How To Quiet A Gutter Downspout

[not2old]

I've never tried anything like Moss's suggestion but worked on this problem numerous times while servicing townhouses. The easiest solution I found was to install the pipe at an angle so that the water runs from the top, down the pipe rather than dripping from the top to the bottom. One person didn't like the pipe being "crooked" and this one was relocated. Most people didn't mind the noise of running water, it was the ones where a drip from the top to the bottom that might last for hours after a rainfall that bothered them.

 

[woody]

easy to try

 

[Torvy]

You may be able to just use the silicone without a sponge. Nice thick coat of silicone may provide the damper and will wear longer anyway.

 

[MossRoad]

Well look at that Google and Mossroad coming thru in the clutch! I wonder why my gutter guy didn't mention these when I asked him about my noisy gutter?

His cost more!

Anyhow, I just think it's humorous that any time someone mentions anything, and you google it, there's a product for the solution. (don't know if they work or not)...

 

[MossRoad]

Our gutters and downspouts, including the screws are all made of aluminum and using string or soaker hose will not cause corrosion.

I know, aluminum is probably no so common for this application, but they should last a lifetime and then some...

Aluminum chain may be little hard to find?

Amazon.com : aluminum chain

 

[MossRoad]

@2manyrocks I think that is exactly what is happeing. The drop is falling from the top to he bottom and striking the elbow. It happens well after the rain has stopped. I never thought about the downspout acting as a resonance chamber, but that makes total sense. ,,,

Yep. Ours do the same thing sometimes. It's amazingly loud for one drop at a time. When ours was doing it, I went up on top and found leaves in the gutter blocking the downspout, which made a pool of water that took forever to soak through the leaves, hence the drip, drip, drip.... I removed the leaves and the gutters drain completely, no more drip drip for more than a few minutes after a rain.

So if you haven't already, check for debris and proper slope of the gutters so they drain fast.

 

[ruffdog]

Just shoving a piece of scotch-bright type pad in the bottom of the elbow would be a good test.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Yep. Ours do the same thing sometimes. It's amazingly loud for one drop at a time. When ours was doing it, I went up on top and found leaves in the gutter blocking the downspout, which made a pool of water that took forever to soak through the leaves, hence the drip, drip, drip.... I removed the leaves and the gutters drain completely, no more drip drip for more than a few minutes after a rain.

So if you haven't already, check for debris and proper slope of the gutters so they drain fast.

Just cleaned them and put gutter guards on before the leaves fell.

 

[MossRoad]

Just cleaned them and put gutter guards on before the leaves fell.

Grrrrr!

 

[rontaki]

Consider stuffing a small wad of stainless scrubber pad into the elbow.

 

[BackRoad]

Try canting the gutter so the drip is hitting the side of the gutter, rather than the elbow at the bottom...

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Try canting the gutter so the drip is hitting the side of the gutter, rather than the elbow at the bottom...

I don't think I want an un-plumb downspout, I am kind of weird about stuff like that. Seem like you would have to cant it significantly to make it hit the side. How would you know where it is dripping from and which way to cant it? I think placing something in the elbow that deadens the sounds is the best move.

 

[Ehanson]

Help me out fellas. I have a downspout on the corner of my house that is 3 feet from my head when I am sleeping and it is noisy. The way the water drips down it must impact the bottom elbow just so and it makes a racket. I was thinking about using some of that cheap filter medium for an HVAC system or a scotchbrite pad glued to the inside of the elbow to see if that makes it more quiet. Any other ideas?

I have seen somewhere in the past evestrough draining down a chain, so I wonder if you hung a plastic chain inside a downspout, if the water would follow it down without splish splashing so much??

 

[civilian]

I think the hanging chain, rope etc would work the best. It is a path for the water to follow down the drain pipe. I have the same problem as the OP but the gutters are on the second story roof. Not going up that high to drop a chain in. So now I get an indication of it raining at night. Jon

 

[MossRoad]

I wonder if you put a chain or rope in a downspout if it would make for a great chipmunk/mouse highway?

 

[Ehanson]

Good point! I would then leave it a foot or so short??

 

[MossRoad]

Good point! I would then leave it a foot or so short??

I was being facetious, but when I was a kid, my parents' house had chipmunks running up and down the downspouts all the time. And you'd hear acorns dropping down the spouts as well.

 

[2manyrocks]

Downspout elbows cost a whopping $5-6.00 plus the cost of some gutter sealant tape to use as a dampener. They also make some plastic bellowed elbows that can be bent to various angles that are like $4.00.

 

[MossRoad]

You could always add gargoyles...

 

[ponytug]

You could always add gargoyles...

View attachment 4483998

That's cute! Where did you find that?

All the best, Peter