# Down spouting clogged



## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

My down spouts are clogged up. From the where they enter the ground, to the street. Any suggestions? Is this something I can do myself, like renting something to clean them out?


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

I used a garden hose once.


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## Evinrude58 (Apr 13, 2011)

could try a plumbing snake


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

I think it's tree roots.


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## dcool (Apr 14, 2004)

Sounds like a backhoe is in your future.


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## fshnmaster (Nov 10, 2016)

High pressure jetter or will need a new one ran. A eel will most likely tear up your underground pipe. I'm willing to bet that its corrugated tile and not sdr pipe or schedule 35 pvc


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## Rocknut (Apr 17, 2015)

Solid PVC pipe or the black Corrugated pipe? If its the black corrugated then yes replacement is in your future. Just did my daughters storm drains this week found a plug of tree roots about 15' long completely filling the pipe. If its the solid PVC then you could have them jetted out or a rotary style cleaner


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## crappiedude (Mar 12, 2006)

I'm a DIY type of guy so I'd just do it myself. In fact I did just that at my current home. The house was built in 2001 the front of the house was ran in PVC and was just fine but the downspout drains in the rear of the house were put in with that black plastic corrugated pipe that comes in 10' sections. Every joint was leaking and full of tree roots. It's not hard to replace but it does take time and a little effort. Generally speaking the pipes aren't buried too deep and is usually within a foot of the surface.
If you are going to do it, take the time and do it right and I would only replace it with PVC where I could glue and seal any joints. I had one run that was about 150' long and I put in a clean out ahead of the more wooded section of the yard. I shouldn't ever get more roots but if I do I at least have a means to get that section cleaned out.
If you decide to just have the pipe cleaned out just consider it a routine maintenance thing that will need to be done every 3-5 years because it will be a continual problem.


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## Raider16 (Oct 19, 2016)

Depending where you live the county/city may jet or snake your drain from the street back to your house. It’s worth a call


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## Lazy 8 (May 21, 2010)

In the mean time, reroute or bypass with a section of downspout to get the water away from your foundation.


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## 1more (Jan 10, 2015)

camera the line 1st to see where the issue is.


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

What Lazy8 said, first. 
You have to open the downspout anyway, to take measurements & find the clog.
Run a snake both ways, to see how much is clogged & where.

I just helped my neighbor fix his,,,,, & it was solid PVC Pipe. 
Right where his backyard pipe goes by his only maple tree, there was a dent at a joint. Just enough of a gap to let the tree roots in. There was about 16" of totally clogged pipe. We cut out 2' & replaced it,,,,,, we used the slide-on rubber repair boots with double SS clamps on each end,,,, then we wrapped the whole deal with black plastic & concreted it in.

If this is like your problem, TAKE measurements, & PICTURES,,,,, the roots will still find their way back in again,,,, eventually.

OR, replace the hole run. 
Rent a ditcher from Home Depo,,,, put in glued joint PVC. (specially if you have trees around.)


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

Both are crushed from tree roots. 
2k, is the grand total. Next Thursday, or Friday.


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## Workingman (Jan 21, 2016)

I could do a lot of digging before I'd spend 2k haha! I'd figure out the clogged areas and make a repair there!


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

Ran a camera into the drains, one on each side. The corrugated plastic was crushed pretty bad. The ground is mostly clay,and the tree roots from two Hemlocks, and two big Maple trees make it almost impossible to to make small repairs. Scoping was free. The repairs include a gravel bed,green pipe,sealed with a flexible epoxy. From down spout to the street. Sidewalk replacement, both pads have sunken. I have four estimates. Only one offered this type of repair. Several offered to replace the same as what is in place now. Water jetting was the other way. Yes the price is cheaper, but, having it done right is what matters. Also standard codes have been upgraded where we live. I visited the new allotment being built, and that is what the code is, according to them. I will know more from the township on Monday.


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## Rocknut (Apr 17, 2015)

That's really not a bad price for all the work being done. Not sure how many feet your talking about. But replace as much of the black corrugated pipe as you can.


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

Rocknut said:


> That's really not a bad price for all the work being done. Not sure how many feet your talking about. But replace as much of the black corrugated pipe as you can.


That's the plan.


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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

Just another option for you you could have oops come out and mark your water and gas lines plus electric rent a trencher they usually run about $100 per day go to Lowe’s get your pipe and do it yourself

Your wife will love you for saving (HER) That much money


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

1basshunter said:


> Just another option for you you could have poops come out and mark your water and gas lines plus electric rent a trencher they usually run about $100 per day go to Lowe’s get your pipe and do it yourself
> 
> Your wife will love you for saving (HER) That much money


That makes sense.Thanks. However, that's above my physical pay grade. These days, a few cold ones won't get the job done!


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

JamesF said:


> That makes sense.Thanks. However, that's above my physical pay grade. These days, a few cold ones won't get the job done!


You have anything else that needs done around your house?


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

Shad Rap said:


> You have anything else that needs done around your house?


I'm waiting for my insurance company to get back to me about a couple of estimates. We are possibly looking at removing a few trees. My brother was a big help in trimming up the shrubbery. I'm thinking about renting a drop off dumpster. Things tend to pile up, the longer you live at the same house. We have some furniture sitting on our front porch, that was supposed to be taken by Good Will, but the guys that came made a half azzed excuse, they just didn't want to lift it. That was last fall. Now everything is on a cost base by the trash company, so it's cheaper to get a dumpster. Thank you for offering. I'll keep in touch, as soon as I can get things lined up. So far, I have had better luck trying to align the planets and stars .


