Applications of gutter systems

In private residential settings, drainage channels are used wherever courtyards and building areas need to be drained. Typical applications include garage driveways, courtyards, patios, and garden paths. Easy-to-handle, self-install drainage channel systems, specifically designed for smaller areas, are often used here. Their advantage lies in their ease of handling and assembly. Even a non-professional can install these channels correctly in just a few steps. With the increasing trend of unsealing surfaces on properties, drainage channels in residential areas are frequently combined with swales or infiltration trenches to allow water to seep into the ground on the property (e.g., by connecting to a soakaway in the garden). Some municipalities incentivize such measures by reducing stormwater fees.

Channel drainage systems are suitable for draining footpaths and cycle paths, squares, pedestrian zones, as well as for the longitudinal and transverse drainage of streets and parking lots. Appropriate channel types are available for all conceivable load situations – from lightweight channels for footpaths to heavy-duty channels for bus and truck traffic. Linear drainage systems also offer design advantages: architects can choose from a variety of cover designs (grating, slotted covers, etc.) to create visually appealing plazas or prominent areas. In "sponge city" urban planning concepts, linear drainage systems are also used to direct rainwater in a controlled manner to green spaces, where it can infiltrate the ground or be absorbed by urban trees.

Wherever surfaces are regularly subjected to very high axle loads, drainage channels offer an efficient drainage solution. In storage and transshipment areas with forklift and truck traffic, at ports, or even on airfield aprons, special heavy-duty drainage channels (load class up to F 900) are used. These channels are structurally reinforced (e.g., high-strength concrete, cast iron frames) and often permanently connected to the substructure to optimally transfer extreme loads into the foundation. The drainage of hazardous substances is also gaining importance in these areas: At gas stations or industrial sites with oil and chemical requirements, drainage channels are increasingly used in combination with light liquid separators and rainwater treatment plants to clean the runoff water before it enters the sewer system or the ground.

Customized drainage systems exist for specific applications. In building construction and interior design (e.g., parking decks in multi-story car parks, shopping arcades, workshops), shallow channels with low installation heights (approximately 3–10 cm) are used, enabling linear drainage even with low installation heights. In outdoor sports facilities (stadiums, running tracks), channels with special cross-sections are common, such as plastic channels with lateral slotted openings that quickly absorb large amounts of water while also providing slip resistance. In food processing areas (dairies, breweries, etc.), stainless steel channels are frequently used because they are hygienic, chemically resistant, and corrosion-free. Another special case involves areas where water-polluting substances are handled—e.g., gas stations, chemical plants, farms with silage/leachate, or areas with heavily contaminated wastewater. Here, increased requirements apply to surface drainage: drainage systems in such cases must be liquid-tight. This means that the individual channel elements have special tongue-and-groove systems that are sealed with permanently elastic sealant, or they are additionally coated/lined (for example, with welded plastic liners) so that no contaminated water can penetrate the ground. In areas subject to LAU and WHG regulations (storage and handling of hazardous substances), such channels are often part of a complete system that also includes containment basins and separators.