Downspout Diverter
I need a recommendation for someone to install a downspout diverter at the back of our brownstone. Too much water coming off the flat roof during those heavy fast rains. Anyone have this done?
I need a recommendation for someone to install a downspout diverter at the back of our brownstone. Too much water coming off the flat roof during those heavy fast rains. Anyone have this done?
Thanks so much*
I googled his name and got this:
John Roggenkamp Roofing
510 76th St
Brooklyn, NY 11209
(718) 680-1217
South Sloper: a search of the Forum didn’t turn up any mention of Roggenkamp. White pages lists one in Bay Ridge – do you have any contact info for him?
I recently had John Roggenkamp do some minor work to improve my roof drainage and would recommend him. Unlike the other company that gave me a quote, he was direct, didn’t list all the other things I ‘need done,’ and quoted me a much lower price. You can find his contact information in other posts on Forum.
We recently had our PS downspout *reattached* to main sewer line after downspout was diverted by handyman for previous owner in order to install plumbing fixtures in cellar. The revision was done by our plumber. You mentioned backing up into your lowest toilet. The location of that toilet may be the primary culprit in your flooding, effectively changing outlet pathway. However, if diversion seems your best solution, it might be a very good time to consider installing a rain barrel, rather than direct outflow to garden.
Instead of a diverter you might consider reworking the drain along the roof line. In heavy rains my open catch allows water to cascade over the edge. The water falls about 6 inches from the back wall so it doesn’t undermine the masonry. If all the flow were efficiently fed into my downspout I’d have the same problem you do.
Gotcha. This has become a common problem in many Brooklyn neighborhoods where roof drains were originally dumped into sanitary sewers and neighborhood growth is maxing out sewer capacity.
Any siding contractor or handyman can probably take care of this for you. You just want to cut the leader, install an elbow and attach a diverter. Just be careful where it’s dumping. You’d be amazed how much water a flat roof can collect during a heavy rain. I was when Karen’s idiot house painters removed her leader and forgot to replace it before a storm last month.
No, the sewer lines in many park blocks in Park Slope cannot keep up with the rain water. The city has been out many times over the years – and aside from suggesting everyone put a trap valve on their line at the front of the house to keep the overflow coming down the line from backing up into the house – no can fix. They say they will not be able to enlarge the sewer lines on these residential streets in my lifetime. If I could divert some of the water into the backyard, it will save some seams from blowing in the cellar, or it backing up into the lowest toilet.
Denton: you may be correct. I know several people who have used this as a fix – but it may not be legal. It’s clean rainwater right off the flat roof – but in those heavy downpours it’s an awful lot of water.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think this is legal. I believe all drainage must go into the sewer pipes. You can’t just dump it in your back yard.