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## threeten (Feb 5, 2014)

JamesF said:


> That makes sense.Thanks. However, that's above my physical pay grade. These days, a few cold ones won't get the job done!


Your on the right path. A trencher won’t give you the room or proper elevation to replace it properly. With sidewalk repairs and the price of pipe, gravel, and concrete alone your contractor isn’t getting rich off your project. That correlated pipe has to go or it’ll happen again. Keep your trees if you like them because the hard pipe will keep them at bay for a long time. A cup or two of rock salt in them a few times a year will help kill any that do get in. Flush some down your sanitary too


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Rocknut said:


> That's really not a bad price for all the work being done. Not sure how many feet your talking about. But replace as much of the black corrugated pipe as you can.


Yep! I paid $2K a few years ago to replace my water line from the shut off in the devil strip to my house, a distance of 25' to 30'. One guy who came out to give an estimate suggested that I could rent a trencher and do the job myself!

NO THANK YOU! I was 64 or 65 years old at the time, and it was in the dead of Winter! Let the young'uns go out there in the freezing cold and bust their ass! Which they did.

I almost forgot! My Bro told me he arrived home in a driving rainstorm to see waterfalls coming off of his gutters! His street was being paved at the time, and the idiot blacktop company had closed up his downspout openings to the street! He was out there the next day with a spud bar clearing them. He was confronted by someone with the blacktop company to ask what he was doing. My Bro replied that he was keeping them from ruining his house's foundation! He went on further to say that if the guy had to ask, he was too stupid to be in the business! 

My Bro did NOT suffer fools gladly!


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## ditchdigger (Feb 22, 2012)

I do this for a living. If you have trees nearby the problem is usually roots as previously stated. Just beware if you decide to rent a trencher you will have a hard time if your trenching near trees. Trenchers don’t do well in roots. I use a mini excavator. Depending on where you live some municipalities require sdr40. If not, I would definitely use solid sdr35 and not the thin wall pvc. Glue all your fittings. Be sure to call Oups 48 hours before digging 1-800-362-2764 or 811, it’s the law!


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

Just run downspout extensions to get away from the foundation and call it a day?


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

I'm waiting for my insurance company to get back to me about a couple of estimates. We are possibly looking at removing a few trees. My brother was a big help in trimming up the shrubbery. I'm thinking about renting a drop off dumpster. Things tend to pile up, the longer you live at the same house. We have some furniture sitting on our front porch, that was supposed to be taken by Good Will, but the guys that came made a half azzed excuse, they just didn't want to lift it. That was last fall. Now everything is on a cost base by the trash company, so it's cheaper to get a dumpster. Thank you for offering. I'll keep in touch, as soon as I can get things lined up. So far, I have had better luck trying to align the planets and stars .




Where do you live????


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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

Dad had downspots backing up. Hired folks who came out and tried to use a camera but it wasnt working well. They were at least able to trace it and started to dig. On their third dig they luckily found a T. The original excavater T’d in black corrugated which allowed tree roots to block the main.










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I think what you're paying for this work is a reasonable price, especially with the added concrete sidewalk work. That plastic corrugated stuff does not stand up to roots very well. Solid PVC or SDR pipe will be much better and won't leak if glued right. I've used a trencher before to run an electric line 200' for a light post. It sucked. So many roots we had to cut out by hand. Took all day just to do the trenching. 

My dad has a sanitary sewer line from his house that clogs with roots. He has 2 big maple trees in front of his house. The line is 10' below ground, so it would be more expensive to replace. He has the line jetted out and they spray a root killer inside the pipe. He still have to have this done about every 3 years.


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## Sean Ebra (Dec 6, 2017)

JamesF said:


> My down spouts are clogged up. From the where they enter the ground, to the street. Any suggestions? Is this something I can do myself, like renting something to clean them out?


Garden hose and keep jabbing it back and forth try both ends.If this doesn't work call someone with a snake.


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

The repair crew showed up yesterday at am, and worked until 10PM. Almost the entire black drain was either crushed or totally blocked. Both sides. Hand dug around two big Hemlocks, rear drainage one side was connected, the other side wasn't, said if we ever have a problem they will replace or repair free. Great guys, no noises, all work! Said that their jet cutter, and the trenching machine wouldn't have done any good, going around the trees, and dig up the old drainage system. 
I asked if going along side of the old one would work? They said that the old pipe, more than likely isn't going in a straight line. And to my surprise it wasn't. It went right under the trees and looked like a snake all the way to the street .
According to codes the old drainage is to be removed, and the new one placed in the same place. Well worth the price, along with a lifetime warranty. We'll keep an eye on the back side, and see how well the system works. I would highly recommend them. PM me, for name and information. Well known company.


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## JamesF (May 20, 2016)

Doboy said:


> I'm waiting for my insurance company to get back to me about a couple of estimates. We are possibly looking at removing a few trees. My brother was a big help in trimming up the shrubbery. I'm thinking about renting a drop off dumpster. Things tend to pile up, the longer you live at the same house. We have some furniture sitting on our front porch, that was supposed to be taken by Good Will, but the guys that came made a half azzed excuse, they just didn't want to lift it. That was last fall. Now everything is on a cost base by the trash company, so it's cheaper to get a dumpster. Thank you for offering. I'll keep in touch, as soon as I can get things lined up. So far, I have had better luck trying to align the planets and stars .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Uniontown.


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