![]() ![]() The way I see it, though, if you’re going to all the trouble to add a downspout, spend the extra few bucks and go big. With a small roof and a short run of gutter, you can probably get away with the smaller downspout. A basic rivet tool will work fine to make secure connections.Īs I mentioned, downspouts are commonly available in two sizes: 2”x3” and 3”x4”. And to help you make a fashion statement when you add a downspout, they’re usually available in colors to match your big parts. Rivets and screws are usually found in the same general area as the downspouts. I have a fancy-schmancy Milwaukee M12 rivet tool, but a manual one works just fine, and you can pick one up fairly cheaply at the home center it’s a handy tool to have around. ![]() If you have a rivet tool, that’s the ideal way to make your connections. Next, make sure you have what you need to get everything connected. Normally you’ll use two for each 10’ section. You’ll also need mounting brackets when you add a downspout, to secure it to the house. Most of what you need to add a downspout… You’ll be cutting a hole in the gutter and dropping the outlet in, so you’ll also want some seam sealer to go around the flange to help seal the connection. Get a downspout outlet to match the size downspout you’ll be installing, either 2”x3” or 3”x4”. You’ll need another adapter to connect the downspout to the gutter. Adapters are available for downspouts that drain into underground pipes. In that case, you can buy an adapter that fits perfectly on 4” plastic pipe, and has a slot perfectly sized for whichever size downspout you’re using. Got an overhang? Get some elbows.Īnother elbow may be required at the bottom of the downspout, to direct the water away from the house, unless the downspout will fit into a receptor connected to underground drain pipes. Too mundane? There are a LOT of colors available by special order. Most home centers stock downspouts and other gutter components in white and brown. Make sure you’ll have enough downspout to cut a piece to span the gap between the fascia and the siding, if needed. Keep in mind that if you have a deep roof overhang, you’ll need two elbows at the top, to reposition the downspout against the siding. They’re normally sold in 10’ lengths make sure you have enough sections to reach the ground. When you’re compiling your shopping list, the number one item is, of course, the downspout. Since preventing damage is preferable to fixing it, let’s take a look at the parts and tools you’ll want to round up to add a downspout, and get to work! Your “Add A Downspout” Shopping Guide In this case, it was caused when water overflowed one of our gutters over a period of a few years, resulting in a badly rotted window sill. In a recent post, we took a look at how to fix some of the damage that can be caused when water gets in where it shouldn’t. Those puny downspouts don’t stand a chance. To make matters even worse, two downspouts from the large upper roof also drain onto the lower roof. The 32’ gutter has a downspout at each end, but at only 2”x3” each they’re not nearly up to the task of handling all the water coming off the large roof area, as evidenced by the above video. In our case, the gutter spans the entire rear of the house. The process used to add a downspout is similar, whether you’re putting up a whole new gutter or just supplementing what’s already there. After a recent episode of sogginess, I decided it was time to add a downspout, to try and divert some of that agua somewhere it would be less harmful and more useful – Texas, perhaps? This results in much of the water spilling over the edge of the gutters, and ending up right by the foundation, usually followed by a minor lake in the basement. Our home is at an elevation where we’re safe from floods (brief pause to knock on head), but frequently the rainfall is so heavy that all the gutters do is slow the water down. Actually, with abundant rainfall and rivers up the wazoo, we tend toward the opposite end of the moisture spectrum: flooding. Unlike California and much of the southwestern United States, here in western Pennsylvania we have no issues with drought. ![]()
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