How To Clean Clogged Rain Gutter Downspout

Use this guide to learn the basics of how to clean gutters and downspouts.

How to clean clogged rain gutter downspout.

Start by cleaning the bottom downspout opening. An underground drain pipe can become clogged in a variety of ways including leaf buildup or damage to the pipe itself. Firstly inspect the gutter to see if there exists a connecting bracket that has worked itself loose. Expose the bottom downspout opening divert the flow away from any landscape drain and then use a garden trowel to reach up into the opening and remove any clogged leaves and debris that could have accumulated there.

The good news is it s not hard to clean gutters. Late autumn or early winter or whenever the trees are bare is the right time to clean out your gutters. All you need to do is fix it while you also learn how to clean gutters. Remove the downspout extension if present to expose the bottom opening.

When you fail to clear out a clogged downspout water backs up and the excess water may damage the exterior and foundation. If you wait until spring or summer the downspouts elbows and drop outlets are usually already clogged. Clean the bottom downspout opening. This will indicate the location of the clog.

Working your way down from the gutter tap the outside of the downspout with a screwdriver and listen for a dull thud as opposed to hollow ring. If you still haven t identified the location of the clog and you have downspouts that descend below ground level then the clog likely is in an underground pipe. To unclog a gutter downspout try your easiest options first. The presence of a loose downspout doesn t signify the end of the world for your guttering.

If you don t have experience working on ladders or you re not comfortable with heights hire a professional gutter cleaning service to tackle the job. Clearly you don t want sodium chemical compounds in your drinking or garden water so if you collect rain water it s pretty obvious that using drano in gutters in a non starter. A rain gutter drain pipe is usually installed to carry water away from your house. Rain passes down the roof hits the gutters and finally is dumped to the ground or into rain collection barrels.

Then use a ladder to reach the top of the downspout insert a. Often homeowners remember to clear out gutters but forget downspouts which means that water flows down smoothly from the roof through the gutters and then gets stuck in a clogged downspout. Many people wait until the spring but it s much better to clean out the leaves prior to all the winter snow melt and spring rains. Rain gutters get clogged with leaves and other debris over time so it s best to clean them regularly to avoid more difficult work later.