Look for these signs that it’s clogged before calling a professional: No Sign Of Water: After it rains, check to see if water is flowing out of the bottom of your downspout’s extensions and going into the ground. Usually this process takes a long time but it is not an uncommon scenario. It can be tricky to tell if your downspout is clogged. However, when a drain is placed underground it becomes susceptible to being damaged or clogged. To prevent this from happening, you can disconnect the bottom of the downspout and use a water hose to increase water pressure and flush out the debris. Then, quickly flood the downspout with water using your pressure washer or a plumbing snake. Signs of a Clogged Downspout. The way downspouts are built makes visual confirmation difficult. Visit them online for more information. Some contractors and homeowners elect to use perforated pipe thinking a small amount of water may escape but will soak into the soil. This leads to standing water in your yard and creates all the negative side effects that result from flooding. Get alerts on offers and news from Stan Young Drainage. What a lot of homeowners don’t realize is that a clogged gutter or downspout could be contributing to their wet crawl space problems. If the gutter or downspout isn’t able to move water as effectively as possible, it will seep over the sides of the home or build up next to the crawl space footing. How to Clear a Clogged Downspout. Watch out for these signs. Reply. Learn the 5 steps to open clogged downspouts on your home. If your underground drain is damaged or root bound, the best way to handle the situation is to simply have the drain replaced. If leaves, pine needles, or other types of debris make their way into the pipe, they may not pass all the way through. The Seams Are Leaking: If water sprays from the seams and joints of your gutter or downspout, there’s probably a blockage somewhere. If the downspout is clogged, you will need to clear it. If you don’t see water flowing out of your downspouts, you probably have a clog somewhere. Signs of a Clogged Gutter System. Whether it means clearing the blockage by inserting an auger or repairing the downspoutâs support system, they can determine the cause of the clog and clear it before much damage is done. The best way to find the clog is to tap the downspout with a screwdriver, starting at the top and working your way down. This can be difficult because most of the time all you can see is water flowing off the gutter or bubbling at the bottom of the downspout where it goes into an underground drain. Birds find gutters to be a convenient place to make a nest. TOM: Well, what you do is you basically – it’s kind of like Roto-Rooter. You Spot Birds or Pests By Your Roof. If it is an above-ground clog, you can continue your mission with a regular garden hose. If you’re unlucky, the ensuing water damage of an overflowing toilet is a hassle. Remove all the accumulated debris in the gutter. If the water sprays back toward you, it’s likely you have a clog. If you suspect that you do have a clogged downspout, here are the steps to take to clear the clog. If your downspout is clogged and runs underground, the issue could be in the underground pipe sections. Be sure that the end is not blocked - that is, the drain line is taken "to daylight" at a location where water can be discharged safely 3. When the gutter gets clogged, the heavy weight can cause the gutter to pull away from the house. Doing electrical work that necessitates putting lines underground or putting up a split rail fence requiring you to dig deep holes are some of the most common ways drains get damaged. If a perforated drain pipe was used to redirect the rain water, this could possibly be the problem. Working from the bottom should result in easier movement of debris. How to Prevent a Clogged Downspout? 1. find the end of the drain line 2. Every time it rains, more water flows through the pipe and the roots grow larger until the pipe becomes clogged and finally bursts. So how do you tell if a downspout is clogged before it’s too late? 1348 Green Oaks Ln Unit C, Charlotte, NC 28205, Drain damaged by roots growing underground. Dig up the pipe in the appropriate location. Thomas Boni February 12, 2020 at 3:00 pm. All rights reserved. For some, not so much, though. Remove the downspout from a connecting drain, place a garden hose inside the downspout and turn the water on. Here are some signs you could have clogged rain gutters. If water flows out of the bottom carrying leaf debris with it, your job is complete. Perhaps the biggest benefit of rain gutter shields is that you won’t have to worry about a clogged gutter system. What are Gutter Screens and How Do They Work? If you see water backing up, you have a clog. If water is not redirected away from the foundation of the home, a lot of damage can be done to your yard or any beautification such as flower beds or gardens. However, if water backs up into the gutter, a clog is present in the downspout, and you must remove it. The only way to remove the roots is to dig up the drain and clean it out in sections. 