Downpipe rain noise

[JohnnyF]

Hi,

The landlord next door has a noisy downpipe that I would like to try and sort. We're soundproofing the rest of the house so want to sort this too.

It is a plastic downpipe from the wooden guttering and it runs vertical, no bend, into a hopper and then straight down to the drain. There is also a shower that runs into the hopper.

When there is light rain we hear an annoying constant drip and when there is heavy rain it is just constant noise.

The sound seems to come from the hopper. Should downpipes that run into a hopper have a bend as the last piece in the hopper to stop the rain water gushing down?

Or could it be another problem? Or a simple solution like putting a large sponge in the hopper.

 

[Mw Roofline]

A piece of string or something down the vertical pipe will let the drips slow down the string. Just get a stone or a piece of lead or broken slate and put inside the hopper under the downpipe and it will stop the noise. Obviously don't block the hopper hole!