fbpx

How to Clear a Clogged Downspout

Highlights:

  • Clear downspouts keep the water flowing freely through your gutters.
  • You can clear your own downspouts with the right tools and safety precautions.
  • If you’ve made certain that you have a clog, you can clean your downspout out from the top and bottom.

Your downspouts are the lines that direct water down from the gutters and away from the side and foundation of your home. When they’re clogged, they don’t work properly, and this can cause your gutters to overflow and lead to various types of damage to your house and property. Clogged downspouts don’t need to be a tragedy, though. Learn about the steps you can take to clear your own clogged downspouts.

Water pouring out of a downspout.
A clear downspout will drain the water out of your gutter system.

Ascertain the Clog

How will you know if you need to clear a clogged downspout? The simplest way to know if you have a clogged downspout is to look at your gutters. Are they filling up and overflowing with the rain? If the gutters themselves aren’t clogged, that’s a sign that your downspouts aren’t draining the water the way they should.

Another sign is if you notice that the soil is eroding underneath your gutters.

Or you might notice that the siding of your home is water damaged – that there are signs of peeling paint, moisture, or dirt stains. These things mean that water is spilling over the sides of the gutters rather than going down the downspouts.

Start at the Bottom

Disconnect downspout from extension.
Make sure to disconnect the bottom of your downspout from the extension before beginning.

When you know that you have a clog, your best bet is to start at the bottom. If you have an extension attached to the bottom of your downspout, remove it. Use a trowel to insert up the downspout and get out any of the debris you can reach. Use a hose to spray water up the downspout to dislodge any remaining debris in the area.

If the clog is only at the bottom, this could be enough, but if your downspout is very clogged, or if you’re not sure, you’ll then need to move to the top.

Rinsing From the Top

Cleaning out your downspout from the top is the most difficult part and can be dangerous. You’ll need to climb a ladder and carry a tool with you. Make sure that you follow safety precautions and ask for help as appropriate – you want to avoid any accidents.

To simply clean out your downspout, bring the garden hose up to the top opening with you. If you need to clear a stubborn clog, however, you may need more pressure. A tool such as a leaf blower, a power washer, or a wet/dry vac should have enough power to push the clog through the pipe and out of the bottom of the spout so that the water will flow freely again.

If you need help with gutter maintenance, Lednor Home Solutions has been working on homes like yours for more than 30 years and is ready to help you.  Schedule a free estimate.

lednor schedule cta 3

Year-End Sale!
20% OFF + $150 Bonus
on Gutter Helmet | NO money down + NO interest up to 2 years† | Hurry, Offer Ends 12/31/2023
I authorize Lednor Home Solutions to contact me about our products via phone, email, or text. You also understand we use an autodialing phone system, and my consent is not required to obtain a free estimate - I can call 888-543-5638 instead. We will never share your personal information with 3rd parties for marketing purposes or spam you. You can opt out at any time. Message/data rates apply. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Terms | Privacy Policy

REVIEWS

1 Million+ Satisfied Customers Nationwide

I recently had the Gutter Helmet by Harry Helmet installed on my house. It not only looks amazing, but the guys arrived on time, were professional and efficiently got the job done. I am very satisfied with Gutter Helmet's attention to detail and fulfilling their work as promised. I will definitely tell my neighbors about the Gutter Helmet.
StarStarStarStarStar
I have had Gutter Helmets for 20 years. In all that time I've never had a problem until recently a bird's nest found its way into one of my gutters. The installer who came to replace the product was the same installer from 20 years earlier. Now that's impressive. Everyone at Gutter Helmet inclusive of the office staff were professional and a pleasure to work with.
StarStarStarStarStar
Gutter Helmet by Harry Helmet just replaced our roof and we could not be more satisfied. The crew showed up early, worked all day and stayed late, were professional and caring regarding the project and the surrounding impact it had on our property and home. They completed the roof quickly and it looks simply amazing!
StarStarStarStarStar
VERY happy with our entire experience adding Gutter Helmet by Harry Helmet to our house. Installing this was a great value for us. The gutters are working perfectly in heavy downpours and with year-long leaves and debris coming down from our river birches. Terrific customer service and a first class product.
StarStarStarStarStar
We needed our roof repaired due to wind damage. After several quotes, Gutter Helmet was the only company that went into our attic to look and see if more damage had occurred. If it wasn't for them taking the extra time to look at everything, we would have had rotting wood under our new roof. They were very professional and gave a fair quote.
StarStarStarStarStar
We just had Gutter Helmet installed on our gutters and couldn't be happier. They provided us with useful information about Gutter Helmet and cleaned up everything, leaving no mess behind. We definitely recommend Gutter Helmet to anyone considering this product.
StarStarStarStarStar

20% Off + $150 Holiday Bonus

We work hard with each manufacturer to offer our customers the best promotions monthly.

Find a Location

Serving a Location Near You

Careers

Join the Lednor Home Solutions Family

We're seeking fun, outgoing, and confident individuals who enjoy winning to join our team. Lednor Home Solutions is an equal opportunity employer and we operate a safety first & drug-free workplace focused on employee safety. Great pay and benefits, apply today!