I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think near the top
where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has probably been building up
for years. Trouble is it's in a position that is almost impossible to get a
ladder to.

Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve the leaf
debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)? I can get liquid
into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.

TIA

--
Andy

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Andy Pandy wrote:

I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think
near the top where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has
probably been building up for years. Trouble is it's in a position
that is almost impossible to get a ladder to.

Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve
the leaf debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)?
I can get liquid into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.

TIA

How about pushing it down with drain-rods inserted from the top? Hopefully
the black plastic tube-type rods would be flexible enough to go round the
bends.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Andy Pandy wrote:
I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think near the top
where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has probably been building up
for years. Trouble is it's in a position that is almost impossible to get a
ladder to.

Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve the leaf
debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)? I can get liquid
into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.

If you really can't get to it with any mechanical method, it's got to be
worth a try using any proprietary drain unblocker. Since drains are all
plastic these days I don't see any problem with it attacking the drainpipe.

If it's been blocked for years though you might have a massive mud-like
plug (rather than just leaves) which I think you'll be lucky to shift
with chemicals.

If you can't get drain rods to it (as proposed by SetSquare), what about
trying something like item 82483 at www.screwfix.com (narrow, fibreglass
rods intended for cable laying)?

Other alternatives - cut the drainpipe near the bottom and ram drain
rods up the way, then just replace the bottom section of pipe. Or cur a
small access hole in the pipe at eye level, shove the drainrods up that,
then patch-repair the hole afterwards

HTH
David

"Andy Pandy" wrote
| I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think near
| the top where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has probably
| been building up for years. Trouble is it's in a position that is almost
| impossible to get a ladder to.
| Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve
| the leaf debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)? I
can
| get liquid into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.

Have you tried a long bendy spring pipe cleaner shoved up from the bottom of
the downpipe? B&Q or plumbers merchants will have long bendy spring pipe
cleaners in a variety of lengths and thicknesses.

Owain

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 14:03:18 -0000, "Set Square"
wrote:

How about pushing it down with drain-rods inserted from the top?

Or possibly by pushing a drain rod up from the bottom?

sPoniX

In article ,
"Andy Pandy" says...
I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think near the top
where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has probably been building up
for years. Trouble is it's in a position that is almost impossible to get a
ladder to.

Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve the leaf
debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)? I can get liquid
into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.

brick acid?

In message , Owain
writes
Have you tried a long bendy spring pipe cleaner shoved up from the bottom of
the downpipe? B&Q or plumbers merchants will have long bendy spring pipe
cleaners in a variety of lengths and thicknesses.

Owain


What about shoving a hose pipe up the downpipe and try water jetting it
from below, worked for me in a similar situation? A little messy so
wear old waterproofs.

Andy
--
Andrew Sinclair http://www.smellycat.org

Andy Pandy wrote:

I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think near the top
where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has probably been building up
for years. Trouble is it's in a position that is almost impossible to get a
ladder to.

Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve the leaf
debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)? I can get liquid
into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.


Caastic soda will take out most organic material.

Its certainly worth a try, as is poking a hose down.

But try poking one up rather...or its it not going to a wossisname - the
open grille thingies?


TIA

--
Andy

Rob Morley wrote:

In article ,
"Andy Pandy" says...

I've got a gutter downpipe which is blocked by leaf debris, I think near the top
where there is a sharp angle in the downpipe. It has probably been building up
for years. Trouble is it's in a position that is almost impossible to get a
ladder to.

Is there anything I could pour down the downpipe which would dissolve the leaf
debris (without of course dissolving the plastic guttering)? I can get liquid
into the gutter easily enough from the skylight.


brick acid?

Lrss useful on organics - acids need to be very strong to etch away at
e.g. leafmould.

Mowever thatey can be used on fibrous stugf like celluose.

I think thats how you make nitroocellulose - a rater excellent explosive...

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
....

I think thats how you make nitroocellulose - a rater excellent
explosive...

You need to use a mix of two acids in the right proprtions. Most of our
sixth form chemistry practicals had a bit of nitrocellulose brewing in a
cupboard under a bench.

Colin Bignell

The Natural Philosopher wrote:t


Caastic soda will take out most organic material.

Its certainly worth a try, as is poking a hose down.

But try poking one up rather...or its it not going to a wossisname - the
open grille thingies?

Castic won't deal with dead birds, btdt, a pressure washer with a drain
jetting kit however....

Badger wrote:



The Natural Philosopher wrote:t



Caastic soda will take out most organic material.

Its certainly worth a try, as is poking a hose down.

But try poking one up rather...or its it not going to a wossisname -
the open grille thingies?


Castic won't deal with dead birds, btdt, a pressure washer with a drain
jetting kit however....

It will deal with most of a dead bird.
Cf various murderers who have used it to destroy corpses.

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 00:23:13 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

Badger wrote:



The Natural Philosopher wrote:t



Caastic soda will take out most organic material.

Its certainly worth a try, as is poking a hose down.

But try poking one up rather...or its it not going to a wossisname -
the open grille thingies?


Castic won't deal with dead birds, btdt, a pressure washer with a drain
jetting kit however....

It will deal with most of a dead bird.
Cf various murderers who have used it to destroy corpses.

Although caustic sounds easier, I think I'd try the mechanical ways
first. I'd rather pour caustic soda down a pipe I've tried to jet
water up, than create a caustic soda fountain.
--
On-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk

(Waterways World site of the month, April 2001)

Nick Atty wrote:

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 00:23:13 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:


Badger wrote:



The Natural Philosopher wrote:t


Caastic soda will take out most organic material.

Its certainly worth a try, as is poking a hose down.

But try poking one up rather...or its it not going to a wossisname -
the open grille thingies?


Castic won't deal with dead birds, btdt, a pressure washer with a drain
jetting kit however....

It will deal with most of a dead bird.
Cf various murderers who have used it to destroy corpses.


Although caustic sounds easier, I think I'd try the mechanical ways
first. I'd rather pour caustic soda down a pipe I've tried to jet
water up, than create a caustic soda fountain.

Treue, but in this case I thought teh pipe might be inaccessible for
mecahnical means.