How To Shorten A Gutter Downspout

Use longer extensions to make sure you re getting all that water away from your home.

How to shorten a gutter downspout.

Use a carpenter s square to get around to the bottom. Using a fine 24 or 32 tooth per inch blade in a hacksaw cut off what you need. Hook the tape measure. This one s a popular solution for a few good reasons.

Measure from the bottom of the main gutter to the ground. 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. Transfer your measurement to the downspout and make a mark on both sides with your pencil. The above recommendations assume that you have properly sized downspouts every 40 feet.

Then with the combination square transfer the line down each side of the aluminum gutter. The standard is about inch per 10 feet. Screw an elbow to the downspout outlet. Cut the downspout with your.

Overlap at each end. Buy a length of plastic corrigated drain hose and a downspout adapter and stick it on the end of the downspout. Remove the elbow from the end of the downspout. Laying your gutter on the workbench measure off the amount of gutter you want to cut and mark it with a pencil.

Increasing the pitch increases a gutter s handling capacity but the gutter may look askew over a long run. Place your tape measure at the flat of the main. Allow for a 1 1 2 in. As with gutters a downspout s capacity must match or exceed the expected runoff.

To be safe aim for a 4 foot minimum extension away from a downspout. How to cut a downspout step 1. 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.