Practical hints to builders and those contemplating building / Facts worth considering relating to foundation, cellar, kitchen, chimney, cistern, brick-work, mortar, heating, ventilation, the roof, and many items of interest to builders.

by National Sheet Metal Roofing Co.

GUTTERS, VALLEYS AND DOWN PIPES.

These things are very closely related to the roof, and like it should be of the best material.

A tin gutter hung at the eaves has the advantage of being cheap; if made of good material and put up with good fastenings is durable, and suitable for cheap houses and some portions of expensive ones.

In all cases where the fastenings are to hang from the roof, the gutter should be put up before the roof covering is put on, so the fastenings can be secured to the roof boards instead of on top of the tin, slate or wood shingles. If the fastenings are nailed on top of the roof covering, the nails soon become loose, and the gutter sags. The tinsmith will charge no more for doing his work before the roofers commence, but it may delay you a day. Paint the gutter inside as well as out, and see that it has sufficient fall to clear itself of water. If you prefer the gutter on the roof near the eaves, let the sheets of which it is made be of sufficient width to extend far enough up under the roof covering to prevent water (when the gutter is full) from overflowing at the back instead of over at the front; this is a common error. In every instance let this top gutter be outside the wall line, so in case of leakage the “drip” is outside the walls. Gutters of this kind, and all gutters that are soldered and firmly fastened to roof boards (not hanging gutters), are liable to crack by expansion and contraction of the metal; we therefore say, never put a gutter inside the wall lines if they can be put outside. Valleys formed by the joining of two roofs at an angle are usually steep enough to allow the metal sheets to lap on each other and shed water without soldering. Such sheets are usually made twenty-eight inches long. Their shortness prevents cracking from expansion and contraction even if nailed to roof boards. Remember that all trash or dirt that settles on the roof eventually finds its way into the valleys, gutters and down pipes, and in a manner scours their surface; for this reason they receive several fold more wear than the same amount of exposed surface of the roof, consequently, should be of better material. Few people are aware of the amount of dirt and sand which is carried by the wind and deposited on their house-tops; for this reason, if the water is used for drinking or cooking purposes, the first water that flows from the roof during a rain storm should not be allowed to flow into the cistern.

It is always best to have good sized down pipes. As a rule, for down pipes from hanging gutters, let the circumference of the pipe equal the girt of the gutter, and the gutter should be large enough to convey the water which falls on the roof during the heaviest storms. Use only curved elbows where a turn in the pipe is to be made, and at the foot or discharge end. Curved elbows are now made by machinery; they are stronger, more durable and cost no more than the common hand-made acute kind.

We have spoken of good material; but what is good material when Tin Plate is spoken of? The quality of Tin Plate depends on its toughness, and the weight of Tin or Terne coating on its surface. The first is easily determined by bending back and forth with the hand, the latter is not, unless handled by an expert. The following test will determine the difference, provided you have different qualities. If the qualities are the same, or nearly so, the difference will not be distinguishable.

Take two pieces of different quality of Tin or Terne plates, say two inches square, grease one side with any kind of animal fat; then with a pair of plyers, hold them separately over a gas or candle jet with one corner obliquely downward, and the amount of fusible metal which flows from them will determine the difference between good and common.