Patio Cover Precautions
Preparing Your Solid Patio Cover Project for the Rainy Season
While preparing any attached accessory patio-cover or room-enclosure addition for the rainy season, an essential element is to make sure the home has it’s own independent gutter system. Below are 2 scenarios that are likely to occur if an independent gutter system is not being used, and what steps can be taken to avoid them.
1) The “Wet Wall” Effect: Attaching to the wall of a 2-story home
On 2-story homes, the absence of an independent home gutter system may easily lead to what is commonly referred to as “Wet Wall” below your newly installed Alumawood solid patio cover during or after a day of moderate to heavy rain-fall.
When wet wall occurs, the first thought for most is “Oh no! My new Alumawood patio cover is leaking!” when actually this is not happening at all.
What exactly is “Wet Wall”, and why does it happen?
It’s important first to understand that exterior stucco (a mixture of sand, cement, and water) in itself is not waterproof. Stucco is porous and will absorb moisture when wet, then release that moisture as it dries out. During or after even a moderate rain-fall, if a home has no gutter system in place to redirect rain water from the roof-top above, the concentrated water flow will be continuously falling on top of the patio cover. As the concentrated water falls on the patio cover, more and more water will splash onto the stucco directly above the newly installed patio cover’s attachment to the wall. At this point it is only a matter of time, as gravity runs it’s course, before the moisture being absorbed into the stucco above the patio cover visibly transfers down below, making it look like the patio cover is leaking when, in fact, it is not.
A visual illustration…
2) Backflow & Overflow: Attaching to an Existing Fascia
Attaching directly to the fascia of an existing eave with no gutter system in place to capture roof-top runoff is another scenario that commonly leads to both Backflow & Overflow, both of which can appear to be leaks in the patio cover itself (SEE ILLUSTRATIONS BELOW).
Although it cannot be guaranteed that these scenarios will never occur on an accessory add-on structure, there are a number of precautionary measures that will significantly reduce the likelihood of them ever becoming an issue. Ask your GreenBee Patios estimator for more details.
Referral for Rain Gutters
