Clean Clogged Gutter Downspout

Remove the screws at the top of the downspout connecting it to the gutter.

Clean clogged gutter downspout.

Feed the hose up the downspout from the ground. Remove the downspout from the pipe. This is especially important if the downspout is connected to an underground drain. You have to remove the spout to access the downpipe.

If you wait until spring or summer the downspouts elbows and drop outlets are usually already clogged. Although you can t see into these drains cleaning them is similar to a process used to clear debris from the side gutter pipes on your house. Turn the hose on and spray down the spout. If the amount of water coming out is less than what is going in there is a blockage.

To unclog a gutter downspout try your easiest options first. Pull the underground drain which is often a black. Late autumn or early winter or whenever the trees are bare is the right time to clean out your gutters. Gutters and downspouts can get clogged with leaves and debris that hinder the proper operation of the system so keeping them clean and flowing freely is essential.

If you see water flowing over the edges of your gutters and not through your downspouts your downspouts are most likely clogged with a small object or leaves and twigs. After the gutters are clean and the water used for flushing isn t draining quickly check the downspout for clogs and any lodged debris. Remove the guard at the other end of the drain pipe if there is one. Start by cleaning the bottom downspout opening.

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. If you see water backing up you have a clog. Otherwise trying to remove the clog may simply push it further down. 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.

Disconnect the gutter downspout from where it connects to the drain pipe. Check to see if water and debris come out the other end of the pipe. Turn on a garden hose to its most powerful setting and run water through the drain pipe. Gutter clogging is especially likely at certain times of the year such as in the spring when trees are casting seeds and in the autumn when leaves are falling.