In order to prevent your gutter downspouts from being torn off your home during windy conditions, it’s essential to secure them with properly anchored downspout straps. First, mark the top and bottom of your downspout path as locations for downspout straps. Mark locations for additional downspout straps every 10 feet (3 meters). Next, pre-drill 2 holes for each downspout strap. Follow up by securing the straps to the wall with screws driven into the pre-drilled holes. Next, slide your downspout into place. Finish off by folding the downspout straps around the downspout and using a self-tapping screw to secure the strap and downspout together.
5 Steps to Secure Your Gutter Downspouts
If your downspouts are prone to tearing off during wind and heavy rain, it can be a source of water damage or cause more extensive damage. Although gutter cleaning may help keep downspouts in place, in extreme weather conditions, it takes more than clean gutters to secure your downspouts. First, take measures to prevent your downspouts from freezing in cold weather. Then, follow these steps to secure your downspouts. Here’s how to do it:
Measure and Mark Your Downspout Path
Use a pencil to mark both sides of the downspout path on your wall. Then, mark the top and bottom of the downspout. These markings should be made at the highest and lowest point where the downspout will lie flush with the wall. This is where your top and bottom downspout straps will be secured.
- Use pencil to mark the left and right side of your downspout path along the wall.
- Mark a location for a downspout strap at the top of the downspout.
- Make a second mark for a downspout strap at the bottom of the downspout.
- Add markings for additional downspout straps every 10 feet (3 meters) along the downspout path.
In addition to the top and bottom strap locations, mark locations for additional straps every 10 feet (3 meters) along the downspout path. On single-story homes, you may only need the top and bottom downspout straps. On multi-story homes, several straps will be necessary to prevent your downspouts from blowing off.
Pre Drill Screw Holes in Your Siding
Equip an electric drill with a drill bit slightly smaller than the screws you will use to secure the downspout. Then, make pilot holes for the screws that will secure each strap to the exterior of your home. You will use 2 screws to attach each downspout strap to your home. So, make 2 pilot holes 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) apart in your siding. If your home has brick, masonry, or stone siding, do not make these pilot holes in the mortar between bricks.
- Use these self-tapping screws to secure your downspout straps to your home.
- Before driving in screws, pre-drill anchor holes using a drill bit slightly smaller than your screws—this prevents cracking your home’s siding or brick.
- Drill 2 pilot holes per downspout strap location.
- Make your pilot holes 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) apart.
- Drill into the siding material itself.
- Do not drill into mortar between bricks—screws will tear free from mortar.
Self-tapping screws are recommended for brick, wood, and other siding materials. They are weather-durable and will keep your downspouts in place for years to come.
Secure Downspout Straps to the Wall
With your pilot holes drilled, your next step is to secure the downspout straps to the siding. Drive 2 screws through the downspout strap and into the pilot holes you’ve drilled. An electric drill will make this job go quickly.
- Secure this downspout strap to the wall with 2 screws.
- Drive your screws through the strap, into the pilot holes you drilled.
- Make sure to drive your screws through the middle section of the strap, not the right or left side.
Make sure to secure each downspout strap with 2 screws driven through the middle portion of the strap. Do not secure the strap at the right or left side. The ends of the strap are designed to fold around the downspout so that you can securely attach the strap to the downspout during the final step.
Install Your Downspout
Slide your downspout into place so it is attached to your rain gutter. Your downspout may attempt to slide off because the straps aren’t secured yet. To prevent this, use duct tape to secure the downspout to the gutter temporarily. You will remove this duct tape once the final step is done. It’s just there to keep the downspout in place for a few minutes.
- Slide your downspout into place attached to the rain gutter.
- Make sure your downspout is in the position you want it to be permanently.
- Keep the downspout in place temporarily with duct tape.
If you have a helper, ask them to hold the downspout in place instead. This will save you the time and effort of duct-taping downspouts in place.
Screw Downspout Straps to the Downspout
Fold the right and left ends of your downspout straps around the downspout so that they overlap and are snug around the downspout. Then, use your drill to drive one ¼-inch zip screw through both layers of the downspout strap and into the downspout itself. Repeat this process for all the downspout straps you’ve installed.
- Fold the ends of the top downspout strap around the downspout.
- Make sure the downspout strap is tight around the downspout.
- Drive one of these zip screws through the strap and into the downspout to secure it.
- Repeat, working your way from the top strap to the bottom.
It’s best to start at the top of your downspout and work your way down when securing the straps. This allows you to keep an eye on the top of the downspout, where it is attached to the rain gutter. This way, you can spot a sliding or shifting downspout and correct it early.
How Do You Stop Your Downspouts From Blowing Off?
To prevent downspouts from being torn off your house during storms and other rough weather, simply follow these steps to install downspout straps.
- Mark the left and right sides of your downspout path along your house.
- Mark locations for downspout straps at the top and bottom of the downspout, as well as every 10 feet (3 meters) in between.
- Pre-drill 2 anchor holes in your siding for each downspout strap.
- Secure the downspout straps to your home by driving self-tapping screws through the strap and into the pilot holes.
- Install your downspout and keep it temporarily in place with duct tape.
- Fold the downspout straps around the downspout so the ends of the strap overlap.
- Drive a zip screw through the overlapping strap and into the downspout.
These steps will keep your downspouts sturdy through heavy winter weather. Now, you’ll be able to ride out any storm knowing your rain gutters and downspouts will safely direct water away off your roof.