# Noisy Gutters?



## CrescentGutter (Nov 3, 2009)

I just received an email this morning from a customer complaining of the noise when water rushes through the downspout. This is a first for me. 
This is on a 2 story home with a one story addition sticking off the end. The upper gutters (approximately 50') have 2x3 downspouts and empty into the lower gutter (approximately 20 feet), which have 3x4 on them. This is for 6 inch gutter, in case anyone was wondering. 
She states that the noise is only on one side of the house, not both. These gutters are identical. 
The gutters have been up for about a month with no issues. However, we did have a heck of a rain storm last night and I woke up to the email issue this morning. 
Has anyone run into this? Any solutions? I was thinking maybe a piece of foam leaf blocker at the downspout ends, but I really have no idea what to do.


----------



## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

Your joking right?


----------



## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Turn the tv volume up a little.


----------



## Aframe (Mar 24, 2008)

Offer to seal the downs spouts in spray foam that will muffle the noise,

What about adding a sideways (B) elbow where top pipe dumps into lower gutter. Might take the thud out of it.

Rain/wind direction may be the cause of issue only on one side of house


----------



## packer_rich (Dec 27, 2009)

Tell the homeowner that you can retrofit with the special sound deadening gutter system. they spray all the gutters with greatstuff.


----------



## packer_rich (Dec 27, 2009)

Sorry. that wasn't nice. Maybe the above answer involing the elbow, or even your idea of the foam block should help.


----------



## dontgetinmyway (Apr 23, 2012)

CrescentGutter said:


> I just received an email this morning from a customer complaining of the noise when water rushes through the downspout. This is a first for me.


That is not a reasonable complaint.

Has this customer been a crazy person previously?

I'm pretty sure downpours make noise everywhere.


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

this has happened to me many years ago so don't be so quick to discount it,at that time the only thing i could come up with was gluing in a small piece of sponge:sad:...that was long before i could ask you geniuses what to do


----------



## CrescentGutter (Nov 3, 2009)

Chris Johnson said:


> Your joking right?


I wish I was. Like I said, it's sure a first for me.
The upper downspout does indeed have a B elbow at the bottom. It goes to the edge of the drip edge and dumps into the higher end of the bottom gutter. (That sounds goofy. Hope you all understand what I meant!)


----------



## Carly (Feb 23, 2012)

*down spouts*

I also have an issue with my own down spouts. The water drops for two stories and then hits the 90 degree elbow and make a huge drip noise that is magnafied by the metal. To make things worse, I have two awning windows in the bedroom that are above the bend in the down spout and the windows amplify the noise. So every time it rains I get to hear the magnified sound of water dripping continuously over and over. I have been too lazy to do anything about it yet. I was going to slant the down spout so it isn't plumb and then the water will hit the side and not fall all the way to the bottom, but it looks terrible from the outside. So my next move will be to move the down spout away from the house at the bottom.


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

i was thinking maybe coat the inside of the elbow with underbody or bed liner spray?it may not completely stop it but i bet it would eliminate the tink tink sound of it


----------



## Anti-wingnut (Mar 12, 2009)

Beyond disassembling it and caulking the connections together, I would recommend doing nothing. You've heard that "no good deed goes unpunished", right? That applies here.

Don't start a loop of remedial actions for a undefined problem ( how loud is too loud ) when the assembly is installed and used as per industry standards


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

that kind of thinking and we would have never gotten to the moon:whistling...if we actually really did:001_unsure:


----------



## CrescentGutter (Nov 3, 2009)

Tom Struble said:


> i was thinking maybe coat the inside of the elbow with underbody or bed liner spray?it may not completely stop it but i bet it would eliminate the tink tink sound of it


I've got a can of stuff here that you spray onto tree wounds or where you've sawed off branches. It actually looks like that miracle rubberized stuff that's been heavily advertised on TV.
Still scratching my head over this one. :jester:


----------



## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

http://rainquiet.com/

Google is your friend. Just clicked on it, never used them or even seen them before. Something like this might work. Not sure how it will be for catching debris, but it might stop the noise. You could probably find something in your shop to do the same thing.

I have a leaky gutter that drips on my aluma-plank and makes a racket when it rains. I went out and leaned a piece of plywood over it. I could fix the leak, but that would take effort. :laughing:


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

google never done nuthin for me:no:


----------



## CrescentGutter (Nov 3, 2009)

VinylHanger said:


> http://rainquiet.com/
> 
> Google is your friend. Just clicked on it, never used them or even seen them before. Something like this might work.


You may be onto something. I'm wondering if that black non skid material that you can buy to stick onto steps or metal floor areas would work for something like that? RainQuiet is a little pricey at $10 plus shipping per foot. 
For the price it's probably worth a try to hit the local big box and find some. I've also seen it suggested to adhere a little artificial turf into the elbow.


----------



## trimchiree (Jun 21, 2009)

VinylHanger said:


> http://rainquiet.com/


kinda looks like mesh ridge vent


----------



## CrescentGutter (Nov 3, 2009)

I picked up a can of truck bedliner paint at Lowe's. Someday when there's time (this isn't a high priority for me) I'll get out there and paint the inside of upper and lower elbows on the bottom downspouts with it and hope for the best.


----------



## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

let me see water makes noise when coming down tube thats as thin a coors can, on the outside of house, but water and sh** make no noise when coming down pipe on the interior of house?. line drian pipes under coat spray can from auto parts store, or big red umbrella covering whole house from travlers


----------



## Aframe (Mar 24, 2008)

Crescent, you may want to start with new elbows if the existing are factory colors, better chance of the painit staying on. 
Quicker vist to jobsite too


----------



## CrescentGutter (Nov 3, 2009)

Aframe said:


> Crescent, you may want to start with new elbows if the existing are factory colors, better chance of the painit staying on.
> Quicker vist to jobsite too


My idea was to paint the inside of the elbows, which are just the mill finish. Maybe get a small wire wheel on a drill in there and scuff it up the best I can for adhesion. Will be interesting to see if it sticks to aluminum.
I was hoping that would muffle any sounds of water rushing or rain drops beating in there. 
This is all a big experiment! :thumbsup:


----------



## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

what do you mean it was your idea?:tooth:


----------



## Aframe (Mar 24, 2008)

CrescentGutter said:


> My idea was to paint the inside of the elbows, which are just the mill finish. Maybe get a small wire wheel on a drill in there and scuff it up the best I can for adhesion. Will be interesting to see if it sticks to aluminum.
> I was hoping that would muffle any sounds of water rushing or rain drops beating in there.
> This is all a big experiment! :thumbsup:


I knew you plan to paint the inside, I meant,just starting off with an elbow without any crud in it, and if standard color you would be able to just swap them out
:thumbsup:


----------



## theflynner (Jul 10, 2007)

Maybe try:

-- sticking several layers of EPDM inside the downspout elbow, also,

- Use EPDM rubber under the downspout straps to act as a "sound gasket". Put on extra straps firmly. Downspouts are hollow metal pipes just like brass instruments. Any way of deadening the vibration might help.


----------



## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

You could always up sell them on copper chains. :thumbup:


----------



## Stewy (Nov 11, 2007)

maybe you can sell them cast iron downspouts.


----------