1. Place the end of a plumber's auger, also known as a snake, into the underground gutter. Drain damaged over time by items flowing through. This will only be visible if your drain pipe is near pavement, concrete, driveway, or even a deck. When the drain is damaged, dirt and debris can pass through cracks or openings resulting in clogging. If no one has been digging or driving heavy equipment around your drain and there is damage that could cause clogging, the problem could be related to the original installation. Small blockages may be simple to clear on your own, but the job may be messy and hazardous. How to Fix Your Clogged Underground Drain System, Why Your Underground Downspout Drain is Clogged and What to Do About It, 6 Frequently Asked Questions about Gutter Cleaning, Seamless Gutters – Everything You Need to Know. Because the water needs to go 7-10 feet away, a lot of people choose to have the water redirected underground so large ugly pipes aren’t laying in the middle of their yard. The first thing you need to do in order to fix a clogged underground drain system is to find out the location of the clog. Turn the handle clockwise to extend the end of the auger. Simply try each one until you find one that works. This customer uses the gutter basket which works extremely well to ensure a blockage free downspout. Signs inside your home like moisture, water stains or actual water near your downspouts and/or buried drain lines. If a downspout is clogged, water is unable to flow freely out of the gutter system. Transitions 4 in corrugated black pipe to yard surface, Highly Recommended For Moving Water to Safe Distance From Foundation, Used for flushing sediment from underground drain line, Highly Recommended For Simplifying Underground Drain Cleaning Process, Used for keeping leaves and debris from clogging your drain system, Highly Recommended As a Drain Protection Alternative Option to Leaf Guards, Your email address will not be published. When you reach the top opening of the downspout, ask a helper down below to turn on the water. Locate the Clog. Downspouts below ground level – If you still can’t find the clog and you have downspouts below ground, the clog may be in an underground pipe. If you notice a lack of water draining during early spring, you may have ice that hasn’t melted in a downspout. Some visual clues that indicate a clogged buried downspout drain line include: Soil was areas visible around the top of the buried drain line Water flowing out over the top of the buried drain line during heavy rain Water stains, moisture, leaks, or actual water entry … Left unchecked, natural debris such as leaves and twigs can gather in gutter drains and underground downspouts, leaving them clogged and resulting in costly repairs to your roof or foundation. Signs of a Clogged … Click here for more information about Blue River Gutters Gutter & Downspout Cleaning Services. Another reason why underground drains get clogged is because of how slow the flow of water is. If the downspout becomes clogged, water can back up and threaten your foundation. Look for these signs that itâs clogged before calling a professional: If youâre unable to clean your gutters or downspout on your own, donât worry. When the auger reaches the clog, measure the distance from the opening of the pipe to the tip of the cable; this will tell you where the clog in the pipe can be found. Downspouts are the part of the gutter system that works to get all the rain water off the roof to an area away from the home. 4 Signs Your Underground Downspout Is Clogged - Stan Young Drainage Fall is an excellent time of year to perform maintenance on your gutters and downspouts. Unlike gutters, it’s not so simple as peering into your downspout to see if it’s clogged. Run the water through the downspout until it is running free and clear of all debris. If you choose to clean the drain instead of getting a new one, understand that the same issue may very well happen again. If tapping on the downspout doesn’t work to release the clog, then it’s time to take action. If you suspect the pipe connected to the downspout is clogged, take your hose and fill it until the water pours out, go to the location where the pipe carries the water away and wait. Place a hose into your underground system and turn the water on until you have a forceful stream. Tap the outside of the downspout to see if it sounds hollow or full. Please feel free to share it with friends! If you find that the problem is in your downspout, place a … If you’re lucky, the water will only rise so high. Since plants and roots need water to grow, nearby roots will actually seek out the source of the water and pass through the tiny holes in the pipe. When a downspout is clogged, the water backs up and will start to pool in the gutters. Thank You So Much Joe! The longer the pipe, the less of an angle there will be and the low water pressure will allow clogging to occur. Here are a few reasons why a drain can get damaged or clogged. 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. Bring out the downspout from the point it … The last thing you want to do is turn clogged downspouts into an even bigger problem. If leaves, pine needles, or other types of debris make their way into the pipe, they may not pass all the way through. If an underground drain becomes root bound, it is almost impossible to fix. Over the course of time, sediment can cause the pipe to deteriorate and build up in the bottom of the drain. More over, if the ground is swampy and over saturated close to your underground drain, that could also be a sign that it’s clogged. They do … If it’s not raining out, clogged gutters can still be noticeable. If you see a water stain around your underground drain, that is also a sign that it is clogged. Stan Young Drainage specializes in waterproofing and drainage services for homes and businesses in Independence, KY, and their team of technicians can install and repair underground downspouts. Underground downspouts direct water far away from your homeâs foundation, draining into the ground at the end of the downspout. Another reason why underground drains get clogged is because of how slow the flow of water is. If you are noticing animals or pests scurrying around your gutters, this can be a big sign your gutters are clogged. How to Install a Downspout Adapter and When to Use One, How to Assemble and Install a Downspout Extension, 5 Downspout Cleaning Hacks Used by Gutter Professionals, Drain