Remove all debris and any bird's nests from inside your gutters. Flush Out Gutters—Use your garden hose to flush out your gutters twice a year. Check Downspouts—If water isn't draining through your downspouts, remove them and remove any downspout clogs with a plumbing snake.
It's typically a result of clogged, sagging, or poorly sloped gutters. You can call a gutter repair pro if you're concerned about standing water.
Number of potential causes. Most likely is a blocked downspout. Moss and debris can fall down and cause a blockage (after years it basically decomposes to soil). If you clear it, put a simple downspout filter in the top to prevent reoccurrence.
The steps to unblock a gutter downpipe
A garden hose can flush out minor blockages if you follow these steps: Insert the hose into the top of the downpipe. Turn the water on and let the pressure build up. Move the hose up and down to dislodge the blockage.
duct tape a shop-vac hose onto the bottom of the downspout. then using a ladder and your fists work your way from the bottom up while banging (gently enough as to not cause dents) on your downspout. you should be able to free up the clogs this way and the shop vac will instantly suck out any debris that falls down.
Trim back trees and bushes that are close to your property. Scrape and debris including moss off the roof. Install downpipe filters to prevent blockages in the downpipes and drains. Clean out your gutters at the same time as your neighbours if you have a shared guttering system.
If you want to tackle the blockage yourself, you can use a drain rod or plumber's auger – also known as a plumber's snake. If the cause of the blockage is debris and leaves, simply put some protective gloves on and remove the debris manually.
However if the issue is left unchecked, it can lead to other issues. Blocked, dirty gutters that aren't tended to can end up causing leaks in the roof. This is because the debris blocks water from flowing through the gutter system, and it begins to pool on the roof, ultimately causing damage.
If you aren't comfortable on a ladder or your downspouts aren't working the way they should be, you may want to consider calling your local Roto-Rooter professional - Roto-Rooter offers several outdoor plumbing services, including downspout cleaning and repair.
When you have a clogged gutter, rainwater has nowhere left to go but overflow or soak through your shingles and leak into your home. Your shingles then become softened and significantly damaged, allowing for more leakage from rainfall. The weight of the rainwater can also cause the gutter to rip and damage your roof.
Sagging gutters are another common sign that your gutters are clogged. The weight of the leaves, shingle grit, pine needles, and other debris can cause your gutters to bend and sag. Unfortunately, clogged, sagging gutters will be ineffective at carrying water away from your home.
If you have a downspout strainer, detach it and clear any accumulated debris. Check the nearest elbow joint for debris buildup and clear it out. Use a hose to run water through the downspout. If water still isn't draining properly, use a plumbing snake or high-pressure hose to clear the downspout.
Incorrect Pitch or Tilt
If your gutters are overflowing but not clogged, the next thing to check is the pitch and tilt of your gutters. As the rain collects in your gutters, it should run towards the downspout because gutters are installed with a slight pitch in that direction.
While some small amount of standing water can be normal, it should be no more than what would dry up after only a few hours in the sun. Anything more than a quarter of an inch of standing water in small spots can lead to algae growth and water damage.
Simply either find a stiff piece of wire around the house, or buy a plumbing snake, and insert it into the blocked downpipe as far as it can go. To unblock a downpipe using this method you simply: Insert the wire as far as it can go down into the downpipe. Start rotating the wire and moving it around.
If a windstorm, lightning strike, or another covered peril damages your home's gutters, your homeowners policy may pay for their repair or replacement, up to your coverage limits and minus your deductible. Your homeowners policy won't cover damage to your gutters due to negligence or wear and tear.
Turn the hose on at full pressure to try to dislodge the clog. If this does not dislodge the clog, use a plumber's snake to break up the blockage. If you have a downspout that flows into an underground tiling system, you will need to remove the bottom end to access the longer length of the downspout.
Use a Drain Snake
This is probably the easiest method: get yourself a drain snake and use it to manually clean out the pipe after disconnecting the underground drain from the downspout. This method is best if you have a minor clog caused by leaves, twigs, and other organic material that is easy enough to push through.
The number one sign that your gutters are clogged is that water is spilling over the sides or edges of your gutters. The next time it is raining, step outside for a minute and look at your gutters. Do you notice water sloshing over the edges of the gutter and falling out? If so, your gutters are likely clogged.
While gutter hedgehogs are effective at preventing larger debris from entering your gutters, smaller particles like pine needles or roof grit may still find their way through. We also find leaves are left on the hedgehogs which then rot down and cause a sludge.