Proper Drainage For A Gutter Downspout

10 gutter and downspout runoff tips.

Proper drainage for a gutter downspout.

All gutters need to be firmly attached to the center of the downspout aligned under the lip of the roof. I can t tell you how many houses i see where the downspouts empty onto a splash block at the base of the foundation. Screws are the best option for connecting gutters because they won t back out over time. The size of the downspout should be constant through out its length.

The gutter outlet capacity should suit the downspout capacity. A proper roof runoff system diverts the flow of water away from paved areas and toward storm drain systems and most importantly away from your home. To do this i cut the black corrugated pipe added a t and aimed the pipe upwards to the downspout. Slope long gutter runs 40 feet or more down both directions from the middle and put a downspout on each end.

Make another adapter and reducer assembly for the second downspout. Downspouts on gutters that drain large roof areas or if you live in an area with torrential rains. Since my in ground pipe ran right past the garage i had the garage downspout dump in as well. Gutters and downspouts are not expensive and they play a vital role in the roof doing its job.

Click here to get free fast bids from local landscapers who can install downspout drain lines. Be sure the curved elbow of the t fitting faces downstream then glue the drainage pipe from the first downspout to the sanitary t fitting. This time glue a sanitary t fitting to the pipe end and the other end of its trench. Buy special roof hanger mounting straps for houses without fascia boards or for fascias that aren t vertical.

Attach elbow to bottom end of downspout and connect a downspout extension to carry rainwater away from the foundation. Downspouts should be constructed with conductor heads every 40 ft 12 2 m to admit air and prevent vacuum. There are many things you can do to improve the effectiveness of your gutters. For the garage i used a downspout adapter without a leaf guard since there aren t trees close enough for that gutter to get clogged up.

For any house it s important to remove the water that runs off the roof as quickly as possible. Clean gutters regularly to keep rainwater flowing freely. Without proper drainage erosion would ultimately damage that landscaping. Stormwater drainage from roofs is a topic sometimes ignored by builders and homeowners alike.

Gutters can be made up of sections that are usually 10 12 feet long or they can be installed as one continuous piece up to 37 feet long. Begin second downspout photo by smith baer.