Downspout Drains are Clogged
#1
09-27-06, 08:00 AM
Downspout Drains are Clogged
Is there a trick to unclogging downspout drains? Both my outside drains are clogged. Water comes down the downspout and just runs over the 4 inch pipe coming out of the ground.
The house is 20 years old with plastic drain pipes and I'm not sure where the water is supposed to go (storm sewers, maybe?).
I ran about 15 foot of snake down the drain but I can't get it to move any farther. Is there a trick here?
Thanks
The house is 20 years old with plastic drain pipes and I'm not sure where the water is supposed to go (storm sewers, maybe?).
I ran about 15 foot of snake down the drain but I can't get it to move any farther. Is there a trick here?
Thanks
#3
09-27-06, 09:50 AM
Member
Downspout Drains are Clogged
Just on general priciples, you should try to find out where it goes. If the end is open you could attack from downstream. If it is not too far up to the clog. you could try hose with a high velocity (slab cleaning) nozzle.
I have an underground line with a pop-up drain about 20 feet from the house. It is hard to see unless you have a general idea where it is. On these, the pop-up can be removed, letting you get at the buried portion.
If not, call a plumber or someone with a powered rotary auger/cleaner. It could be clogged with debris or roots.
Alfer you get it clean, put a coarse mesh over the downspout drain in the gutter. It will stop the big stuff (twigs, leaves, etc.) that could clog. It is easier to clean annually than have an underground drain proble.
Dick
I have an underground line with a pop-up drain about 20 feet from the house. It is hard to see unless you have a general idea where it is. On these, the pop-up can be removed, letting you get at the buried portion.
If not, call a plumber or someone with a powered rotary auger/cleaner. It could be clogged with debris or roots.
Alfer you get it clean, put a coarse mesh over the downspout drain in the gutter. It will stop the big stuff (twigs, leaves, etc.) that could clog. It is easier to clean annually than have an underground drain proble.
Dick
#4
09-27-06, 10:53 AM
I have no idea where the thing drains to. It is a 20 year old house that we just bought about a year ago. I get the feeling that the drain has never been cleaned, so I'm not sure how bad the clog is.
In our area, north of Pittsburgh, they usually connect your gutter drains into the storm sewers. both my drains seem to bend towards the street. I can fill the pipe up with water and it will go down very slowly, but I don't see where it comes out. I have looked in the street storm sewer grates but I don't see and liquid.
I don't think they are french drains because they would either be under my concrete driveway or in my neighbor's yard.
In our area, north of Pittsburgh, they usually connect your gutter drains into the storm sewers. both my drains seem to bend towards the street. I can fill the pipe up with water and it will go down very slowly, but I don't see where it comes out. I have looked in the street storm sewer grates but I don't see and liquid.
I don't think they are french drains because they would either be under my concrete driveway or in my neighbor's yard.
#5
09-29-06, 05:52 AM
Thanks for the help......you guys were right.
Only new construction (in my area) utilizes the storm sewers; my 20 year old house has a dry sump or dry well.
A guy with a power snake could not unclog the drain...........it looks like I'm digging this weekend.
Thanks again.
Only new construction (in my area) utilizes the storm sewers; my 20 year old house has a dry sump or dry well.
A guy with a power snake could not unclog the drain...........it looks like I'm digging this weekend.
Thanks again.
#6
02-19-07, 04:14 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Beaverton, OR
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I know it's been awhile since you posted this but I had the EXACT same problem. I located the drain pipe and followed it (by digging down a foot or so) until I found where it ended... in a dry well that was horribly constructed and had a 24 year old tree growing out of it! (guess how I know the age of that tree.)
I have since re-excavated the dry well and am also installing a downspout drain to filter out all the pine needles. It's these needles that tend to plug dry-well inlets because they decompose so slowly.
I have since re-excavated the dry well and am also installing a downspout drain to filter out all the pine needles. It's these needles that tend to plug dry-well inlets because they decompose so slowly.
