I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think near the top where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has probably been building up for years. Trouble is it's in a position that is almost impossible to get a ladder to.
Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve the leaf debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)? I can get liquid into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.
TIA
-- Andy
How about pushing it down with drain-rods inserted from the top? Hopefully the black plastic tube-type rods would be flexible enough to go round the bends.
If you really can't get to it with any mechanical method, it's got to be worth a try using any proprietary drain unblocker. Since drains are all plastic these days I don't see any problem with it attacking the drainpipe.
If it's been blocked for years though you might have a massive mud-like plug (rather than just leaves) which I think you'll be lucky to shift with chemicals.
If you can't get drain rods to it (as proposed by SetSquare), what about trying something like item 82483 at
Other alternatives - cut the drainpipe near the bottom and ram drain rods up the way, then just replace the bottom section of pipe. Or cur a small access hole in the pipe at eye level, shove the drainrods up that, then patch-repair the hole afterwards
HTH David
"Andy Pandy" wrote | I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think near | the top where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has probably | been building up for years. Trouble is it's in a position that is almost | impossible to get a ladder to. | Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve | the leaf debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)? I can | get liquid into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.
Have you tried a long bendy spring pipe cleaner shoved up from the bottom of the downpipe? B&Q or plumbers merchants will have long bendy spring pipe cleaners in a variety of lengths and thicknesses.
Owain
Or possibly by pushing a drain rod up from the bottom?
sPoniX
brick acid?
In message , Owain writes
What about shoving a hose pipe up the downpipe and try water jetting it from below, worked for me in a similar situation? A little messy so wear old waterproofs.
Andy
Caastic soda will take out most organic material.
Its certainly worth a try, as is poking a hose down.
But try poking one up rather...or its it not going to a wossisname - the open grille thingies?
Lrss useful on organics - acids need to be very strong to etch away at e.g. leafmould.
Mowever thatey can be used on fibrous stugf like celluose.
I think thats how you make nitroocellulose - a rater excellent explosive...
You need to use a mix of two acids in the right proprtions. Most of our sixth form chemistry practicals had a bit of nitrocellulose brewing in a cupboard under a bench.
Colin Bignell
The Natural Philosopher wrote:t
Castic won't deal with dead birds, btdt, a pressure washer with a drain jetting kit however....
It will deal with most of a dead bird. Cf various murderers who have used it to destroy corpses.
Although caustic sounds easier, I think I'd try the mechanical ways first. I'd rather pour caustic soda down a pipe I've tried to jet water up, than create a caustic soda fountain.
Treue, but in this case I thought teh pipe might be inaccessible for mecahnical means.
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