Down Pipes can you hide them

[GrantMcscott]

1 hour ago, Ian said:

@GrantMcscott

I’m not endorsing this but the way this would be solved on a commercial building would be either

A) locate the gutter slightly higher up the roof with all the downpipes located internally

or

B) Use a syphonic rainwater system of gutters & downpipes. These are very popular with designers of large buildings as they can offer big savings https://fullflow.com/syphonic-explained

Personally speaking I’m not a fan of either option because of the greater potential for leaks inside the building if anything goes wrong but I’ve inspected plenty of buildings with these 2 options which are mainstream in commercial architecture.

 

Yes i think the only option is to bring the down pipes inside the house.  What is the minimum size of pipe I will get away with for a down pipe was thinking 50mm internal 63 mm external.  The guttering runs are very short so should not need a big pipe.

[Cauk]

I’ve lived in a building with concealed drain pipes and i would say one thing: don’t do it!

 

The smallest amount of rain, over time, can get in and run down the pipe; they run off in strange ways and you can spend a long time trying to find the leak. In one heavy storm the pipe blocked, ran all the way back up to the top and splurged out at odd angles getting inside the building. (That’s the technical explanation)

 

Looking at the photo the main issue with running one continuous length across the windows is because of the aesthetic and because you would see the drain from inside?

What if you just blacked out a strip at the top of your windows with some blackout film on both sides? Something matt like this (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rabbitgoo®-Blackout-Privacy-Protection-Blocking/dp/B077X8HDQ9). From floor level I don’t think you’d spot it, and from inside it might not look too bad..? You could mock up a trial of it and see if it’s bearable before spending too much on other solutions..?

 

[George]

Another vote against concealed RWPs/syphonic/chains/dispersers.

 

Centre them on the windows, use aluminium/copper/imitation cast iron etc. and you'll look at them once when they're put up then never look at them again.

[saveasteading]

Agree with much of the previous discussion. My opinion and experience is:

 

Architects and planners seldom consider gutters and downpipes. 

Rainwater must be got away from the building with the easiest and safest method:

Use external gutters, nice and big.

Plenty of downpipes.

 

Avoid, internal gutters, syphonic systems, chains, oversail and free drip. These are all gimmicks or solutions to problems that should not exist if the building is designed with rain considered. They bring risk and maintenance issues to the building.

 

So we are left with aesthetics. I agree your sketch with no gutters past windows, multiple dp is the way to go.

As Ferdinand says, there are many ideas. Mine are simple, and a formula based on experience.

 

1. Minimise the effect by matching to the wall and roof colours.

2. Or make it look designed and integrated by matching the glazing bar colour.

3. Or make it look designed by using a completely different colour that is not builders' merchant grey or black

4. Three colours is plenty, so wall, roof, glazing are probably enough. Match or contrast using these colours.

 

I also endorse Lindab: strong, classy and work well, with many colours to choose. The copper effect needs  a sticker saying, 'not really copper, please do not steal'.

It is expensive but is the finish to your project.

If the house is to look old, use cast iron instead, but coloured on the same principle.

 

Get it right and the Architect will take the praise, I bet you.  'Always had that in mind...obvious etc.'

 

 

[Haylingbilly]

You could have some sort of pergola type or lean too type structure if front of the patio doors (or a glass roof or even tiled roof structure - I was thinking of something below might be a really cost effective solution). You could then run the drainpipes down to a gutter which runs along the top of where it joins the wall. The downpipes at the end of the building could be at the sides. Hopefully this makes sense

It wouldn't eliminate the downpipes but would certainly make them less dominant

[GrantMcscott]

Had building control out yesterday and we discussed the down pipes.  He suggested putting an upstand on the roof and diverting the water away from the windows that are above the bi-fold doors so that I would not need guttering there.  Thus this removes the need for the diagonal down pipe due to the bi-fold doors being below it.