Rain gutter – dripping sound

[PGJPJ]

We have a two story house, with the bedrooms up stairs. Right outside the master bedroom we have kind of an elbow to the rain gutter drain. So from the gutter, the drain pipe comes down about 8 inches, elbows under the roof overhang at maybe almost 90 degrees, then elbows again straight down.

The problem is that it makes a really loud dripping sound whenever it rains. You can hear it both upstairs at that corner, and downstairs.

Anyway, my wife is about to go crazy over this dripping sound keeping her up at night. Is there anything that can be done before I have to have my wife committed?

Thanks!
Paul

[Pete]

I wouldn't try plugging it or putting a sponge in it, but you might try putting a couple inches of string down it, tied off on the top end. The water should flow down the string and that might eliminate the dripping noise. Cheap solution if it works. Worth a try, I'd say.

[BCF]

I remember seeing chain downspouts in No.Calif. The water tracks along the chain into the drain hole.

BCF

[Pete]

Chains, instead of pipes are cool, but it doesn't work with galvanized or heavy downpours. Rusty iron chain works best.

[Fshklr]

Originally Posted by PGJPJ

We have a two story house, with the bedrooms up stairs. Right outside the master bedroom we have kind of an elbow to the rain gutter drain. So from the gutter, the drain pipe comes down about 8 inches, elbows under the roof overhang at maybe almost 90 degrees, then elbows again straight down.

The problem is that it makes a really loud dripping sound whenever it rains. You can hear it both upstairs at that corner, and downstairs.

Anyway, my wife is about to go crazy over this dripping sound keeping her up at night. Is there anything that can be done before I have to have my wife committed?

Thanks!
Paul

If it's dripping usually it's not draining. This could be from material slowing down the flow, down spout obstruction or debris blocking flow at the elbows, gutter is installed wrong or reverse slope, old gutters with rust, repairs with caulk, tar, putty.
Clean your gutters would be my first thought, and check the pipe for blockage.

Another option is to remove the down spout and plug with a piece of sheet metal and screws/pop rivets, if there is another location to re install it.

[MacFish]

I hope you can find a solution, I've had a similar, although not so severe, problem and haven't found a solution. I've tried changing the angles, putting a sponge in the bottom, running a chain down the pipe etc. My biggest mistake was not having the spout moved to the other end when I replaced my gutters.

[riverhawk]

I have the same problem on my shop move the bottom of the down spout away from the wall an inch or so some the water will hit down spout and not the bottom of the tube

[RvW]

Is there anything that can be done before I have to have my wife committed?

Try thorazine, phenobarbital or a labotomy?



Seriously though, Im with Fhsklr on this one...Ive investigated the source a few times and simply found the gutter to be full of leaves and crud at the downspout. Water is suspended over the lower elbow and drips through the pipe without touching the walls of the vertical pipe. Especially gutters with screens over the hole. Shop vac makes quick work of it. If its not far from the window, tape a broom handle to the vac hose leaving about 12 inches of hose past the end of the handle...then tape a piece of stiff wire to the end of the hose and curl it to reach into the gutter from below.

[PGJPJ]

Thanks for the suggestions!!!

I haven’t cleaned the top gutter since we moved here a year ago. I’ll try that first. If anything else, at least I can get a better look at what the problem is.

[HntnFsh]

Originally Posted by riverhawk

I have the same problem on my shop move the bottom of the down spout away from the wall an inch or so some the water will hit down spout and not the bottom of the tube

I agree with this tip.I had exactly the same problem with the downspout on my house.I moved the bottom out an inch or so and solved the problem.

[BleuBackKoke]

In a previous house, we had a noisy downspout next to our bedroom. I picked up some cheap chain at Fred Meyer and hung it down the spout all the way to the ground. Seemed to work just fine for the 8 years we lived there. We didn't have many trees around the house and the gutters and spouts were clear.

[7pointbull]

Plastic chain works real well instead of metal.

[Cool Texan]

We have this issue outside of our daughters window. May have to try the plastic chain trick.

[BleuBackKoke]

Yup, now that I think about it more, it was plastic coated white chain that I used.

[MrOlearhy]

Thanks all. We've had this very problem in our house since we moved in and haven't found anything to fix it. I'm gonna try the chain real soon.