AliDeck design new Gutter Overflow to comply with BS8579 and meet Building Control Organisations requirements

Balcony drainage has rapidly become a pressing matter for balcony manufacturers and designers. Effective and controlled drainage of balconies plays a key role in protecting the building from water ingress or facade staining and building control organisations have increasingly been looking at this aspect closely.

Accordingly, AliDeck has designed a new standard overflow provision for our Balcony Drainage System to prevent damage should the gutter outlet become clogged by debris.

BS5879:2020, the guide to the design of balconies and terraces, requires that all balcony drainage solutions have an overflow provision that is equal to or greater than the capacity of the main outlet. In our Balcony Drainage System gutters we recommend and supply a 63mm outlet. Previously, we left the design of a suitable overflow to the balcony designer to resolve as it proved complex to offer a standard solution that worked in all cases. This never sat right with us, though, so we decided to develop a compliant solution to offer as our manufacturer recommendation; the new AliDeck Elevated Overflow.

Our product design team looked closely at the applicable standards and regulations and, bearing in mind the design of our Drainage Gutter, quickly identified a simple additional attachment for our standard 63mm outlet that would solve the problem. With the new product designed in SolidWorks, we were able to quickly prototype the part using our 3D printer. A couple of iterations later, we had a perfect new product that meets the demands of both BS8579 and the major building control organisations.

Customers remain free, of course, to design their own overflow provisions on the condition they are equally compliant to the regulations. Our estimating team is more than happy to offer support and advice on achieving this but we would always recommend that any non-standard overflow design is verified as compliant by building control at the earliest opportunity.

If you would like to discuss this new product with us in more detail, please feel free to contact us on 01622 235 672 or email us at info@alideck.co.uk.