Blocked downspout - High up
#1
06-26-12, 03:51 PM
Blocked downspout - High up
Folks,
I need some help. Has anyone tried clearing a blockage by threading a snake UP the drainspout? This would save me ladder work at two story's. Another option, maybe...a pressure washer inserted at the base of the down spout, not sure how high the jet would reach but anyone tried this approach. Gutter down spout is hard to reach even at top of ladder, one has to lean away from the house and ladder. Any help would be appreciated, before I call the pro's.
Thanks
I need some help. Has anyone tried clearing a blockage by threading a snake UP the drainspout? This would save me ladder work at two story's. Another option, maybe...a pressure washer inserted at the base of the down spout, not sure how high the jet would reach but anyone tried this approach. Gutter down spout is hard to reach even at top of ladder, one has to lean away from the house and ladder. Any help would be appreciated, before I call the pro's.
Thanks
#2
06-26-12, 06:40 PM
I doubt you will get enough pressure without friction stopping it before it gets a few feet up in the downspout. Most likely the clog is at the gutter to downspout transition anyway. Do you have gutter guards?
#3
06-27-12, 04:54 AM
Member
You could try snaking from the bottom up. It wouldn't be as good as you probably won't get much force against the blockage as you would from the top down. It might however be enough to knock stuff loose and get it flowing.
If it was myself (I have a 3 story house), I would try from the bottom and then get some water up in those gutters to try and flush what I knocked loose out.
If it was myself (I have a 3 story house), I would try from the bottom and then get some water up in those gutters to try and flush what I knocked loose out.
#4
06-27-12, 05:10 AM
Member
iceflow -
I would try the bottom approach. There are small (usually brass) nozzles made for cleaning driveways and joints. They concentrate a strong high velocity flow. They are compacts and non-adjustable.
Just don't be too close to the bottom when you start seeing some debris coming out the discharge. - A little weight from water held above will help to get things going down. It will take a while to start, but it will drain quickly.
Dick
I would try the bottom approach. There are small (usually brass) nozzles made for cleaning driveways and joints. They concentrate a strong high velocity flow. They are compacts and non-adjustable.
Just don't be too close to the bottom when you start seeing some debris coming out the discharge. - A little weight from water held above will help to get things going down. It will take a while to start, but it will drain quickly.
Dick
#5
06-27-12, 05:40 AM
Group Moderator
I've cleaned downspouts from the bottom with both a garden hose and a pressure washer with a jetter tip. On the garden hose I used a simple nozzle turned to a jet. I think the key is if the garden hose is stiff enough to shove up the downspout without it kinking or catching on any screws along the way. I've only tried going up about one story.
The jetter nozzle works very well if you have a powerful enough pressure washer to run it. The jetter has several nozzles pointing back towards the hose to propel the the jetter and pull the hose. There is one stream out the front to do the cleaning. Since most of the water & pressure is used to propel the jetter only a small fraction of your pressure washer's power is available for the front cleaning jet so it's not effective with smaller units.
The jetter nozzle works very well if you have a powerful enough pressure washer to run it. The jetter has several nozzles pointing back towards the hose to propel the the jetter and pull the hose. There is one stream out the front to do the cleaning. Since most of the water & pressure is used to propel the jetter only a small fraction of your pressure washer's power is available for the front cleaning jet so it's not effective with smaller units.
#6
06-27-12, 06:09 AM
Group Moderator
Instead of trying to snake it ALL the way from the bottom, why not disconnect the downspout at the highest point that you can comfortably reach, then shove the hose up from there? Depending on how bad it's clogged, though, there may be debris inside the gutter that you won't be able to get out. I'd probably wear rain gear for this operation. 
#7
06-27-12, 07:04 AM
Member
Depending on how the connections are made, this may be more work and cost then it's worth (i.e glued plastic down spouts). Alluminum gutters that are just screwed together might be ok.
I totally agree on the rain gear or expect to be dancing with the garden hose before your allowed back in the house. You are going to get wet.
I totally agree on the rain gear or expect to be dancing with the garden hose before your allowed back in the house. You are going to get wet.
Last edited by stickshift; 07-02-12 at 12:28 PM. Reason: removed quoting of entire post
#8
06-27-12, 09:24 AM
Blocked Downspout
Folks,
Thanks very much for the responses. I've ordered a 25ft snake from Lowes, I'll give that a go and report back. I tried to disconnect the down spout but it was too awkward to really get a grip on and the paint is helping hold it together. I'll try to see if there is a section lower down that I can remove that would help. I'll let y'all know what happens. I did get my hand into the actaul gutters and they seem clear, so I think it's the bend that's causing the problem.
Thanks very much for the responses. I've ordered a 25ft snake from Lowes, I'll give that a go and report back. I tried to disconnect the down spout but it was too awkward to really get a grip on and the paint is helping hold it together. I'll try to see if there is a section lower down that I can remove that would help. I'll let y'all know what happens. I did get my hand into the actaul gutters and they seem clear, so I think it's the bend that's causing the problem.
#9
07-01-12, 09:31 AM
Blocked Gutters
Fixed it! The problem ended up being a triangular fragment of roof shingle acting as a dam (or in this case a damn) in the gutter. There wasn't much leaf debris and the bend was not blocked. The drain rod helped but not in the way I imagined. It kept snagging on the drainpipe joints, but that served to loosen and disconnect the drain pipe sections, so in the end I had the complete drain pipe on the lawn. I was also able to reach the gutter better from a different vantage point, that was basically at right angles to the gutters, so moral of story is look for other ways to position the ladder to reach into gutter sections other than the position directly under where you want to reach into. Thanks for your help folks, saved me calling the pro's. Also.....I'll state the obvious..........have a helper 'foot' the ladder.
#10
07-01-12, 10:16 PM
Member
Glad you unplugged the plug. And your last point is a good one for every one to remember. When working alone off a high extension ladder on slick ground surfaces, I always pound in a paving pin or two to hold the ladder when I'm 20' up in the air. There is absolutely nothing as scary as watching the wall surface in front of your eyes, ever so slowly (at first) moving upward--best advice is to jump clear, because the "slowly" becomes "fastly" very quickly, and you don't want your legs/ankles/feet caught by the ladder's rungs as it crashes to earth!
Ouch hurts!
Ouch hurts!
#11
07-02-12, 12:15 PM
Blocked Gutter - Ladder Safety
OK, good point on paving pins. I see now what the holes are for in the ladder feet. Thanks I'll remember that one. Not using ladders much I would not have thought of that.
