Gutters and Downspouts

The following is a quick and easy guide to the most common types of gutters and downspouts issues Portland Gutter Cleaning deals with on a daily basis to keep our customers gutters in proper working order. This is meant for educational purposes only. Climbing a ladder is dangerous and should be left to a professional in the industry.

Gutters and downspouts Stage 1 clog

Stage 1 Clog – Many gutters and downspouts systems run for years before encountering a substantial clog in the drainage system. Ninety percent of the time the clog is simply debris that has piled up over the top of the drainage hole. Carefully place a ladder near the gutters and downspouts, using your hand or a specialty gutter cleaning tool simply remove the debris from the downspout entry. Take a look inside the drain and run a water hose inside the gutters and downspouts to make sure the drainage system is working properly.

Gutters and downspouts Stage 2 clog

Stage 2 Clog – The next type of clog is just inside the gutters and downspouts area and is visible to the eye. Try using a small stick or something similar try to maneuver the debris out of the downspout hole. Once you have removed the debris as much as possible you can use a small object to break up the rest of the debris and it should flow right down the gutter drainage system once water is flowing.

Gutters and downspouts Stage 3 clog

Stage 3 Clog – This type of gutters and downspouts clog is easily missed unless each downspout is tested after cleaning with running water. A stage 3 clog is caught in the joint next to the siding in the second bend. There are a number of reasons why a clog will happen in this spot, the screws that have been placed near the corner to keep the proper angle on the downspout tube is the most common cause. Debris flowing down gets caught on the edge of the screw and builds up over time causing a clog.

To unclog a stage 3 clog the gutters and downspouts should have running water, which was used to help you notice that there was a problem there in the first place. Place a ladder safely next to the area and gently tap the gutters and downspouts tube with your hand, most of the time this will dislodge the debris and unclog the downspout. If further assistance is needed feed a section of small diameter hose down the interior of the drain until it touches the corner and attach the other end to a garden hose. With hose pressurized release the pressure and it will blast the debris away and the downspout will be operational again. Using this method has worked on thousands of homes we service. This is the fastest way to unclog a gutter downspout drain.

Gutters and downspouts Stage 4 clog

Stage 4 Clog – This clog is formed at the connection point where one section of downspout tube meets another. One end of the tube is bent inward in order to accept the next section over the top tube. Clogs that happen here will need a full dis-assembly of the gutters and downspouts tube drain system. To unclog is simply remove one side of the fasteners that are used to hold the downspout on the home. Remove the section that is clogged, you will know which one because it will be full of water while the next section is dry. We often knock on a section to hear the difference in sound as well as feel the water inside the tube. Remove this section and turn it upside down and thoroughly rinse with water. We often have to give it a couple shakes of the hand but again this always works. Reassemble the gutters and downspouts system and you’re done.

Gutters and downspouts Stage 6 clog

Stage 5 Clog – After testing each downspout it is important to let the water run for a period of 10 minutes or so per section of gutter. If there is a clog in the underground drainage system water will back up and begin to flow out of the base of the drain. The base is located at ground level, is usually round and larger than the gutter downspout tube that is inserted into the base. Also, you can hear water flowing down the downspout tube. If you encounter this type of clog, call a drainage specialist to flush the underground system.

Gutters and Downspouts