gutters too loud - any suggestions?
#1
02-14-07, 06:48 AM
gutters too loud - any suggestions?
Just moved into our new house. Right outside my bedroom window is a downspout. Last night, following a light rain, it continued dripping for over an hour. And it was so loud hat I could not sleep. Think Chinese water torture!
Some details: the house a large soffit so there is an elbow near the top of the downspout that angles it towards the house. The gutters are metal.
My first guess is that the fall of the gutter (or the angle) towards the downsput is not great enough, causing the water to pool in the gutter and slowly drip down into the downspout.
Any insight or suggestions are appreciated.
Some details: the house a large soffit so there is an elbow near the top of the downspout that angles it towards the house. The gutters are metal.
My first guess is that the fall of the gutter (or the angle) towards the downsput is not great enough, causing the water to pool in the gutter and slowly drip down into the downspout.
Any insight or suggestions are appreciated.
#4
02-21-07, 05:50 PM
Our house did the same thing... and also at a downspout that elbows under between the two floors. Every rain... doink!... doink!... doink! It drove my sister nuts, who's bedroom was next to the downspout.
The next time it rains, I strongly recommend you go outside and diagnose where the drops are falling that make this noise. It's worth getting wet for. In my case it was dripping from the elbow onto the curve at the very bottom. A brick on top of the curve stopped the hammering.
The next time it rains, I strongly recommend you go outside and diagnose where the drops are falling that make this noise. It's worth getting wet for. In my case it was dripping from the elbow onto the curve at the very bottom. A brick on top of the curve stopped the hammering.
#5
02-22-07, 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Kestas
Our house did the same thing... and also at a downspout that elbows under between the two floors. Every rain... doink!... doink!... doink! It drove my sister nuts, who's bedroom was next to the downspout.
The next time it rains, I strongly recommend you go outside and diagnose where the drops are falling that make this noise. It's worth getting wet for. In my case it was dripping from the elbow onto the curve at the very bottom. A brick on top of the curve stopped the hammering.
The next time it rains, I strongly recommend you go outside and diagnose where the drops are falling that make this noise. It's worth getting wet for. In my case it was dripping from the elbow onto the curve at the very bottom. A brick on top of the curve stopped the hammering.
Good luck.
#6
02-22-07, 06:38 PM
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#7
02-23-07, 02:04 PM
I used to love rainy nights!
I think whoever installed the gutters was lazy. First they did not drop all the way down to the ground - they stopped about a foot short, so the elbow was hanging in air.
At 3 AM I stuck a piece of 2x4 in the elbow, and that solved the problem so I could at least sleep through the night.
What I am going to do is remove the elbow and attach some plastic corrugated pipe. This will also help carry the water further from my foundation.
Thanks for all the help!
I think whoever installed the gutters was lazy. First they did not drop all the way down to the ground - they stopped about a foot short, so the elbow was hanging in air.
At 3 AM I stuck a piece of 2x4 in the elbow, and that solved the problem so I could at least sleep through the night.
What I am going to do is remove the elbow and attach some plastic corrugated pipe. This will also help carry the water further from my foundation.
Thanks for all the help!
#8
02-24-07, 10:42 AM
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For the most part, slowly running water runs down the sides of the downspout. However when the water slows to a drip, it will drip off the inside pieces where one piece laps inside another... especially when the downspout isn't plumb. This trick might help eliminate some noise from dripping: Running several strands of an absorbant type of rope (not the cheap yellow plastic rope) down the downspout usually gives the water a "path" to follow as it wicks downward. The rope can be tied off to a gutter spike and fished down the downspout with a fish tape.
