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Tips & Techniques

Dampening Drips

Issue 70

After a night-time rain, the residual runoff would slowly accumulate along the edge of our roof and eventually drain into the downspout adjacent to our bedroom window. This didn’t amount to very much water, but its intermittent flow would eventually hit the elbow at the bottom of a downspout with a resounding drip, Drip, DRIP. This water torture would echo through our bedroom for hours.

Before resorting to moving the downspout, I decided to try dampening the drips where they landed. As shown in the drawing, I used silicone caulk to affix a patch of 1/2-in. thick foam rubber to the inside of the elbow. I’m relieved to report that peace has been restored to the post-rain portions of the night.

Richard H. Dorn, Oelwein, IA

Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller

From Fine Homebuilding #70

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  1. user-6792252 | Apr 26, 2021 06:04pm | #1

    I believe this is inaccurately named. The rain drops are already sufficiently "dampened" as in made wet. However, the clever solution mentioned is damping the energy not "dampening." Damping is what happens when energy is absorbed. Dampening is what happens when things get wet.

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