Downspouts are an essential part of any house. When gutters fill with rain, downspouts carry the water to the ground and away from the house's foundation. If your house had no gutters or downspouts, then the rain that hits the roof would roll down the shingles and onto the ground, which could ultimately damage the foundation of your house. When installing downspouts, you need several different parts to do the job efficiently. Does this Spark an idea?
Downspouts
The downspout is a four-sided pipe open at each end. One open end slides onto the elbow at the gutter on the roof. The length of the downspout runs down the side of your home and the other end attaches toward the bottom. At this end, you can attach another elbow.
Conductor Pipe Band or Clincher
The conductor pipe bands, or clinchers, hold the gutters and elbows in place. They attach directly onto the house siding to keep everything secure. You can buy them in a variety of styles to match the exterior design of your home.
Elbows
The elbow is a bent piece of pipe with a curve rather than a sharp angle. One end fits into the drainage hole on the gutter and the other end connects to the downspout. An elbow also goes at the bottom end of the downspout to direct water away from the foundation of the house.
Diverters
A downspout diverter is a Y-shaped piece that diverts the water into two different directions. During the summer you can divert the water into a rain barrel or out into the garden. A lever on the front of the downspout diverter moves the divider plate, changing where you want the water to flow. This eliminates the need to disconnect and reconnect the downspout to make the water flow in the desired direction.
Gutters
Gutters have three sides; when fastened along the edge of the roof, the open side faces upward to catch the water that runs down the roof. The drainage hole is usually at one end of the gutter, which allows the water to flow out, into the elbow and down the downspout. When purchasing the gutter, check the shape of the drainage hole, so when you purchase the elbows and downspout they will be the same shape.
End Cap and Connector
The end cap goes on each end of the gutter and stops the flow of water. You may need to take out one or more end caps if connecting several lengths of gutters together. If so, use connector pieces to join gutters together.
Ball Strainer
The ball strainer is a metal wire piece whose bottom fits into the gutter's drainage hole and whose top sticks above the hole. The ball strainer catches leaves and sticks before they go down the downspout. Without this, debris can eventually plug the downspout.
Splash Block
Place a splash block under the downspout to distribute the water at a slower pace. When water comes down the spout, it can emerge rather quickly. Without the splash block, the water can wash a large hole next to your house's foundation.
Tags: drainage hole, water flow, your house, away from, ball strainer, down downspout, downspout diverter