Living in Florida presents challenges in water drainage not always present in other parts of the country. Tropical Storms, tropical depressions, and heavy thunderstorms can drop multiple inches of rainfall in a matter of minutes. Long soaking rains and light rainfall are not a regular occurrence in our state, and usually, on most houses, a larger gutter is needed to compensate for our unusual weather patterns.
Many Homes in our Area include an attached aluminum screen room called a “Florida Room” that was added either after the house was built or during construction. Many new homes may also have this addition, but now the style of roof has been changed from a Pan style roof to a Styrofoam or Elite panel. The older Pan Style (above) roofs usually require a square decorative gutter which is installed in addition to a Molding or Valance that covers the edges of the roof that doesn’t require gutters. The Valance is used to close the end of the gutter, and regular downspouts are used to bring the water to the ground. Usually, Pan style roofs do not have a fascia attached, the Pan gutter (below)
Simple diagram of Pan Gutter (front to the right, attached upper left)
is attached from the top with the gutter simulating the look of a fascia while draining the water. Due to the lack of a fascia, a regular K-Style seamless gutter can’t be attached properly to these older applications and the Pan style gutter is required. However, you can use the pan-style gutter with the new elite roofs to achieve that classic look. Or, if you prefer seamless guttering can be added to elite panels to achieve a more up to date look. Excel Gutters can install or add gutters to these rooms, but we don’t install complete Florida rooms. We can only replace or install existing Florida Rooms. Check out our latest addition of Pan Style gutters to a house in Merritt Island, Florida including the Valence and regular 3×4 downspouts. Not Sure what kind of gutter you need? Give us a call to help you make the most informed decision on your water drainage needs.
Pan Gutters add a Classic Style to your Screen Room. Call us now for addition or replacement.
Pan Gutter is installed to simulate a fascia and drain the water serving a double purpose.
Valance serves as a mold on the side. A Standard 3×4 downspout is added to drain the gutter.
Seamless K-Style Gutters Installed on the front of the same house in Merritt Island Florida.
Rain Barrels are a great way to collect water for gardens and other needs but can be a challenge in the central Florida area due to the downpours during the rainy season. For example, just last week in the Melbourne area we received over 4 inches of rain in under 2 hours. The water pouring off of a large roof at that rate could fill a rain barrel in a matter of minutes, causing a mess in the surrounding areas. For that reason, I always recommend a water diverter system be included in any installation.
Figure 1
A water diverter is inserted in the middle of an existing or newly installed downspout (See Figure 1), enabling the barrel to be filled, but also allowing extra water to escape once the limit is reached. Installing any diverter requires the usual care in making sure that the extra water is channeled away from your house and foundation at the bottom of the spout. The rain collection proceeds normally while you have remaining space in the barrel (see Figure 2). But once the barrel is full (See Figure 3), water flow stops and then drains out of the downspout normally. A simple but effective solution that works great.
Figure 2
Figure 3
Of course, there are other types of rain barrels to use but be prepared for more maintenance than the above example. Due to our evening showers and heavy rains, you will be required to empty a top pour or direct connection barrel constantly. One solution for this problem may be connecting two or more barrels, while another may be connecting a soaker hose to the drain spigot, allowing constant drainage in your garden or flower beds. Rain Barrels are a great way to conserve water while saving on your water bill. Contact us now to see how to get started. We look forward to hearing from you!
We serve Florida’s Space Coast including Melbourne, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Palm Bay, Pt. St. John, Grant, Malabar, Merritt Island, and Mims.
