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cindylouhoog

Looking for gutter system during monsoons to direct water away from h

last year

This gutter pipe was installed on Friday. We have not paid the contractor yet. His quote was for $1600 before changes
were made to the design and materials. He was supposed to return today to
install covers he said he’d fabricate for the three scuppers he chopped off, but hasn’t yet. My husband and I are not convinced what he did would alleviate the flooding we get during monsoon season in the Arizona desert. He was originally planning on covering each scupper with a baffle that would connect to a large downspout. We discussed how that would look and agreed to this set up. It is not what we were expecting. It does not look like it was professionally installed. We don’t think the downspout will handle the huge volume of water we get. Unless he does return and covers the scuppers the water will overshoot the gutter and cause flooding. We had a neighbor who is a building contractor look at it this morning and he said it won’t work.
Any suggestions?

Comments (11)

  • last year

    This is how a neighbor solved the problem but for only one scupper

  • PRO
    last year

    Here isn Florida, all homes get Commerical sized gutters. If you get even more rain then perhaps a larger gutter is appropirate.



  • last year

    Flooding is at this area and it seeps in under this door into the house. The plan was to attach another section of drainpipe and send the water out to a swale. The original builder did not grade the property correctly

  • last year

    The gutter is 6” wide. The problem is the scuppers extend 3” into the gutter and the gutter connects to a 3” downspout, which I’m not sure is adequate. The rain would shoot out of the scuppers like a fire hose. These are the other scuppers on the same side of the house that were not cut off

  • last year

    Thanks for the info, Beverly! In our area gutters are not used on flat or pitched roofs

  • PRO
    last year

    before changes were made to the design and materials

    What changes were made, and why?

    not convinced what he did would alleviate the flooding we get during monsoon season

    Why is that? What flooding do you get?

    We discussed how that would look and agreed to this set up. It is not what we were expecting

    What did you agree to and what were you expecting?

    It does not look like it was professionally installed

    Why do you say that?

    We don’t think the downspout will handle the huge volume of water we get.

    I'd probably agree. What size is it?


    Your guy is probably accustomed to guttering a more standard house with a sloped roof.

    I would expect something like what your neighbor has, with larger downspouts.

    Where are you wanting to direct the water?

    I have seen installs where multiple scuppers were tied together into a single downspout, using larger pipe.



  • PRO
    last year

    For your house, I would ask for a box gutter profile -- basically square with a square or round downspout. Probably a commercial gutter contractor rather than residential.

  • last year

    Yes, PPF, we originally planned on something very similar to what you showed. The contractor convinced us this would be better looking and just as efficient.

    We get torrential rains in the summer. Water builds up to 6” by the door and seeps in. Last year we tried sand bags but they rotted in the sun.

    Does not look professionally installed because of how he cut off the scuppers. See pictures. He was supposed to fabricate covers and install them today but hasn’t gotten here yet

    It is a 6” gutter but the cut off scupper extends 3” into it

  • last year

    And thank you, PPF!

  • last year

    You have got this in a mess,,,,,,,,YES YOU hired the residential and by all indentations, a greenhorn at that instead of a professional commercial roofer. YOU started right off trying to help design the job knowing full well you don't have experience. YOU chose to go on the web and ask other amateurs instead of hiring a paid consultant when things jumped the rail. BEFORE you signed a contract was the time to get on the web or go to country club asking advice. My advice would have been , hire the best commercial roofer in town then follow his advice. Now that you are on this sinking ship my advice is hire the professional you failed to hire when this started. Pay the new in town Middle Americans for what they wasted and send them down the road. And stop hacking on the scuppers , once screwed up they can't be changed like a pair of socks, scuppers are tied in with roof membrane which is a pretty involved process. Start over now and save the hassle between now and when you have no choice but start over.

  • last year

    Case closed. He returned and covered the scuppers to our satisfaction, a professional commercial installer. Now we have to wait for the monsoons to see if it solved the issue.
    Thanks for your help, Klem Kadiddlehopper. Bless your heart