Having properly-working gutters to carry runoff water away from your home is very important in maintaining the integrity of your foundation. But even the best gutter system won’t accomplish its goal if the water pours out of the downspout next to the base of the home.
That’s why gutter downspout extensions are sometimes necessary. Affixing these products onto the ends of your downspouts can help guide the water
1. to a spot where it won’t pool near your foundation. There are plenty of different types of downspout extensions that are available, but here are the top five when it comes to customer reviews.
1. InvisaFlow StealthFlow 28-1/2 in Downspout Extension
homedepot.com
This extension easily snaps on to the edge of your existing downspout without tools, and can channel runoff water over two feet away from your home. That’s why reviewers say that it is “quick and easy to install.” In addition, this “rugged” product is durable enough so that “a 52 lb 4 year old and a 27 lb 2 year old couldn’t crush (it) flat.” The product’s “great design” can also be “staked to (the) ground” if needed to accommodate landscaping needs.
2. InvisaFlow StealthFlow Low Profile Downspout Extension
homedepot.com
It has the resilience of its sister product but comes with the added advantage of a low profile so it can be hidden with pine needles, mulch, or even small rocks. The result is a “sleek look” that is “sturdy and thin as advertised.” One user crowed, “Installation was fast and easy,” while another said that she was “extremely happy with… the customer service I received.” Plus, “no matter how hard it rains, there is no water” that pools next to the house.
3. L.B. Plastics Downspout Extension (3’ to 6’ long)
amazon.com
The best thing about this extension is that it can either flip up or swivel 180 degrees so it can be moved when mowing a lawn or tending to landscaping. One buyer noted that you can “rotate the bottom swivel to direct water where you want,” and that the extensions “telescope from approx 2½ feet to 6’.” Another claimed, “It is easy to put on and it is easy to use,” while a third recommended this extension “if you have odd sized downspouts.”
4. Amerimax Home Products Flex-A-Spout Downspout Extension
homedepot.com
If you need precise control of your downspout extension, then you’ll like this product from Amerimax, which bends easily and then holds its shape nicely. User reviews showered praise on this extension with phrases such as “Exactly what I needed” and “diverts the water just where I wanted it.” They are extremely reliable as well, as evidenced by one buyer who revealed that he “had one of these for at least 6 years and it has not deteriorated at all.”
5. Gutter Creature Downspout Extension
2dayblog.com/2007/05/15/gargoyle-gutter-spout/
For those who want to add a little bit of whimsical flair to their garden or flowerbed, this extension is the perfect choice. This product is available in the shape of a frog, dragon, fish, alligator, and many other creatures. Each extension is made of stone-look resin and has an opening in the back which fits any standard-sized downspout elbow. One customer called the gutter creature “exactly what I expected,” while another loved it “so much I bought another.”
