John Johnston was born in Scotland in 1791, and immigrated to the USA in 1821. A year later, he bought many acres of farmland and built a house in Seneca County. He found that the excessive water from the underground springs damaged crops throughout the growing season.
Johnston was familiar with tile drainage in Scotland, so he went to the local crockery makers in Waterloo, NY in 1838 and ordered 3,000 tiles which he laid in his 320 acres of farmland. Sure enough, the tiles increased the yield in heavy, wet soil and his farm flourished. The crockery mak continued to make clay drain tiles and by 1871 Waterloo, NY was home to ten tile drainage factories!
Today, many people have underground drainage systems to keep water away from their homes foundation. The downspouts which carry water from your gutters, are often connected to these drains using “tile” adaptors. The name originates from the old terracotta crockery materials used back in the day to make these drainage systems. You need the adaptor because many times the downspouts are a different size and shape than the drain openings. Some drains are more difficult to connect than others. It’s important that they’re properly connected, however! Your drainage system is an integral part of your home’s protection! The gutters will safely collect water from the roof and channel it to the downspouts, but if the downspouts just release the water to a spot where it can seep into the ground and damage your foundation or your landscaping, it’s going to end up being a costly problem! That’s why if you have underground drainage, the gutters will safely channel that run-off water to the drain and it will be properly directed to a safe place.
At Prestigious Raingutters, we can be sure that your gutters are functioning and your downspouts are properly connected to your underground drainage for maximum protection of your home and landscaping! Give us a call for a free estimate in Los Angeles & Ventura counties. 1-800-993-1193
