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 Mobile ViewEXTERIORS of buildings ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine ALGAE, FUNGUS, LICHENS, MOSS ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings ASBESTOS ROOFING / SIDING DUST ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE BARK SIDE DOWN on DECKS, TRIM, STEPS BASEMENT WATERPROOFING BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE BRICK VENEER WALL Loose, Bulged BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES BOOKSTORE - EXTERIORS CAULK GUN TYPES, CHOICES CAULKS & SEALANTS, EXTERIOR CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CATCH BASINS DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION Deck Construction Best Practices DECK COLLAPSE Case Study DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study DEFINITIONS of ENGINEERED WOOD OSB LVL etc DRYWELLS, FRENCH DRAINS for FLAT SITES EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY EXTERIOR WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES FLASHING MEMBRANES PEEL & STICK FLASHING for METAL ROOFS FLASHING ROOF WALL DETAILS FLASHING ROOF-WALL SNAFU FLASHING SIDING DETAILS FLASHING WALL DETAILS FLASHING WOOD ROOF DETAILS FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING FRENCH DRAINS GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION GLUES ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION GRADING & SITE WORK, EXTERIOR GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS ARE GUTTERS NECESSARY? BASEMENT de-WATER vs GUTTERS FLAT ROOF DRAINAGE SYSTEMS FLAT ROOF INTERIOR DRAINS FLAT ROOF DRAIN CLOGS FLAT ROOF DRAIN ADDITIONS GUTTER CAPS GUTTER DEFECTS LIST CLOGGED GUTTERS LOOSE GUTTERS OVERFLOWING GUTTERS? OVERSHOOTING GUTTERS SLOPE INADEQUATE, GUTTER GUTTER DEFECTS, MORE BACKFLOWING GUTTERS GUTTER INSTALL ERRORS SAGGING GUTTERS DRIP LINES INDICATE OVERFLOW GUTTER END CAPS GUTTERS On NO-EAVE buildings GUTTER HANGERS GUTTER REPAIR, LEAKY JOINT GUTTER SCREENS GUTTER SIZES GUTTER TYPES GUTTER PROFILES ALUMINUM K GUTTERS COPPER GUTTERS EAVES TROUGH, INTEGRAL GUTTERS GALVANIZED GUTTERS PLASTIC GUTTERS WOOD GUTTERS YANKEE GUTTERS NO-GUTTER SYSTEMS SNOW & ICE DAMAGE to GUTTERS DOWNSPOUT / LEADER DEFECTS DOWNSPOUTS BURIED / BELOW GRADE ABANDON BURIED DOWNSPOUTS CLOGGED BURIED DOWNSPOUTS CONNECT DOWNSPOUTS to BUILDING DRAINS? PERFORATED PIPE DOWNSPOUT DRAINS BURIED ALUMINUM DOWNSPOUTS UNDER-SIZED DOWNSPOUT DRAINS SHARED DOWNSPOUT DRAINS DOWNSPOUT EXTENSIONS DOWNSPOUT ONTO BACKFILL DOWNSPOUT ONTO IN-SLOPE GRADE DOWNSPOUT LEAKS DOWNSPOUTS SPLIT DOWNSPOUT LEAKS at CONNECTIONS DOWNSPOUT EXTENSIONS TOO FLAT DOWNSPOUTS UNDER DECKS DOWNSPOUT DEFECTS, MORE MISSING GUTTER, DOWNSPOUT DOWNSPOUTS, NUMBER NEEDED DOWNSPOUT / GUTTER STRAINERS DOWNSPOUT ANIMAL DAMAGE DOWNSPOUTS, OTHER USES: A/C DRYWELLS, FRENCH DRAINS for FLAT SITES FRENCH DRAINS for DOWNSPOUTS SURFACE CONTOURING for DRAINAGE SWALE for DRAINAGE CONTROL SLOPE RECOMMENDED at buildings CATCH BASINS HEAT TAPES & CABLES on Roofs for Ice Dams HOUSE PARTS, DEFINITIONS HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET ICE DAM PREVENTION INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS KIT HOMES, Aladdin, Sears, Wards, Others LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE LEAD TEST KIT for HOME USE LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LOG HOME GUIDE LIGHTNING PROTECTION METAL LATH, PLASTER & STUCCO MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOISTURE CALCULATIONS MOISTURE PROBLEMS: CAUSE & CURE MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE PAINT ANALYSIS, DIAGNOSTIC USES PAINT & STAIN GUIDE, EXTERIOR PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION PORCHES & Sunrooms PORCH CONSTRUCTION & SCREENING RAILINGS, DECK & PORCH RAILINGS, STAIRWAY RETAINING WALL DESIGNS, TYPES, DAMAGE RETAINING WALL GUARD RAILINGS ROOF ARCHITECTURAL STYLES - PHOTO GUIDE ROOF CLEANING RECOMMENDATIONS ROOF COLOR RECOMMENDATIONS ROOF DORMER TYPES - PHOTO GUIDE ROOFING DIAGNOSIS INSPECTION & REPAIR ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES ROT, TIMBER FRAME SEARS KIT HOUSES SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board SIDING, Sheathing Identification - Photo Guide SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS STAINS on buildings - QUICK GUIDE STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STUCCO WAll FAILURES DUE TO WEATHER SURFACE GRADING, SITE DRAINAGE TERMITES, ROT THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL MASS in buildings TREES & SHRUBS, TRIM OFF BUILDING TRIM, EXTERIOR CHOICES, INSTALLATION VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS VENTILATION in buildings VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING WATER ENTRY in buildings WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING WINTERIZE A BUILDING More Information |
This article describes the places where you are most likely to find leaks in the building roof drainage system downspouts or leaders. This article series discusses how to choose, install, diagnose & maintain roof gutters & downspouts, & roof drainage systems to prevent building leaks and water entry. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Common Leak Points on Downspouts & Downspout Connections
Downspouts Split by Leaves, Swelling Wet Debris, or FrostDownspouts may be split and damaged from swelling organic debris (leaves) or by freezing. The result is leaks against the building wall and foundation. Keeping a strainer at the gutter-to-downspout connection will protect the downspouts from becoming clogged and thus splitting.
Of course, if the downspout is connected to a buried drain line that is also blocked, water backing up into the downspout will, in freezing climates, still freeze and burst the downspout. Downspout Leaks at Connections & ElbowsYou might be surprised but the dislocated downspout "connection" shown at below-left is very common. Don't assume that the building's downspouts are all connected - it's worth a close look, especially if there are signs of water entry or dampness in the basement or crawl space.
At above right you can see two downspouts descending the building wall. The left hand unit is leaking a bit at the elbow. The right hand downspout has lost its elbow and extension, and leakage has rotted the building wall.
Downspout Extensions that Lack Adequate SlopeOur downspout extension line photos below show what happens if the downspout extension is too flat, or if it ends aimed "uphill" from the downspouts themselves: the downspout extension simply backs up and during heavy rain, spills by the building. The photo at below left shows a black flexible 4" drain line and tee intended to conduct roof spillage away from the building. But following the drain line we found it ending pointing "up hill".
A closer look into the downspout extension connecting tee (below right) shows that the line contained standing water and was not draining. Downspouts Emptying Below Decks & Porches
Sometimes desperate measures are needed to successfully extend a downspout out from below a deck. The photos below show a combination of a downspout that was spilling below a deck, an inside building corner, and a wet basement (not shown).
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