Deluge rainfall is a major cause of production disruption, stock loss and building damage in British industry. The vast majority of gutter system and their outlets are adequate under normal rainfall conditions but cannot cope with heavy storms.
The solution to the problem is Uni-DAM, a system that has been produced to prevent water ingress into buildings.
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Rainwater Harvesting and
the use of Uni-DAM |
As our rainfall patterns have and are continuing to change it is becoming increasingly necessary to collect water by any available means. Householders are using water butts to collect rainfall and responsible house builders are providing rainwater harvesting systems for new houses.
There is an increasing awareness to conserve and save water. An average house discharges approximately 80,000 litres of water per year. Industrial and commercial buildings, by the very nature of their size, discharge predominately more than this and if a reasonable proportion of this water could be saved there could be definite benefits for the environment not only in helping stressed water supply but also to help prevent floods.
It is already apparent that.
Uni-DAM can influence water flow, not only to slow water but it can also be used extremely effectively for channeling and guiding water. An extension of this ability is to aid water collection at the ends of the building in circumstances where it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to position rainwater harvesting tanks within the building itself. Uni-DAM can be channel water to a appropriately positioned sumps, where it is convenient to position water tanks.
By guiding water to pre-determined points instead of just holding and slowing water, the imposed load on the roof can be minimised. |
Uni-DAM is a rainwater management system comprising a series of blade-like dams. Manufactured from material to be sympathetic to the original roof, they are fitted along its entire length and at right angle to the down slope.
The number and size of the blade assemblies are determined, following a survey, by calculation.
Consideration are given to the roof slope length, roof pitch, gutter capacity and the geographical location of the building that would help dictate the size of the storm.
The Uni-DAM assembly is fixed to the rib or upper corrugation of the roof sheet following its profile leaving a continuous gap between the bottom of the blade and the roof sheet.
The gap will allow water from light to medium rainfall to pass beneath the blade and down into the gutter in a normal manner. As rainfall intensifies and builds in speed and depth as it travels down slope the blades create mini dams that arrest the excess water, slowing its speed and containing its volume.
The gap allows water to discharge in a controlled manner and in amounts that allow the gutters and outlets to perform, thereby preventing any overflow into the building. The blades also isolate areas of roof between them, localising the rainfall and the further helping to prevent water build-up.
The dam blades de-energise and slow the water flow considerably for the duration of the storm. Uni-Dam will provide complete protection from ingress into the building.
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