crushed by vehicles or heavy equipment above ground. I’m going to buy the snake this weekend and then follow through with flushing the clogged downspout. Make sure your pipes are not perforated and try not to drive vehicles or operate heavy equipment above where your pipe is located. Downspout elbows and seams – These are prone to clogs. If there is a clog, you’ll either see no water or only a small amount of water with leaves and some gunk intermixed with it. How to Clean Out Clogged Downspouts: To locate the clog, insert the manual auger cable into the pipe. But there are some things you can look for. If you hire a local handyman or even some sub-contractors to do these jobs and they damage your drain, they may use duck tape or some other quick fix to repair the damaged drain pipe for a low cost. Look at the gutters around the downspout. This may force any clogs loose. Signs your downspout is clogged. These types of fixes eventually fail resulting in a clogged underground drain. Another sign of a clogged gutter is nothing flowing from your downspout during snowmelt or a rainstorm. Fall is an excellent time of year to perform maintenance on your gutters and downspouts. Left unchecked, natural debris such as leaves and twigs can gather in gutter drains and underground downspouts, leaving them clogged and resulting in costly repairs to your roof or foundation. Glad to hear you enjoyed this content, Jen. © Copyright 2020 Vivial Media LLC. It’s probably easiest to begin by using the spray attachment on the hose to direct water into the downspout from the bottom end. If your downspout pours water into a dry well, the dry well could be clogged. You know, you hire a drain cleaner to clean out the clogged downspout. To find the outlet you may need to trace the pipe. Cleaning your gutter regularly will mostly prevent this from happening, but sometimes it will still clog due to … Like any type of gutter or roof repair work, it’s always safety first, both for you personally and for your house. Any other course of action won’t be much more affordable and can open you up to a high risk of the drain being clogged again in the near future. Once you notice that there’s water overflowing from your downspout, and there are signs of moisture on your exterior walls, it’s probably already clogged. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Simply call the drainage experts at Stan Young Drainage at (859) 816-5613 to schedule an appointment and get a free estimate on their services. Your email address will not be published. It’s your job, or the job of a gutter professional, to pinpoint the problem area so you can address your drainage concerns effectively. Here are some tips for identifying when a downpipe has become blocked and what to do about it. Usually if this situation occurs the homeowner or property owner chooses to have a new pipe installed that doesn’t allow water in to begin with. In either of these situations, you can attempt to fix the downspout yourself or call a professional for help. Tips on How to Unclog a … Use a … Remove the bottom of the downspout if yours is connected to an underground drain. It is recommended that the water be directed at least 7-10 feet away from the home using an underwater downspout drain. Something unseen has clogged the toilet drain, leading to a backup. Using a spade (shovel), cut small patches of sod out and dig down every 6 … Step #2: Flush the Clogged Downspout. Remove the Clog. ALLISON: OK. TOM: And essentially, what has to happen here is you’ve got to manage this water any way you can. No matter if you just cleaned your gutter downspout from a clog, or if you want to prevent downspout buildup, adding gutter guards will be your best bet at preventing any future clogs. A stream of water may dislodge the plug, or you can use a drain snake with a corkscrew end to pull out debris. As roots continue to move and grow they will eventually invade and destroy your underground drain system. Regards, Jenn. Don’t ignore it. It’s really important to inspect your downspouts when cleaning your gutters. Click here for information about Blue River Gutters Underground Drain Systems. Maintaining your underground drains by flushing them frequently will prevent the majority of the issues that lead to clogging. If your downspouts are dry while the rest of the neighborhood is experiencing Niagara Falls, you have a problem! You can also clean standing on the ground. Three options are available to you. Usually underground drains are piped anywhere between 5-100 feet depending on the terrain and the preference of the homeowner. You’re a Smart Man! The professionals at Stan Young Drainage have the experience, tools, and knowledge to perform the job for you. If the clog occurs at the downspout cage: Remove and clean it. However, if the clog persists, you’ll need to dismantle the downspout and get the clog out. Over the course of time, sediment can cause the pipe to deteriorate and build up in the bottom of the drain. If the cage is in good shape, firmly re-seat it into the downspout hole. For the most part, it’s simple to tell when your toilet is clogged. So I would tell you this: I … Gutter guard installation can be tricky, so this … This should clear out the dirt. Serving Charlotte, Harrisburg, Concord, Huntersville, and surrounding areas. Although this may sound logical, the result can be costly. Most of the time you’ll hear a hollow sound, but at the location of the clog you should hear a dull thud. Required fields are marked *. The dry well could be clogged be clogged lucky, the issue could be clogged gutters! Lucky, the result can be a convenient place to make a nest is running free and clear all. Release the clog, then it ’ s simple to tell if a downspout is.! 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