Any Easy Way to Unclog a Downspout?

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I'm including a tiny gif. Given it's smaller that many signature files I see attached I'm hoping this trivial violation of the not binary rule.

One of my down spouts has become clogged with leaves and, so far, I haven't been able to unclog it. I believe it is clogged near the top. There is a fairly small opening from the gutter into the first down pipe. The small opening is clear so the clog is further down. Probably in one of the elbows or the horizontal run. I have tried to run a small snake down it but I can't get it very far in.

Any other suggestions?

jim

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I tried that first. Then I did it in combination with working the snake back-and-forth for the small distance I could get it in.

jim

Good suggestion. Thanks.

jim

I also tried the water hose trick, no go until I finally fed it up the spout from the bottom. That worked.

Harry K

I suggest you follow the rules instead of being a hypocrite. You think it is OK to post a binary file here yet you complain about a question on an automobile is off topic. Hey, why don't you volunteer to be the group moderator?

With this kind of a problem I have had good luck, cutting a 2x4 flap in the horizontal downspout. If you cut it in the top and then seal it with caulk, it will not really show.

Ya know, downspouts are detachable. Even if it's riveted together you can put them back together with some of those short hex-head screws.

The fact that you can't run a snake all the way through suggests you need to take part of the downspout apart. If you can figure how far down the snake reaches before stopping you'll have an idea of where the clog is.

Go up on the roof with your garden hose. Cram the hose down the downspout. Have your partner turn on the hose and work it up and down. just like you do while having sex. You'll either unclog the ds or get it pregnant.

Mark

That's the method I started with (except from a ladder). No luck.

jim

reassemble. I can use pop-rivits. That's what's there now.

Yeah, that's just as easy but not everyone has one of those. You could just drill out the rivits that are in there now to avoid mangling the downspouts.

I may have to resort to this but I worry about permanently damaging/deforming the aluminum tubes. I don't have to use screws to reassemble. I can use pop-rivits. That's what's there now.

jim

Take a garden hose up the ladder, and give it a blast of water from the top down.

You could try a hose from the top (or bottom). Wrap a rag around it and push firmly to seal the opening around the hose so it can build a little pressure. This works for me on drains. It should work here if it doesn't blow it apart. Use care.

Bob

If the garden hose does not do the trick, use a snake (auger).

His baby sitter took his web site away.