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

"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 places
http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-65696/Detail
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/h...ut-screen.html

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

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.improvementscatalog.com/home/improvements/792927536-wedge-...

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.

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.

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in
:


"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 places
http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-65696/Detail
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/h...27536-wedge-do
wnspout-screen.html

Anyone ever use one of these wedges?


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

wrote:

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.

Exactly. The downspout is larger than the hole. If the detritus can make it
through the hole, it's gonna - go - all - the - way!

Same with kids and pebbles - if they can swallow it, all will be well.

A few years ago I saw a device that you put in as a section of the downspout
and it was suppose to direct debris out thru an opening in the side while
letting water fall on down the spout. It had an opening that faced the
outside away from the house angled screen inside. The idea was that the
leaves, twigs, etc. would fall down the spout and hit the angled screen that
would direct them out thru the opening. The water would fall straight on
down thru the screen.

Anyone recall ever seeing one of these?

Mark



"Red Green" wrote in message
...
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in
:


"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 places
http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-65696/Detail
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/h...27536-wedge-do
wnspout-screen.html

Anyone ever use one of these wedges?


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

"Mark" wrote in :

A few years ago I saw a device that you put in as a section of the
downspout and it was suppose to direct debris out thru an opening in
the side while letting water fall on down the spout. It had an
opening that faced the outside away from the house angled screen
inside. The idea was that the leaves, twigs, etc. would fall down the
spout and hit the angled screen that would direct them out thru the
opening. The water would fall straight on down thru the screen.

Anyone recall ever seeing one of these?

Mark



"Red Green" wrote in message
...
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in
:


"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 places
http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-65696/Detail
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/h...2927536-wedge-
do wnspout-screen.html

Anyone ever use one of these wedges?


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






Wasn't that one of those plastic Raingo gimmicks?

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 places
http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servlet/the-65696/Detail
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/h...ut-screen.html

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

Ed,

Thanks for the tip on those wedges. I'll give them a try. The second
link, that sells them for $12.99 for two, might actually be cheaper than
the first one, which may be selling only one for $4.61.

After writing the above, I checked the two sites for shipping. The $4.61
site charges $8.99 to ship it, for a total of $13.60. The $12.99 site
charges $5.99 for shipping, for a total of $18.98. So assuming that the
first site is selling just one, it is much more expensive that the
second site which works out to $9.49 each.

Considering how widely distributed Frost King products are, I'm
surprised that neither HD or Lowe's shows the Wedge on their websites.

Ray K wrote:
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

Anything that can get through the hole at the top will pass through the
downspout. no screen is recommended or needed.

On May 4, 12:00*pm, Steve Barker wrote:
Anything that can get through the hole at the top will pass through the
downspout. *no screen is recommended or needed.

In my neighborhood (built in the 1920's), all the downspouts run into
the ground and connect to the storm sewer system in the street. So I
need to keep stuff out to prevent clogs in the underground long
horizontal runs.

I have downspout screens that look like this:

http://www.guttersupply.com/p-screen...rs-round.gstml

Ken

Ray K wrote:
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

I've got mesh from HD that covers the whole gutter but little stuff gets
through and builds up and causes log jam at input to downspout. Once a
year I have to go up to clear at input but previously, I'd have to clean
the whole gutter a couple of times a year I think with any of the
devices mentioned to filter at input only, you're going to have to clear
the gutter occasionally.

wrote:
On May 4, 12:00 pm, Steve Barker wrote:
Anything that can get through the hole at the top will pass through
the downspout. no screen is recommended or needed.

In my neighborhood (built in the 1920's), all the downspouts run into
the ground and connect to the storm sewer system in the street. So I
need to keep stuff out to prevent clogs in the underground long
horizontal runs.

I have downspout screens that look like this:

http://www.guttersupply.com/p-screen...rs-round.gstml


The storm sewer needs "roughage," just like your digestive system.

That's why I put grass clippings in the street drain.

On May 4, 3:24*pm, Frank wrote:
Ray K wrote:
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

I've got mesh from HD that covers the whole gutter but little stuff gets
through and builds up and causes log jam at input to downspout. *Once a
year I have to go up to clear at input but previously, I'd have to clean
the whole gutter a couple of times a year *I think with any of the
devices mentioned to filter at input only, you're going to have to clear
the gutter occasionally.

Yep, for the gutters that are under a tree, I have to clean 3x or 4x a
year for the logjams at the input to the downspout. Other areas not
under trees the last I cleaned was maybe 5 years ago.