The History of Gutters
Gutters and downspouts are the principal means by which water is conveyed off a roof and away from a building. Rain gutters are not a recent invention, although the construction, function and even the common name for gutters have changed over the years. Troughs and collectors for rainwater have been integrated into roof structures and eaves for thousands of years.
Ancient dwellings have been unearthed with elaborate collection systems designed to channel rainwater into storage cisterns used for drinking and bathing. Built-in eaves and troughs (commonly called box gutters) were integrated into the design of the roof structure and are still common today in most of Europe. Built-ins were (and still are) expensive to construct, difficult to maintain, and often the source of extensive damage because of their inboard location over walls and ceilings.
The common solution to maintain or repair built-in gutters was to insert a U-shaped metal lining, usually constructed of lead. In the 1800's, the use of gutters became more affordable and more common as the internal metal trough liners moved as a stand-alone attachment to the outside eave.
Today, gutters are manufactured in hundreds of shapes and sizes and continue to keep our roofs and walls protected from water damage all year round.
Roman Guttering
System
Modern Guttering
System
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