Downpipes are the vertical pipes through which rainwater is drained from the gutters of the roof of a building to its soakaway or stormwater system. You see how important this piece of plumbing is? Imagine the nightmare it can cause if it gets blocked.
A blocked downpipe is the beginning of the worst structural problems that a property owner will deal with. Water will always find a way to flow. When the rain or stormwater that gathers in the gutters of a building’s roof cannot flow downwards because the downpipe is blocked, it will find its way into the building.
Then the owner will be dealing with wall cracks, or worse, issues with the building’s foundation, which the water will cause over time. The roof will be the first victim, of course, and this can lead to the whole thing caving in.
If this sounds like a familiar problem or like something you don’t want to have to deal with in the future, keep reading to see why clogged downpipes are a tier-1 plumbing emergency.
How To Know When You Have A Blocked Downpipe
Regardless of where or how it happens, an emergency is not something that should be stalled. However – and this is a very thin line to straddle – it can be stalled.
Take a property owner dealing with a burst pipe and a sewage backup, for instance. These are both emergencies, but we know the one that can cause more than just property damage. The tier-1 emergency in this case is the sewage blockage. You can turn off the water supply to your property and get water elsewhere if you have a burst pipe, but you cannot stall a sewage backup fix because it brings health hazards.
This is the kind of urgency with which you must treat blocked downpipes.
Clogged downpipes don’t happen all the time. The gutters on the roof of a property are typically blocked easily. However, they can happen if:
- Tree leaves and/or twigs pile up at the mouth of the downpipe
- Pine needles, seed pods, and samaras from trees gather
- An abandoned bird’s nest blocks the channel
- Wasp hives block the channel
- Moss, algae and roof growth form as a result of dampness from rain, morning dew, or snow.
- Litter blown in by wind gets stuck
- Aged downpipes with loose or collapsed joints that change the water flow path.
- Roots, silt, litter and other underground debris block stormwater drains. These can make the downpipe seem blocked, even if the roof gutter is clear.
As described in the introduction to this blog, blockages caused by the things on the list above can prevent water from reaching the underground drain. The most obvious result of this is an overflow, which can cause significant leaks and other damage. If you spot:
- Water overflowing from the gutter during rain
- Staining on walls or puddles forming around your building’s foundation
- Plants (weeds) growing from the gutter
- Slow or no water coming out of the downpipe
- Sagging sections or visible debris build-up around the foundation where the downpipe extends to;
Then you have a blocked downpipe. Ignore it at the risk of water damage.
Preventing Blocked Downpipes: Maintenance and Using Gutter Guards
Installing roof gutters and downpipes without gutter guards is unwise. These mesh or foam screens only allow water to fall from the roof into the gutters. They prevent blocked gutters from happening in the first place, making them the ultimate preventive method for this problem.
Like with every other mesh material, regular cleaning and maintenance are key to their continued effectiveness. When leaves, twigs and so on get trapped in the mesh or foam material, at some points, those things will become traps, and the blocked gutters you’re avoiding will happen.
Always inspect your rooftop gutters at least twice a year. Scoop out the debris and pour some water down the downpipe drain to wash the pipes. If you can’t trust yourself to do it, get a licensed plumber to help you out.
Also, check that you don’t need a downpipe repair after cleaning out the debris. Check how each pipe is fitted and angled. A loose pipe in the line is a problem waiting to become a disaster.
DIY Fixes: Using a Chemical Drain Cleaner, Plumber’s Snake and Water Jetters
If you pour water down your downpipe drain and the flow isn’t as it should be, a downpipe repair could be the next best step. This is where a plumber’s snake and a water jetter could come in.
Before you take that step, though, use a chemical drain cleaner. Every plumber or plumbing blog will tell you to avoid these because they corrode pipes, but the homemade cleaners (baking soda + vinegar + hot water) cannot do much against the kind of gunk that gathers in downpipes.
A chemical drain cleaner can easily dissolve the algae, the moss, the wasp hive, or the bird’s nest that has created the need for this method to be used. A store-bought chemical drain cleaner (alkaline or acid-based) works well for this purpose. Follow the label instructions before using it, and after it works, flush the downpipe drain well. If you want, you can let the cleaner sit overnight, and then flush it thoroughly in the morning.
If a chemical drain cleaner doesn’t do the job, you can bust out the plumber’s snake (also known as drain snake or drain auger). Slide the snake down the drain and turn the handle so that the blade can cut through the blockage for you to pull them out. As usual, pour water down the drain to be sure that you’ve done a good job.
A water jetter is for the more stubborn clogs. This tool will send a high-pressure stream of water down the downpipe to scour its walls. This particular tool can be tricky to use, however, and is best left to the pros.
Remember to stay safe whenever cleaning out your downpipe drain and roof gutters. Wear gloves and goggles, and make sure your footing is solid.
Professional Solutions for Blocked Downpipes
Downpipe repairs are tricky, even for DIY experts. It is typically a job for professional plumbers who offer blocked downpipe repairs.
If a chemical drain cleaner or plumber’s snake doesn’t clean out the clog, and your attempt with a water jetter doesn’t yield the kind of result that will assure you, a professional plumber has to step in. They will clear out blockages using high-pressure water jetting, which is definitely going to be of a higher psi than you could’ve handled.
Then they will repair any broken sections of the pipe following their high-pressure jetting and, if needed, reeling the pipes, so that you don’t have to deal with a blocked downpipe any time soon.
The rest is up to you, because only regular maintenance — clearing debris, periodic professional high-pressure water jetting and trimming overhanging branches if you have trees on your property — will prevent this issue from recurring. Also, change your gutter guards at least once a year to be on the safe side.
Conclusion
The water damage from this tier-1 plumbing emergency has led to many structural issues in many buildings. Blocked downpipes, though rare, need to be prepared for, especially if your region sees a lot of rain. Invest in the right tools, learn a little about how blocked downpipe repairs work, and most importantly, befriend a 24-hour emergency plumber who can take care of the problem without tearing a hole in your pockets.
