SuperDeep 170, the high-strength, high-volume guttering system from Kayflow, has been installed on a 75ft agricultural building in the depths of the Shropshire countryside. Supplied in Grey through approved stockist Venture Building Plastics, it replaces the shed’s original cement-fibre rainwater system.
Retired maintenance engineer and small-holder Mr Tom Farmer needed a new system with a much greater capacity; he was finding that the cement-fibre system was no longer performing, “…it’s been up there 20 years, since we built the shed. While the material itself is ok and has stood the test of time, the capacity hasn’t; it’s no longer adequate,” he said. “We have been getting more flash storms with large quantities of rain falling in short, sharp bursts and the current guttering just can’t cope with it; the rainwater simply comes pouring over the side.”
While tolerable on the exterior wall, the guttering system running down the opposing length of the shed has to manage run-off from two roofs with differing pitches, as a 60ft x 20ft roof canopy was installed ten years ago to provide cover between the farms original Dutch barn and the shed. With almost twice the volume of rainwater the ‘internal’ guttering system has been failing dramatically, with the area beneath becoming sodden causing an unpleasant surface run-off and affecting the quality of the feed and damaging stored machinery and equipment.
Having researched modern guttering systems Mr Farmer was aware of those with a much deeper capacity but the SuperDeep 170 has exceeded his expectations, “It is a much better product. I have looked at a number of systems and this one is by far the best. It’s not just the depth of it but also the shape of the gutter, it’s more oval than round which means that it’s still a manageable system; it’s not all high sides – it’s wide and deep.”
Mr Farmer was eager to get the new system installed before the weather turned and his cattle had to come inside for the winter. “The turnaround on the order has been fantastic, and I couldn’t fault the service from Venture, the chap that delivered the products was knowledgeable and took the time to ensure that everything was there and in good working order.”
The SuperDeep170 system was installed in a day; once the brackets were in position the guttering simply clicked into place. Recommended for fixing at 600mm intervals, each fascia bracket is able to carry a weight of 125kg, that’s around 19.5 stone - more than enough to handle a gutter full of water, ice and snow. “I was particularly impressed with the brackets and fittings,” continued Mr Farmer. “They’re twice as strong as the ones I had originally looked at, they’re far more robust.”
The gutter profile is white on the inside. This deters heat build-up a common enemy of any guttering system. The system is available in both black and grey.
On this installation each downpipe has been encased in a concrete ‘shoe’ where it joins the drainage gully, a precaution in many agricultural and industrial applications. The drainage system for the shed and storage area is connected to a natural pool on the farm which Mr Farmer uses for recreation and irrigation purposes. With a market leading flow rate of around 10 litres per second, the SuperDeep 170 has the capacity to carry over 10 times more water than a standard half round gutter and at least five times more water than a standard deep system.
Mr Farmer concludes, “Even though we escaped much of the devastation caused by the St Jude storm we seem to live in a micro climate all of our own; the shed in particular is open to the elements with the wind and rain sweeping in across the flat terrain. Its early days, but the SuperDeep system has been performing very well. There’s been no sign of any overspill which is a vast improvement. It’s also proved to be a good talking point, impressing a few of the local farmers!”