Not all Downspouts are created equal, there are a few things that you should know about selecting the correct downspout.

1.75”x2.75” Smooth Plaind Steel Downspouts

These downspouts are often used as they are the lowest possible cost. They are sold and installed by contractors that are primarily new construction installers, by that I mean that their primary customer is either a new home builder or a remodeler. This sort of design is popular with them because it is a lowest cost to install which is very attractive to the home builder. It works for the gutter contractor and the builder, but can be a big maintenance problem for the homeowner down the road.

Sometimes this type of contractor during housing slumps and or sharp downturns in business will turn to the residential replacement market to keep his or her workers working. Unfortunately the contractor does not change the type of materials the install, thus you are many times getting the same product you had on your home before, which is why you are reading this article now and are forced to replace your failing gutters.

Rectagular steel downspouts are simple and have a less conspicuous look, and when painted the same color as the house to hide them all the more. To keep them cheap as possible the vast majority of them are made of steel and generally rust out much sooner that the steel gutters because of the wet mildew and debris that gets trapped inside causes the cut edges which are only visible from inside to begin to corrode.

Many times after only being on the house a few years a homeowner will remove them to unclog them, and the interior litteraly falls apart from the inside out. As long as a good coat of paint is applied to the outside this sort of problem can go unnoticed for years.

2”x3” Corrugated Aluminum Downspouts

This has shown to be the best for looks and function available on the market. The corrugation not only adds strength, but it also adds charm an character. With the soft rounded edges they are more cosmetically pleasing to the eye. These downspouts are roughly 120% larger than the plain square downspouts referred to above. A larger gutter outlet can be used to increase the flow of water into the downspouts and away from your home. Corrugated Aluminum does not rust and the free flowing radiused elbows and attaching parts allow debris and water to freely flow through the system.

Mounting Brackets

Here is another area that most gutter providers fall short. Many use metal straps or shoes to affix the downspout. They either use zip screws or nails to hold the straps. In our opinion the proper way to mount downspouts is to use a “pipe cleat” this is basically a stand off bracket that mounts neatly to the back of the downspout and then has tabs that protrude on either side of the downspout and have pre-drilled holes to accept mounting screws.

The bracket stands off the wall approximatley 1/2” which acts as a vibration dampener of sorts which lessens the sounds from transferring through the wall. This is noticable if you have a bedroom near a downspout. We finish it off with using a painted screw 1.25” long with a rubber washer to seal off screw head. This prevents moisture from penetrating the siding. These little extras make a huge difference to the homeowner and cost just a few pennies extra for the contractor yet many of them do not offer these extras.

When replacing seamless gutters and downspouts remember to choose Aluminum Downspouts and ask for these sort of installation techniques.