On May 3, 11:45 am, ransley wrote:
On May 3, 9:41 am, "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:



"Ray K" wrote in message

...

Just about every screen for use at the input of a downspout has a very
fine mesh, perhaps blocking debris as small as 1/8", even though such
small stuff would pass harmlessly through a typical 2x3" downspout. This
causes the screen to clog, preventing the gutters from draining and
causing them to overflow.

It seems a better design would be something like in kitchen sink drains
use: a large cross that blocks only the stuff big enough to potentially
cause a downstream blockage.

Thanks for your comments.

Ray

The ones I use are sort of pear shaped and made from wire, not screen. They
catch leaves and pine needles, but not fine silt. You just place them into
the downspout inside the gutter.

Same item, but look at the price difference at these two placeshttp://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-65696/Detailhttp://www.impr......

This is cheap enoughhttp://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-20859/Detail

I use those metal ones you describe, big enough holes to keep balls
and birds from falling in but allow small things to pass, now trees
here drop alot of small stuff that will clog small screen.


Typically, the problem with gutters is NOT debris entering the
downspout. It's debris, usually leaves, filling up the gutters
themselves and blocking the downspout opening. Putting a screen at
the downspout opening is just going to make it worse. I've never had
a problem from the downspout being clogged anywhere other than the
opening, which occurs when the gutters already have a lot of leaves in
them. Until that point, anything that goes into the downspout, just
goes right on through.