How To Shorten A Gutter Downspout

Use a carpenter s square to get around to the bottom.

How to shorten a gutter downspout.

Cut the downspout with your. Overlap at each end. Screw an elbow to the downspout outlet. To be safe aim for a 4 foot minimum extension away from a downspout.

Using a fine 24 or 32 tooth per inch blade in a hacksaw cut off what you need. The standard is about inch per 10 feet. Let s get into the six best methods we ve found for extending your home s downspouts. Transfer your measurement to the downspout and make a mark on both sides with your pencil.

This one s a popular solution for a few good reasons. Use the old adage measure twice and cut once then turn the gutter upside down on the table and mark it all the way around. Laying your gutter on the workbench measure off the amount of gutter you want to cut and mark it with a pencil. Place your tape measure at the flat of the main.

Increasing the pitch increases a gutter s handling capacity but the gutter may look askew over a long run. Buy a length of plastic corrigated drain hose and a downspout adapter and stick it on the end of the downspout. Allow for a 1 1 2 in. Just cut the downspout at a 45 degree angle with a tin snips or metal cutting blade and fasten the two piece zip hinge sold at home centers or online with eight sheet metal screws.

Hold another elbow against the wall and measure between them. Use a hacksaw to cut this length from the uncrimped end of a downspout tube. How to cut a downspout step 1. Extend the cut mark around the aluminum gutter by aligning the blade of the combination square with the length mark you placed on the bottom surface of the aluminum gutter and running the carpenter s pencil along the edge of the combination square blade.

Hook the tape measure. Measure from the bottom of the main gutter to the ground. The above recommendations assume that you have properly sized downspouts every 40 feet. Use longer extensions to make sure you re getting all that water away from your home.