Downspout Repair & Installation

Before you book

Why rain gutter downspouts matter as much as the gutters

A gutter is only as good as the downspout that empties it. Most overflow problems on clean gutters come from downspouts: too few of them for the roof area, outlets too small, or a blockage in the elbow where the downspout turns at the top or bottom. One 2x3-inch downspout draining a long run on a large roof will overflow in a heavy storm, however clean the gutter is.

Where the water goes after the downspout is just as important. A downspout that dumps water against the foundation soaks the soil, adds pressure to basement walls and, on clay soils, contributes to foundation movement. Extensions that carry water four to six feet or more from the house, splash blocks that spread it, or buried drain lines that carry it to the street or a dry well all solve the problem in different ways.

Underground drain lines are convenient but can clog with leaves, seeds and silt, and older clay or corrugated lines collapse or fill with roots. If a downspout overflows at the bottom while the gutter above is clear, the problem is underground. A camera inspection shows where.

When replacing downspouts, ask about size and fastening. Upgrading from 2x3-inch to 3x4-inch downspouts nearly doubles capacity, and straps fastened into solid wood or masonry every few feet keep downspouts on the house in high winds.

Adding a downspout to an existing gutter

If a gutter overflows in heavy rain even when it is clean and properly pitched, one of the simplest fixes is another downspout. A long run with a single outlet at one end makes all the water travel the full length; an extra outlet in the middle, or at the far end, halves the distance and the load. The contractor cuts a new outlet hole in the bottom of the gutter, fits an outlet tube, and runs the new downspout to the ground, then adjusts the slope if needed so both outlets drain.

Where the new downspout can go is often the deciding factor. It needs a wall to fasten to, a clear path past windows and doors, and somewhere at the bottom for the water to drain away from the house.

Downspouts that discharge across a walkway or driveway

A downspout that empties across a path creates a slippery surface and, in winter, a sheet of ice. Common fixes include rerouting the downspout to the other side of the path, adding a hinged or flip-up extension that can be lifted when the path is in use, running the water under the path in a pipe or a channel drain, or moving the outlet to a different corner of the gutter. The right choice depends on the slope of the ground and how far the water must travel.

Leaking and frozen downspouts

A downspout that drips at its joints is often assembled upside down. Each upper section should slide inside the one below it, so water flows past the seam rather than out of it; a section fitted the other way round leaks at every joint. Loose straps, dents from mowers and ladders, and seams split by ice are the other common causes.

Downspouts freeze when water trickles into them on a cold night and builds into a plug. Once frozen, the gutter above backs up and can form icicles or ice dams. Larger downspouts, a straight drop without long horizontal runs, and making sure the bottom outlet is clear of snow all help. In very cold areas, heat cable run inside the downspout keeps a channel open.

Fastening downspouts to brick, stone and siding

How a downspout is attached depends on the wall. On wood or fiber-cement siding, straps are screwed into the sheathing behind it. On vinyl siding, the screws should pass through the siding into solid backing without pinning the vinyl so tightly that it buckles as it expands. On brick and stone, straps are anchored into the mortar joints with masonry anchors. A downspout that has worked loose and swings in the wind will eventually pull away from the gutter outlet at the top.

Who handles underground drainage?

Above-ground downspout work is gutter work. Buried drain lines, pop-up emitters, dry wells and connections to a French drain sit between gutter work and landscaping, and some gutter contractors do them while others refer them out. If your downspouts feed an underground system, ask the contractor whether they will camera or flush the line and repair it, or whether you need a drainage specialist for that part.

Down spouts, rain spouts and leaders: one part, many names

Downspouts go by several names: down spouts, rain spouts, gutter spouts, leaders and drain pipes. Whatever the name, the job is the same: carry water from the gutter outlet down the wall and away from the house. Contractors in our network repair, replace and add them on every kind of house.

Attaching a downspout to a gutter starts with the outlet, a short collar riveted and sealed into a hole cut in the gutter bottom. Elbows and straight pipe are then fitted from the top down, each piece sliding inside the one below. Cutting gutter downspouts to length is done with snips or a hacksaw, and the cut ends are crimped so they slip into the next fitting.

Downspout replacement

Downspout replacement makes sense when a pipe is crushed, split, rusted through or simply too small. Replacing a downspout is usually a short job: the old pipe and straps come off, a new outlet may be fitted, and new pipe goes on in the same or a larger size. Gutter and downspout replacement together is common when the whole system is worn out. Painted downspouts that have faded can be repainted instead if the metal is sound.

Downspout fittings and attachments

Common downspout fittings include A and B elbows, offset pairs, Y fittings that join two downspouts into one, outlet drops, straps and brackets, and adapters to round pipe. At the bottom, attachments include splash blocks, extensions, flip-up hinges, rain barrel diverters and connectors for buried drain pipe. Decorative ends such as a cow tongue downspout or a gargoyle spout are used on period and custom homes.

Downspouts across sidewalks, driveways and patios

A downspout that drains across a sidewalk or onto a driveway creates ice in winter and stains in summer. Options include moving the downspout to another corner, running the water under the path through a pipe or a channel drain, using a low-profile driveway or sidewalk drain cover, or connecting to a buried drain line. Concrete splash channels and paver gutters can guide water across patios to a safe spot.

Scuppers, chain drains and downspout alternatives

Flat and low-slope roofs often drain through a scupper, an opening in the parapet wall, into a collector box and downspout. On houses that do not want a closed pipe, a rain chain or chain drain guides water down in the open. Other downspout alternatives include rain dispersal systems and simple drip edges over gravel beds. Each carries less water than a closed downspout, so they suit smaller roof areas.

Yard drainage and where the water goes

Backyard gutter drainage problems often show up as soggy lawn at the base of a downspout. Fixes range from a longer extension or a rock-lined dry creek bed to a buried perforated pipe that spreads the water into the soil away from the house. Digging downspout drainage lines needs a steady slope and a safe outlet. The underground drainage guide explains the options in detail.

Gutter downspout components and pieces

Gutter downspout components are simple: an outlet in the gutter, elbows, straight pipe, straps and an end piece or extension. Gutter downspout pieces come in 2x3, 3x4 and larger sizes, and 6 inch gutters and downspouts are usually paired with 3x4 or 4x5 pipe so the larger gutter does not overwhelm the outlet. A 6 gutter downspout means one sized for a 6-inch gutter. Down spout tubing in flexible plastic is sometimes used for short runs at the bottom.

Installing downspouts on gutters takes care at the outlet, which has to be sealed and placed at the low point of the run. A downspout cutter or tin snips trims each piece. Downspout installers in our network fit new downspouts on existing gutters as well as on new systems.

Broken downspouts and downspout catches

A broken downspout is usually crushed at the bottom elbow, pulled off by a ladder, or split by ice. Broken gutter downspout repair means replacing the damaged piece and its straps, and checking that the outlet above is still sealed. A down spout catcher or downspout catch is a debris trap fitted in the pipe; it needs emptying after storms or it becomes the clog.

Downspouts to the curb and in cold climates

Where local rules allow it, a downspout drain to the curb carries water through a buried pipe to an outlet in the street gutter. A curb outlet needs a steady fall all the way and a grate or flap at the end. Downspout drainage in cold climates needs larger pipes and a route that does not freeze shut; heat cables for gutters and downspouts can keep the vertical pipe open in hard winters.