A vertical pipe that is installed from the bottom of the gutter that carries rainwater from a roof gutter down to a drain or to the ground.
The purpose of a downspout is to allow water from a gutter to reach the ground without dripping or splashing down the building structure. Downspouts are usually installed vertically and extend all the way down to the base of the building. However, in some cases, they may be intentionally routed at an angle to avoid the architectural features of the home or building. Due to necessity, there may be certain applications where downspouts have been installed that discharge onto an intermediate nearby roof area.
Typically at the bottom of the downspout, there are features to further divert the water away from the building’s foundations to prevent water damage. This may be a simple bend of the downspout material, typically around 70 degrees, at the bottom of the vertical piping.
Unique Downspout Designs
Not all downspouts are alike. Most traditional stick-build homes that use the standard “K Style” aluminum guttering will have standard downspouts installed that match the color of the horizontal guttering water collection trough. That said, there are plenty of amazingly unique gutter downspouts that add an additional design element to a home or commercial property.