During rainstorms, you’re going to see the rain pouring over the sides of your roof. Water will cascade down the roof, and it’ll fall on the ground.
The water generally pools near the foundation and this is bad for your home. Your foundation could easily get damaged by standing water.
The best way to handle roof runoff is to use gutters. Gutters can guide the water toward a downspout.
You can then direct the water toward a location where it won’t do any harm. It’s imperative to install gutters on your home to protect your investment.
What if you don’t have gutters and you want to handle roof runoff without installing them? Do you have other options that you can turn to?
Keep reading to learn about what you can do to handle roof runoff without gutters. This should help you to deal with the situation as best you can.
1 – Try Using Rain Chains
Rain chains are good for dealing with roof runoff. These are starting to become more popular in North America.
They’ve been in use in Asian regions for a long time. Rain chains originated in Japan, where they’re used to deal with roof runoff on homes as well as shrines.
When you look at roof chains, the first thing you’ll notice is that they’re beautiful. They’re designed to be aesthetically pleasing while also being useful for dealing with cascading rainwater.
Typically, rain chains are made out of either copper or aluminum. They’re made to slow the rainwater down so that it won’t damage your lawn.
Often, rain chains will be used in conjunction with rain barrels. Rain barrels are simple barrels that are designed to collect rain.
The basic idea is that the rain flows down the rain chain and then goes directly into the rain barrel. This is an effective way to deal with rain that will appeal to many people.
You’ll love how the rain chains sound when rain hits them, too. There’s something very charming about rain chains that makes them good even for purely decorative purposes.
2 – Create a Rain Dispersal System
Creating a rain dispersal system could help as well. These are made using metal edging that is installed under your roof shingles.
This is a great way to direct roof runoff to areas where it won’t do harm. People use rain dispersal systems to ensure that the water goes toward areas of the yard where it won’t cause problems.
Some areas of your yard will be better for handling water than others. For instance, you likely don’t want huge puddles right in your front yard.
This isn’t a perfect solution to the roof runoff problem, though. It won’t work well with all types of roofs.
Also, it won’t always prevent water from pooling in spots where you don’t want it to pool. So it’s merely something that can help without completely solving the problem.
3 – You Could Re-Grade the Yard
Re-grading the yard is a drastic step to take. You can do this to make sure that the yard slopes and makes water run away from your house.
The basic idea behind this is to re-grade the yard and make it so the soil drops at certain points. This is a huge project, and you’ll likely want professionals to handle things.
Most people will consider this idea to be impractical at best. Even so, it’s worth noting that you can do this as a solution for dealing with rain runoff.
If you’re lucky, your yard might be sloped in the right way so that it’ll help the rain to flow away from your yard. Perhaps you won’t need to do anything at all.
4 – Installing French Drains
French drains are a good way to deal with roof runoff. A French drain is also sometimes referred to as a type of ground gutter.
This is essentially a trench that will capture the water. You then slope the ground by digging in specific ways so the water will go through the French drain and down toward somewhere safe.
You can direct the water away from your yard by digging a French drain. This method can be accomplished yourself so long as you’re willing to put in the effort.
Making a French drain will take quite a bit of effort and time. So some people might not want to use this method if they don’t have a lot of time to handle situations like this.
What Can Happen if You Ignore Roof Runoff?
Ignoring roof runoff is a very bad idea. It could wind up messing up your yard, and your home might get damaged.
It’s common for portions of your lawn or plants to die when roof runoff is very bad. Too much water pouring down off of the roof will cause many problems for your grass and the plants in your garden.
You’ll also potentially have to deal with mosquitoes. Mosquitoes love to lay eggs in pools of water.
Standing water near your home will turn into a breeding ground for local mosquitoes. You’ll get bitten by mosquitoes regularly if you continue to ignore roof runoff.
One of the biggest problems with roof runoff involves structural damage to your foundation. The foundation can begin eroding when it’s exposed to water.
In some cases, sinkholes might even develop. This isn’t very common, but it’s still worth noting that pooling water near your foundation will be very bad for your home.
Water might get into your home through cracks or other leaky spots. When this occurs, it might cause mold to grow.
It’s common for mildew and mold to form on the house when water is pooling near the foundation. This makes your home look bad, and it can also cause significant damage.
You need to solve the roof runoff issue fast to keep your home safe. Failure to do so might wind up costing you a lot of money.
Using Gutters and Downspouts Is for the Best
There isn’t a logical reason to avoid using gutters and downspouts. Generally, this is the best solution to solve roof runoff issues.
Gutters will capture the rainwater and direct them to the downspout. The water flows down the downspout and is then directed to a safe location.
You can use downspout extensions if you need to direct the water further away from your home. This is practical and easy to do.
If you have gutters and downspouts installed, your life will be so much easier. Your home will be safer, and you won’t need to worry as much when it rains.
As a homeowner, it makes sense to invest in protecting your home. It’ll save you money in the long run if you go ahead and install gutters and downspouts.
How Much Does It Cost to Install Gutters?
You’ll need to invest a bit of cash to get gutters installed. You can go a few different routes when installing gutters on your home.
Some opt to buy gutters from home improvement stores and install everything themselves. This is fine if you have a bit of knowledge, the right tools, and the time to handle the installation.
Many people are more comfortable hiring professionals to handle things. This will ensure that the job gets done right, but it will cost a bit more money than a DIY installation.
How much money can you expect to spend on gutters? It depends on what type of gutters you decide to buy.
Vinyl gutters are very affordable, but they might not be as good as aluminum gutters. Both aluminum gutters and galvanized steel gutters are considered to be affordable options.
Copper gutters are rather expensive, but many people love the way that they look. Expect to spend between $800 and $4,500 on gutter installation, depending on what you buy.
Prices can vary greatly in different areas. So it’s better for you to look up local estimates to get a feel for how much you’ll need to spend to have gutters installed.
Gutters Last for a Long Time
It’s great to know that gutters have the potential to last for a long time. While you will likely spend over $1,000 on gutters, they can last for many years with proper maintenance.
Vinyl gutters are the least durable. When exposed to extreme heat and cold, they’re likely to crack within eight years.
Mild weather conditions will allow vinyl gutters to survive for fifteen years. So vinyl gutters are more practical if you live in areas that don’t get too hot or cold.
Aluminum gutters and galvanized steel gutters can both last for ten to twenty years with good maintenance. Note that aluminum gutters are better at resisting rust than galvanized steel gutters.
Copper gutters are expensive, but they can last for up to fifty years. You’ll likely never need to be gutters again if you purchase high-quality copper gutters and maintain them well.
Final Thoughts
Roof runoff can be a serious problem. It has the potential to damage your home and leave your property looking bad.
It could make your yard a mess, and it might even kill your plants. Your foundation could get damaged, and you might have to deal with mold.
You can deal with roof runoff without gutters by using certain things. Rain chains can work well when paired with rain barrels.
It’s also possible to install French drains or create some type of rain dispersal system. The most practical thing to do is to simply install gutters, though.
Gutters and downspouts are the most practical option for dealing with roof runoff. This is the tried and true method for keeping your home safe from water damage.
Take the time to consider what you want to do. Make sure that you make a decision that will keep your home in good shape so you won’t need to spend money on costly repairs.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.