Gutter Or Downpipe Dripping Noise

What's happening?

A dripping noise from a gutter or downpipe is almost always water falling onto a hard surface. It may be a slow leak at a joint dropping onto a window sill or the ground, water running off the bottom of the gutter or a bracket, a downpipe shoe or outlet where water lands in an empty pipe, or water dripping from a blocked gutter that is slowly overflowing. After rain it is loudest in the night when everything else is quiet. It is not a fault in itself, but the same drip can mean a failing joint or a gutter that is not draining. Working out whether the noise is a leak or just water in a pipe decides whether it is a repair or a muffle.

What usually causes it?

• A leaking joint or stop end that drips onto a sill, bracket or the ground
• A blocked or slow-draining gutter that overflows one drop at a time
• A gutter or downpipe that is out of line so water drips from the lip
• Water falling inside the downpipe onto an elbow, shoe or the bottom of the pipe
• A downpipe that ends above a hard surface or empty gully
• A gutter bracket or clip that water runs onto and falls from

Is it dangerous?

No. A drip is a nuisance. The reason for it can matter: a joint leaking above a wall can add to damp, and a gutter that overflows slowly is still not draining.

Can I fix it myself?

Listen and look from the ground to find where the drop lands. Do not clear the gutter yourself: working on a ladder at the roof edge is a contractor's job. If the sound is water inside the downpipe, a short length of brush or a chain in the pipe, or a bend or piece of felt at the foot to soften the landing, can quieten it from ground level. Do not put a sponge in the pipe: it blocks it.

When should you call a fascia, soffit and guttering installer?

Call a gutter contractor if the drip is from a joint or stop end at height, if the gutter is sagging or overflowing, or if a leak is wetting the wall. A new seal, a re-aligned run or a new section ends the drip permanently.

What will the fascia, soffit and guttering installer actually do?

• Find where the water is dripping from and onto what
• Clean the gutter, outlet and downpipe so water runs freely
• Replace the seal, union or stop end that is leaking
• Realign the gutter and brackets so the run falls to the outlet
• Extend or adjust the downpipe so water lands in the gully quietly

Who fixes this

• Gutter repair
• Downpipe repair and replacement
• Gutter cleaning

Questions people ask

Sources & References

1. GOV.UK: Approved Document H, drainage and waste disposal
2. HSE: work at height