Gutter and downpipe

Gutters and downpipes carry rain away from the roof: horizontal channels along the edge of a roof and vertical pipes running down to the ground. Flat roofsFlat roof (roof terrace)The flat concrete roof on top of a building. It is the most common kind of roof in Greece and the part that takes the most sun and rain. often have a built-in channel along the parapetParapetThe low wall around the edge of a flat roof or balcony. The joint between it and the floor is one of the most common places for leaks. that ends in an outlet and a pipe.

A gutter that works properly protects not only the roof but also the walls and foundations. The water needs to end up well away from the foot of the walls, or the ground stays wet and encourages rising dampRising dampMoisture from the ground that climbs up inside walls through the pores of the materials. It shows as stains, blown render and salts at the foot of walls..

Leaves, soil and nests clog gutters, and then water spills over onto the walls or pools on the roof. Clearing them before and after winter, and checking for rust and open joints, saves a lot of damage.