Taming the Meandering Monster Spout
When I purchased the Cross House it had but a single downspout still in place, and this, combined with leaking built-in gutters, caused most of the damage to the house. Hurriedly, I installed downspouts.
This is the meandering monster spout (right). It was cobbled together out of what I found in the basement, yard, and garage. While utterly ridiculous looking, it has at least been doing its job.
But, later this year, the south facade will actually look good. I know, that seems impossible! So, something will have to be done about the monster.
I’ve been thinking…
…of moving it to the west, parallel to the roofline…
….and then coming down between the huge kitchen windows. The window trim, and the spout, will be the same green color so I don’t think the latter will be readily obvious.
This will look vastly better than what it currently in place. So, I am kinda excited. About a downspout.
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I am confused because I would expect the spout to empty onto the roof below because that roof seems to need its own spout anyway. Why does it need to have sections that take it all of the way to the ground? Does the roof over the southeast corner of the first floor (not sure what part of the kitchen, pantry, or other room that roof covers), have its own self gutters and a downspout?
Stewart, the lower roof has its own downspout (on the east side).
The “monster” funnels a massive amount of water, the most, by far, of all the downspouts. So, I am reluctant to have it just drain onto the lower roof. It will quickly erode the shingles, and likely overload the lower roof gutter.
I agree that you shouldn’t have the spout drain onto the roof shingles. I think that I should have written to direct the base of the upper spout to the lower roof’s East side spout. The East spout may need to be increased in size to handle that much water, but I think one wider spout is preferable to having one down the middle of the window. I find your judgement to be excellent, I am suggesting this as a possible alternative. Not having actually been to the site, I have no Idea if it is even feasible.
It’s not so much an issue of increasing the lower spout. My concern is rather the size of the lower built-in gutter. It’s clearly not designed to accept a lot of water.
I have seen houses where the upper spout feeds directly into the lower larger spout. I am having trouble communicating my thoughts on this. I am trying to be helpful and am sorry that I have not been able to communicate the idea properly in my replies.
Just know that I wish you the best and ignore mu sense of what “should” be. I am not invested in the solution that you choose. Trying to offer possible alternatives. Your solution will do the job.
Fabulous! I can practically hear rainwater rocketing around the turns! What happens when it gets to ground level? Pebbles? … Pipe it somewhere? Cistern under the house?
Does the Cross House have a cistern?
Oh, yes.
What about the other way, down the back of that roof towards the back of the house. Towards the east, off the servant’s dining room roof?