take pride in the fact that we do not subcontract any of our work. This is not common in our industry. If you own a home in Scarborough, North York as well as other areas in and near Toronto, and would like a quote, please gve us a call. 416.615.0443
Hi Darren:
ReplyDeleteCan you install eavestrough without any slope and get away with it. The reason I ask is I have bin told that with 5" trough you sometimes don't need any, because of the extra capacity of 5"
Its true that 5 inch eavestrough is usually more than adequate on most residential applications however proper slope is critical to optimal performance. Improper slope will reduce the capacity of the eavestrough and also create standing water in the low spots. Mosquitos breed in this water. Just a slight slope will allow the water to drain out when the rain stops. Thanks for the question!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the best method (installation of eavestroughs)to use for a heavy rainfall that causes the water to overshoot off my steel roof right over the eavestrough?
ReplyDeleteDoes this happen only in the valleys or the entire roof? Water does usually not get enough speed to bypass the eavestrough unless your eavestroughs are installed extra low on the fascia board. Possibly raising the eavestroughs but not too high to get snagged by sliding snow or wider eavestroughs. Valleys will need splash guards installed if you have valleys.
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