Rainhandlers are a high quality, easy to install product.
Written: Sep 30, 2009 (Updated Jan 16, 2012)
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Summary 10/2009
I highly recommend this product as an alternative to standard gutters. In many applications I believe this item is superior to gutters in many ways. Installation is very fast and well within most peoples ability to accomplish. MUCH less expensive than standard gutters in my situation.
Description
This product is best described as something resembling a section of a mini-blind on steroids. They are 5-foot sections of aluminum blades which redirect water falling from your roof line. The fall combined with the blade angles result in a dispersal of the water into smaller droplets along a 2-4 foot wide area. Instead of a small waterfall coming from the roof line of your house you get something similar to the natural rainfall size and pattern hitting the ground around the home perimeter.
Ordering
I used the web site to research and order the necessary number of units for my project. Information on the web site is very complete and even includes a video which is helpful. After order I received the items in about 4 days. I was very surprised in the compact size of the package. Delivery of this product is very convenient as opposed to buying all of the necessary parts for standard guttering which are too long for my vehicle to transport.
Rainhandlers vs. Gutters
Before making my final decision for Rainhandlers I got 3 bids for my single story home for standard guttering. I used to harvest rainwater but in this location that's not really feasible or cost effective so I was very open to a system that didn't have to channel water to downspouts. I received bids from two gutter companies and 1 from Home Depot. These bids ranged from $1800 to over $3500 for very good quality seamless gutters. I was able to do the job myself with the Rainhandler product for about $700, a significant savings.
Installation
After opening the box I saw the individual units were carefully stacked and the installation hardware was placed on top in separate plastic storage bags. Installation hardware consists of 3 brackets with 2 screws each for each of the 5 foot sections. Following the included installation instructions I started measuring for my first install. The instructions are very complete and consist of taking 3 measurements per unit, screwing the 3 brackets into place, and then snapping the actual Rainhandler unit to the brackets. It's actually a very quick process.
My home's facia boards are simple verticle trim pieces so they are the easiest installation surface for this product which should be kept in mind. What I did learn is that the most important thing for the best looking installation is to be careful to align the brackets with the bottom of the facia board consistently. Too much of a variation will cause the units to be less than flush where they meet.
Performance
Shortly after installation we had a couple of significant storms. I wanted something to limit the trenching of rain runoff from my roof since I didn't have the side and back yards of my new home sodded. To conserve water, and work, since I live in Central Texas I used crushed granite over weedblock for my groundcover around the house. This is a great product for this kind of application but it is more susceptible to being washed out, etc., than sod if there's significant amounts of water flowing in volume. The Rainhandlers performed as advertised. Since the water is not being channeled to downspouts they couldn't be overwhelmed even in the heaviest portions of the downpour. Water simply sprayed out from them along the areas away from my home in a fashion similar to the natural rain already falling. This dispersed water simply drained away with the other rain from the perimeter of my house with very little evidence left in the crushed granite. There was no trenching as I had experienced in a small storm before installation so I had a great opportunity for comparison.
I'm very pleased with the performance of the product and will update this review as time passes.
UPDATE 7/2010
The Rainhandlers continue to perform flawlessly. Considering the construction there really isn't much that can go wrong. We've had some very intense periods of rain in the past few months and the Rainhandlers perform consistently well regardless of water flow rates.
I've painted the most visible sections since installation so that they blend with house color even better. Interestingly I had a much easier time painting the pre-painted sections as opposed to the bare aluminum ones. The existing paint acted like a primer so I didn't have to spend as much time on them or do a second coat which was required on some of the bare metal sections. I did discover the bare metal sections did accept spray paint very well if you have a color that matches your house paint.
Update November 2011
I was updating another review and thought I'd take the time to update this one as well. There has been no significant change in the appearance or functionality of the Rainhandlers. The surfaces I painted appear in good condition and they continue to perform without issue although not as frequently since we're experiencing a drought here. I would still highly recommend this product at this time.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Rainhandlers
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About the Author
Member: Ivan Talley
Location: San Marcos, Texas
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 3 members
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