What is a downspout drain called?

Author: Lisa Rice I  |  Last update: Friday, February 6, 2026

Leader. Also known as a Downspout or Leader Pipe. This is designed to drain the water from the gutter and down the side of the building. Leaders come in various shapes and sizes.

What is the name of the gutter drain?

A downspout, waterspout, downpipe, drain spout, drainpipe, roof drain pipe, rone or leader is a pipe for carrying rainwater from a rain gutter.

What is the piece called that connects the gutter to the downspout?

Outlet tubes connect gutters with downspouts, helping water flow smoothly. End caps seal off gutter ends, preventing overflow, while miters help connect gutters at corners for efficient water movement. Elbows control the direction of water flow, whereas hangers support the whole system.

What is a rainwater drain called?

A storm drain, storm sewer (United Kingdom, U.S. and Canada), highway drain, surface water drain/sewer (United Kingdom), or stormwater drain (Australia and New Zealand) is infrastructure designed to drain excess rain and ground water from impervious surfaces such as paved streets, car parks, parking lots, footpaths, ...

What is a downspout drain?

down·​spout ˈdau̇n-ˌspau̇t. : a vertical pipe used to drain rainwater from a roof.

Downspout Drain Extensions | How to Avoid Foundation Failure

What are the things called at the bottom of a downspout?

Elbows are usually used to connect the Leader to the Gutter and they are installed at the bottom of the Leader to point the water away from the home.

What is the best drainage for downspouts?

Choosing the wrong downspout pipe, like a perforated pipe, defeats the purpose and allows water to leach through the line near the home's foundation. Instead, homeowners should use a solid corrugated pipe when burying downspouts. Solid pipe is the best option because it's flexible and can be run in one piece.

What is the outside drain called?

Some of the most common outdoor drains include French drains, dry wells, catch basins, and trench drains.

What is a stormwater drain called?

Catchpit/Cesspit (Public) Stormwater device composed of a grate, small chamber and sediment trap. May be private or public and are usually associated with drainage off road or driveways. Varieties include supa pits, mega pits or splay pits.

What is rainwater runoff called?

Stormwater runoff is precipitation (rain or snowmelt) that flows across the land. Stormwater may infiltrate into soil, discharge directly into streams, water bodies, or drain inlets, or evaporate back into the atmosphere.

What is a downspout extension called?

Gutter extensions, also called downspout extensions, are attachments that are placed on the end of the downspout to channel rainwater away from the foundation of the home.

What are the names of downspouts?

Gutter downspouts, also known as water spout, down pipe, drain spout, or drain pipe, are vertical pipes that lead the water from the gutter to the ground level. They are an important part of a building's gutter system and help control the flow of water to prevent water damage, erosion, and flooding.

What is the part that connects the gutter to the downspout?

Running outlet

Running outlets are installed in the middle of the gutter run. They are used to connect the gutters to the downpipes. These are push-to-fit joints and don't require any glue. They come with rubber seals for a watertight joint.

What is the drain on the side of my house called?

The two most common drain pipes that most people have on the side of their house are: Air conditioner condensate lines (AC drain line). Water heater pressure relief valve lines (PRV drain line).

What is a scupper drain?

Description: Scuppers are used to provide an outlet through parapet walls or gravel stops on flat and built-up roofs to allow drainage of excess water. They can be used in conjunction with gutters and downspouts to divert the flow to the desired location.

What is a rain drain called?

Storm Drain: An opening built into a curb or street and connected to a pipe to carry away stormwater. Storm Drain System: The system of gutters, pipes, streams, or ditches used to carry surface and stormwater from surrounding lands to streams, lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound.

What is a landscape drain called?

Yard drains are also called catch basins. As that name implies, the purpose of this drain is to 'catch' excess surface water in a basin and redirect it. The catch basin acts like a sewer drain and directs the water through a pipe sloping away from the basin.

What are the four types of drainage?

Types of Home Drainage Systems
  • Surface Drainage. This type of drainage system focuses on getting rid of water from the top or surface part of your home. ...
  • Subsurface Drainage. A typical subsurface drainage system can remove excess water from the soil at the root level. ...
  • Slope Drainage. ...
  • Downspouts and Gutters.

What are underground gutter drains called?

An underground drain, sometimes called a French drain* or underground downspout, is a pipe designed to carry the thousands of gallons of water collected by your gutters sufficiently far away from your home.

What is a rainwater drain?

Surface water drainage occurs when rainwater falls on a property and drains away. Most rainwater falling on properties drains into public sewers owned by the ten water and sewerage companies in England and Wales. These companies are responsible for removing and processing this rainwater.

What is the drain on the side of the street called?

Outlet ditches are drainage structures that lead the water from the side ditches away from the road area. The water from outlet ditches normally discharges to existing waterway systems, such as river channels and lakes.

Where do downspouts drain to?

A downspout is a pipe that comes in a variety of colors and materials. It connects to a hole in the gutter channel and runs vertically down your home. The bottom of the downspout bends away from your home and carries water out to your yard or other designated place.

What is the difference between gutter drain and downspout?

Gutters run horizontally along the entirety of the roof edge and capture water runoff as it leaves the roof line. Gutters then work to direct this water to the downspouts, where it is discharged away from the home. However, gutters must be installed properly in order for them to work effectively.

What do you put under a downspout?

  1. Aluminum Extension. An aluminum extension is one of the most popular solutions for better downspout drainage and is definitely among the best gutter drainage ideas. ...
  2. Splash Blocks. Splash blocks are rectangular blocks that disperse the water flowing from your downspouts. ...
  3. Gutter Guards. ...
  4. Roll-Out Drain Sleeves. ...
  5. Rain Barrel.

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