“Tap… tap… tap….” The seemingly endless sound of water tapping against your downspout can be extremely difficult to live with, particularly if it’s preventing you from sleeping or being able to concentrate while working. Roofers will frequently get calls about this problem, particularly if they’ve just fixed or installed new gutters and downspouts in a home. However, if you’re currently dealing with this issue, rest assured there are several easy ways to fix it.
Why Does My Downspout Drip?
Dripping most commonly occurs in newly-installed downspout and gutter systems during their first rainy season. What usually happens is a slight clog in the actual rain gutter itself causes water to backup and flow into the downspout at a very limited rate. When that rate is slow, such as a drop every few seconds, you get a dripping tendency. Furthermore, when that drop does travel down the metal in the downpipe but instead free-falls all the way to the bottom where it collides with the edge of the downspout, you get the loud and patience-testing dripping noise.
While this can occur in almost every type of downspout, rectangular downspout materials (one of the most common types) are the most susceptible to this issue. Likewise, downspouts that curve at the bottom are far more likely to produce this sound.
How to Fix a Dripping Downspout
If you’re even slightly handy and have just a couple of tools available to you, you can fix a dripping downpipe in just a few minutes. The pipe is likely held to the side of your house using a couple of thin metal straps held down by screws to keep it in place. Usually there are only two straps, one up towards where the downpipe meets the gutters and one down low holding it to the wall. Simply remove the screws holding the bottom strap and push the pipe to either side by roughly half an inch. Then re-attach the strap (you may even be able to use the same screw holes as before). That’s it.
By moving the pipe slightly, you’re eliminating the un-hindered free-fall path a drop of water has to the bottom of your downspout. Instead, you’re causing the drop to gradually make contact with the side of the pipe, slowing it down as it reaches the bottom of the pipe, and preventing it from making a loud, thumping “tap” noise. Likewise, the half-inch movement is likely going to be unnoticeable by anyone who sees the pipe because it’s such a small distance.
How We Can Help
If you are having issues with your gutters, including clogging, jamming, or leaking, a Colorado Springs roofer may be able to help. Divine Roofing, Inc. has helped clients all around the Colorado Springs area get the solution they need to all of their roofing problems since first opening our doors back in 2012. We take pride caring for each customer’s property as though it were our own home or business. No matter how big or how small your job is, you can trust our highly-trained technicians to provide you with top-quality materials and cutting-edge construction and installation techniques.
Let us help you solve your rain gutter issues! Call Divine Roofing, Inc. today at (719) 497-1005.