The BENEFITS of the Piedmont Pipe Downspout Adapter

 

Click here for more details about the Piedmont Pipe Downspout Adapter.

 

 

 

About Piedmont Pipe Construction Inc.

Piedmont Pipe Construction Inc. was started in 1999 specifically to provide water, sewer and storm utilities to new and renovated industrial, commercial and institutional projects. This was a niche that most contractors seemed to avoid due to the depth of the excavations, the precision of the installations and the safety factor working in deep trenches and confined space. Within a couple of years, the company was successful in winning bids for utility work on schools. Although the paper work was quite intense, the fact that monthly payments were punctual and virtually risk free far outweighed any other issue.

 

Along with the storm system on these projects was the opportunity to price the underground roof drains. Generally the roofing contractor installed the metal downspouts down the wall to just above finished floor. At that point the roof drain contractor had to connect to that downspout and continue underground and tie into the storm system. The change from metal downspout to pvc pipe was always an issue, trying to provide a smooth transition that included cleanout capability, was aesthetically pleasing and was durable enough to withstand the landscaping equipment.

 

The systems that were available were generally difficult to install and quite often less than pleasing to the eye. Therefore, after several years of frustration, we decided that we would approach Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, the school district in which we generally worked, to see if we could standardize the transition system. We met with the design manager, director of project management and several others. For the presentation, we had constructed a few samples of what was available in today’s market to see if they could pick one that had all the right options. None of them did.

 

The last portion of the meeting was spent in determining what would be the perfect downspout adapter for their use:

* Strong enough to withstand gardener’s tools and equipment
* Cleanout
* Able to be secured to the wall
* Simple one-piece transition from downspout to drain piping
* Color to match downspout or window framing
* Attic stock for replacement if required
* Tamper proof
* Aesthetically pleasing
* Rustproof and stain resistant (including red clay)

The result was a one-piece downspout adapter to transition from metal downspout to underground pipe size in one easy step.