Downspout making huge noise

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Hi,

I live in a two-story townhouse. There is a downspout pipe on the roof of the 1st floor(connecting gutters on the 2nd floor roof to 1st floor roof). On days when it rains or snow melts, large droplets of water that have pooled at the end of the second floor roof eaves fall onto this pipe, creating a very loud noise. When we first moved in, it was enough to startle us awake at night. As soon as it rains, the sound continues for hours.

What could be a solution to this? I'm currently considering borrowing a ladder and placing a sponge wrapped with a thick towel on that pipe and pressing it down with a heavy brick, but is there a better way?

https://youtube.com/shorts/nZCTUqLnsjM?si=GDMpxpNC53y2yN4Y

Featured Answer

ci_lantro

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Can't the water just run across the roof to the 1st floor gutter?

I wouldn't do that. No, I wouldn't want all the rainshed from the 2nd story gutter getting dumped on that bit of roof. Not with windows, a vertical wall and a sidewall in such close proximity to the downspout.

Perhaps replacing that small run of metal downspout across the roof with PVC downspout might reduce the drip noise to a tolerable level but I don't know if PVC will match up with the metal fittings sizewise.

Lots of things you could use to insulate the existing but the trick is to not create an eyesore. Automotive sound deadening material wired in place. Carpet pad scraps wired in place. Bubble wrap. Or foil faced bubble wrap insulation. All ugly.

Best that I can come up with is to make a U-Shaped cover out of foam board insulation. Glue together with caulk or polyurethane glue. Size it for a friction fit and add a bit of caulk, adhesive in a couple of spots. Paint it to approximate the roof color...any acrylic paint, even craft paint. The paint will help to protect the foam board from UV degradation. But that won't be 100%...there will still be some noise. And will have to be replaced after a year or two.

^^^Most of the above materials are potentially no cost/ scavengable. Construction site scrap piles, bounced off the truck along the roadside, set out on the curb on trash pickup days....

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Comments (14)

A Mat
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I think you are treating a symptom, not the problem.

Eliminate the cause: drips. If you want to treat the symptom cover with a wood cover with weather protection, ie. roofing material. Do you have tools, DIY skills? A sponge and a towel may cause unforeseen problems.

To eliminate the drips, you may have to install gutters.
Y J
Original Author
2 years ago
A Mat, thank you for your comment. It’s a good point. However, I can only treat the symptom as the water droplets are falling from the neighbor’s roof. Please check the pic I added..

I’ll learn more about roofing material.
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A Mat
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Have you considered paying for gutters on the neighbor’s roof? Gutters are not expensive.

Placing a towel and a sponge to dampen sound/noise is very naive.
Y J
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
A Mat, haha I am living on a very tight budget since after I bought this house. I don’t know how much it will cost to install gutters, but the good news is there won't be a sponge and towel either for a while because I don’t even have the money to get a ladder to get up on the roof.
A Mat
2 years ago
A handyman may be come a great asset.
Susie .
2 years ago
I also think gutters are the answer. Do you have a homeowners association that can help with the issue? Our HOA covers gutters (I live in a townhouse also).
Sigrid
2 years ago
You could try insulated Roman shades. It should cut down on the noise. While it might reduce light on rainy days, at night it should be quite effective.
dennisgli
2 years ago
Why not just remove that brown horizontal piece of downspout running over the lower roof?
Y J thanked dennisgli
John 9a
2 years ago
If the brown downspout belongs to you, get some fiber roofing patch goop and paint it on the area the water is hitting the metal. This, or some other paintable/spreadable material that is thick enough to reduce the tinny sound and resonance of the thin metal. Even an application of a silicone caulk (perhaps clear to keep it from looking tacky), applied thick and spread with a spatula may help.
Y J thanked John 9a
Y J
Original Author
2 years ago
Hi dennisgli, the horizontal pipe is a passage connecting the 2nd floor gutter and the 1st floor gutter so it cannot be removed.
Y J
Original Author
2 years ago
John 9a, that's really good advice. Thanks! I have caulk so I'll try it first and if it doesn't work, I'll also try the roof goop.
John 9a
2 years ago
Another option might inclde bending sheet metal to make an A-frame-like roof over the gutter so dripping water will strike a slanted surface instead of a flat surface.
dennisgli
2 years ago
- Hi dennisgli, the horizontal pipe is a passage connecting the 2nd floor gutter and the 1st floor gutter so it cannot be removed.
Can't the water just run across the roof to the 1st floor gutter? That's the way mine works.