Importance Of Unblocking Downpipes
If you are here looking how to clear a blocked gutter downpipe you already know that guttering downpipe is an important part of the guttering system. The rain gutters downpipe system makes sure to move the rainwater away from the property and let water flow fast and efficiently into your drainage system. So, cleaned efficiently, the rain gutters downpipe can stop walls from getting wet and prevent damp creation, saving you from costly damages in the future.
It’s best to clear blocked gutter downpipe several times a year and in this blog you will find when it’s recommended to clear blocked gutter downpipe, the steps on how to clear a blocked gutter downpipe and find out if you can DIY.
What Causes Blocked Gutters Downpipe?
You can’t learn how to clear a blocked gutter downpipe, without knowing what causes blocked gutters downpipe. Below you will find the main causes of blocked downpipes gutters:
- Leaves and Debris
- Moss
- Bird Nests
- Tree Branches
- General Dirt
- Ice In Gutters And Snowfall
Signs Of blocked downpipes gutters:
1. Overflowing water from gutters
The most obvious one. When dealing with heavy rainfall, you’ll notice your rain gutters downpipe not flowing water through the guttering system, and overflowing water back, leading to wet walls and damp creation.
2. Water is not draining through the downpipe
Check the rain gutters downpipe if there is water flowing down through the gutters, and if there is little to no water coming out there is for sure a blockage inside the gutter.
3. Bowing gutters
When leaving a blocked gutter downpipe untouched for a long time, debris can be created there and the weight of the gutter will be impossible to hold through the fascia and pull away from it.
4. Visible debris created in the downpipe gutter
If you don’t clear blocked gutter downpipes for a long time, leaves, moss, debris and even birds nests can build up and block your gutter downpipe and if the blockage is big enough, you can see it down the pipe.
5. Damaged walls
When water overflows from the gutters downpipe back on top of the gutters, it can lead to water going into the wall, the bricks soak up the water and it can lead to dark spots and damp patches in the wall.
6. Water around the house
If after a rainfall, you notice puddles around your house, you can say that rain gutters downpipes didn’t do the job of flowing the water properly.
Step on how to clear a blocked gutters and downpipes
Get the necessary tools for an efficient blocked gutters and downpipes cleaning
- Ladder
- Gloves
- Bucket
- Garden Hose
- Plumbing snake
- Gutter vacuuming or gutter Scoop
- Stiff brush
- Safety gears
Make sure to be safe
After collecting the tools, the next step is to be sure to position the ladder in a safe position that won’t let you fall during the process.
Downpipe debris cleaning
When cleaning blocked gutters and downpipes, start with the downpipe, cleaning debris and moss and pouring the dirt into your bucket.
Clear blocked gutter downpipe entrance
Clear the entrance of the blocked gutters and downpipes, because it’s a very high chance that it gathers most of the dirt accumulated in the downpipe gutter. Once cleaned, use the stiff brush to clean inside the blocked gutter downpipe.
Unblock gutter downpipe
Use your hose to flow water into the gutter downpipes, and if necessary use a plumbing snake from bigger blockages, and always make sure to clean with water on both ends of the gutter.
Final test
After finishing the whole process, run water in your once blocked gutter downpipe, and check if the water is flowing freely inside the gutters.
Prevent tips for no more blocked gutters and downpipes in the future
1. Regular maintenance of gutters downpipes
It is recommended to regularly clean gutters and downpipes at least twice a year, once at the end of the autumn, when all leaves have stopped falling, and once at the beginning of spring, after heavy winter weather.
2. Trim nearby trees
Overhanging trees near the gutter systems make them an important factor of blocked downpipes gutters, as the leaves need a place to fall, and your gutter system is the perfect place. Once they fall into your gutters, and with the help of the rain water, they block gutters and downpipes.
3. Install gutter guards
Mesh guards, protecting your gutters from leaves and still letting rainwater fall into the rain gutters downpipes.
4. Check your downpipes for damages
When cleaning, take some time to inspect the downpipes for cracks or any other damages.
5. Check the gutters after a storm
When facing huge rainfalling, it’s best to check the gutters and downpipes for debris and leaves that may have accumulated from the storm. This helps you prevent future cleaning expenses.
6. Call a professional team
If you can’t handle cleaning blocked gutter downpipes, it’s best to get in touch with a professional drainage team of experts, to clean your blocked gutters and downpipes giving you flowing water in the slow spring rainfalls and heavy winter weather.
Is cleaning blocked gutters and downpipes a DIY job?
In some minor cases, you can handle it yourself, if the blockage is not that big and you notice things like just some leaves or small debris, if the gutter is easy to reach and if you have basic equipment, you can try it, but it can often lead to other gutter damages. What is recommended is that when the blockage is bigger to deal, higher to reach, it requires proper professional equipment and the right thing to do is to get in touch with a professional team of drainage engineers. Our engineers have the right tools to handle a reliable process, can spot damages in your gutters and prevent gutters from future damages.
Get in touch with us today, to get a fast and reliable drainage cleaning service for your gutters, and say goodbye to leaves and debris, and say hello to flowing water.
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