Top Tips For Clearing Your Downpipes

Got clogged up downpipes? Here are some of our top tips for clearing them out

Let’s face it, we all take our gutters and downpipes for granted.

They play a vital role in ensuring that your home stays in good shape and that your family is safe and healthy – so it’s safe to say they deserve a fair bit of credit.

If you can’t remember the last time you inspected your gutters, or suspect you have a blockage on your hands, it’s probably time you got the ladder out to take a closer look.

You might think this sounds like a job for a plumber, but unclogging and repairing gutter parts, such as your downpipes, is actually a pretty easy DIY job. But how do you do it?

In this post, our experts here at Total Pipes let you in on some of our top tips.

 Common causes of a blocked downpipe

• Leaves – this is probably the most common cause of clogged up downpipes. If your home is surrounded by trees, then there’s a good chance that this is what’s causing the blockage. Foliage will blow onto your roof and end up in your gutters and downpipes. The rainy UK weather doesn’t help much either, as the wetter the leaves, the stodgier the mess – which is much harder to remove.
• Moss – moss grows on most roofs, but it can make its way into your downpipes, too. Moss can be very thick, and when rainwater is added to the mix, it can get even thicker as it absorbs moisture.
• Plants – your gutters are the ideal breeding ground for plants. A build-up of organic matter encourages plants to grow, and your downpipes can easily be overrun by all sorts of roughage.
• Broken tiles – your roof is constantly exposed to the elements, so it has to withstand lots of wear and tear. Particularly harsh storms can cause tiles to break and fall into your gutters, bringing roofing cement along with them.

So, how do you unblock your downpipes?

No matter the severity of the blockage, clearing your downpipes is simple.

Of course, the most severe blockages will take longer to clear and may require specialist suction equipment, but in most cases, you’ll be able to take the job on by yourself.

So, grab a sturdy ladder, a bucket, and some gloves and get to work.

Once you’ve cleared all the debris, rinse your gutters and downpipes with your hose and use a brush to scrub away any stubborn grime.

Once they’re both clean, it might be worth investing in some gutter guards to prevent more nasty blockages.

Purchase high-quality downpipes from Total Pipes

Letting blockages fester has the potential to cause irreparable damage.

Maybe your downpipes are already past the point of no return, and it’s time to invest in some new ones.

If this is the case, we have everything you need here at Total Pipeline Systems.

We stock a wide variety of square and round downpipes and their associated fittings, in a range of different sizes and colours, so you can select the products which best suit your rainwater management needs.

For information on any of our products or further advice on how to care for your downpipes, be sure to get in touch with our team.

Call 01254 382 000 to chat with us directly, or send us a message via email and we’ll get back to you shortly.

We’re always happy to help and share our expertise!