Gutter
Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 1:59 pm
I'm premature in posting this but I'm ruminating about my recent, partial gutter installation and need to clear my head, by venting, so I can focus on other things.
Despite all efforts to the contrary, I consider my home my "child". I did design it, hired the sub-contractors, and participated and supervised in its construction and I developed a tendency to be a "helicopter homeowner". I wasn't nearly this obsessive toward my son so I don't know from where this dolting attitude came. I can only surmise that, with a child, the effort and expense is spread out over, at least, 21 years, whereas, with my home, a similar effort and expense was condensed into the four years from purchase of the property to (almost) finished "birth" of the home.
I probably should also point out that, like with expectant parents who hope the pregnancy goes well and the baby is born healthy, we experienced certain complications in our home's "pregnancy" and there were a few minor "birth defects" presented "at birth" (upon receiving our Certificate of Occupancy). Given that everything did not go as planned, every additional "abnormality"is a trial or tribulation that is (sub)consciously added to all those that came before it.
We recently made another compromise regarding our gutters. For three years we've put off having any installed so that 1) we could see how the property drains and make corrections to the grading, 2) determine the impact of being gutterless on the basement (this took two years), and 3) find someone experienced with soldering/welding copper gutters. Because of difficulties with #3, this year we decided to (maybe temporarily) install dark bronze coloured aluminum gutters.
1) I think the rim of the gutters are installed (nearly) touching the roof deck (no min. 1-1/4" separation). I won't be getting up there to check until this weekend. Our fascia is 10" high and our roof slope is something like 9/12 and the gutters vary between 5" and 6" according to typical run-off volume. I'm also not sure there's the min. 1/2" per 10' slope.
2) The spacing and locations of the half-round gutter brackets don't appear to have any relation to the rafter tails. I'll be checking this, too, but given #1 above this might be a good thing if the brackets are repositioned lower (as I'd rather just have additional holes in the fascia and not both the fascia and rafter tails).
3) We have two HVAC pvc pipes coming through the fascia. One is the A/C condensate line (which may drain into the gutter) and the other is the furnace drip pan overflow drain (which should not drain into the gutter but extend past the gutter). The gutter installer cut the drip pan drain line (without asking), notched the gutter (eghad!), and installed the gutter, apparently, touching the roof deck (as in #1 above).
Here's the real kicker: None of these things (if they exist) are catastrophic in and of themselves! It's just the difference between being a professional and following "best practices" and being a clueless DIYer. I think what started my worry is his cutting of my drip pan drain line (without conferring with me) and the notching of the gutter. Once I see a "pro" do something that's not the best thing to do, I start to question (internally) everything he may or may not be doing.
[Takes a deep breath and exhales] Whew! There. Thanks. I think I feel a bit more "Zen".
[Edit: Boy! If only I had a drone to fly up there to take a look.]
Despite all efforts to the contrary, I consider my home my "child". I did design it, hired the sub-contractors, and participated and supervised in its construction and I developed a tendency to be a "helicopter homeowner". I wasn't nearly this obsessive toward my son so I don't know from where this dolting attitude came. I can only surmise that, with a child, the effort and expense is spread out over, at least, 21 years, whereas, with my home, a similar effort and expense was condensed into the four years from purchase of the property to (almost) finished "birth" of the home.
I probably should also point out that, like with expectant parents who hope the pregnancy goes well and the baby is born healthy, we experienced certain complications in our home's "pregnancy" and there were a few minor "birth defects" presented "at birth" (upon receiving our Certificate of Occupancy). Given that everything did not go as planned, every additional "abnormality"is a trial or tribulation that is (sub)consciously added to all those that came before it.
We recently made another compromise regarding our gutters. For three years we've put off having any installed so that 1) we could see how the property drains and make corrections to the grading, 2) determine the impact of being gutterless on the basement (this took two years), and 3) find someone experienced with soldering/welding copper gutters. Because of difficulties with #3, this year we decided to (maybe temporarily) install dark bronze coloured aluminum gutters.
1) I think the rim of the gutters are installed (nearly) touching the roof deck (no min. 1-1/4" separation). I won't be getting up there to check until this weekend. Our fascia is 10" high and our roof slope is something like 9/12 and the gutters vary between 5" and 6" according to typical run-off volume. I'm also not sure there's the min. 1/2" per 10' slope.
2) The spacing and locations of the half-round gutter brackets don't appear to have any relation to the rafter tails. I'll be checking this, too, but given #1 above this might be a good thing if the brackets are repositioned lower (as I'd rather just have additional holes in the fascia and not both the fascia and rafter tails).
3) We have two HVAC pvc pipes coming through the fascia. One is the A/C condensate line (which may drain into the gutter) and the other is the furnace drip pan overflow drain (which should not drain into the gutter but extend past the gutter). The gutter installer cut the drip pan drain line (without asking), notched the gutter (eghad!), and installed the gutter, apparently, touching the roof deck (as in #1 above).
Here's the real kicker: None of these things (if they exist) are catastrophic in and of themselves! It's just the difference between being a professional and following "best practices" and being a clueless DIYer. I think what started my worry is his cutting of my drip pan drain line (without conferring with me) and the notching of the gutter. Once I see a "pro" do something that's not the best thing to do, I start to question (internally) everything he may or may not be doing.
[Takes a deep breath and exhales] Whew! There. Thanks. I think I feel a bit more "Zen".
[Edit: Boy! If only I had a drone to fly up there to take a look.]