Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Anyone used this is clean downpipes?

KieMan

Active member
Messages
102
Location
Surrey
As title suggested just wondering thoughts on this product to clean down pipes when gutter cleaning - I not keen on high ladder work and have Gutter Vac - but don't enjoy getting up to unblock down pipes - wonder if this product will work - fairly cheap at £60

[media]

[/media]
 
Never tried one myself but I've considered using one in the past. However in doing so you might consider the following:

Bottom downpipe opening - could be an issue trying to feed it up the downpipe. Also not all downpipe openings are above ground or easy to get at so may have to take apart first or even cut it.

Downspout bends - depends on how flexible the jet hose is if it would go up and around the bends ok. I've noticed when unblocking downpipes by hand with bends in (swan necks) it's the top bend that is usually blocked closest the guttering outlet by a twig, broken bit of mortar, tile etc then moss etc gets stuck and backs up allowing for seeds from plants, grass, weeds and even trees to start growing in them.

Some which I've unblocked have been caused by some numptie putting long screws in the sides of the bends to keep the plastic joints together which can eventually cause a blockage too. I've also found long screws holding the joints together is quite a common cause of blockages on straight downpipes as well.

Water pressure - most plastic downspout bends tend not to be glued or screwed together so depending on how they have been fitted the water pressure from a pressure washer jetting hose could blow the swan neck joints apart. Obviously on aluminium, steel or cast iron guttering and downpipes there is less risk of this happening using a jetter.

I'm also not sure if a jetter hose would travel up a vertical pipe for any distance due to the weight of the hose. I suppose would depend on the type of jetting nozzle fitted and the pressure/flow rate used.

I'm all for looking a ways to reducing ladder usage especialy on very awkward/taller jobs so if you give it a go lets us now how you get on.

 
Regarding safer ladder access for roofline work then I've found using an ankalad stabiliser fitted to my tripple bps ladders and microlite standoff resting on roof tiles to be the safest setup to date available.

View attachment 4637

Another method I use to try and clear blocked downspouts, water test and or flush through guttering when I don't want or can't use a ladder safely is simply attach a garden hose and cone nozzle to a stripped down wfp.

I just use two plastic wfp angle adapters so the garden hose cone nozzle is pointing down and cable tie it on. Stick it over/down the downspout and turn the water on full blast. This tends to work a treat at unblocking most downspout blockages so the water is again free flowing.

View attachment 4639

This one being cast iron had a total on 4 bends in it. So using this method with a bit of help attaching the vac to the open end at the bottom unblocked the downpipe without having to try and jet it out.

View attachment 4638

 
Another option if the hose pipe method had failed would have been to then use one of my pressure washers & telescopic pressure washer lance I carry in the van with a gutter bend stuck down the top of the downspout and tried to flush it through under high pressure with that instead.

 
Still would also be good now that you have mentioned it to carry a drain jetter hose and different jetter nozzles in the van too /emoticons/smile.png

 
Still would also be good now that you have mentioned it to carry a drain jetter hose and different jetter nozzles in the van too /emoticons/smile.png
Cheers for the in depth reply smurf really appreciate it and some great points raised - will definitely get ladder ankalad as suggested and 9 times out of ten I find the same as you its just the top swan neck that is blocked not the whole down pipe - but other day i looked like an amature due to a down pipe being so blocked it just wouldn't flush through - had to suggest the need the whole down pipe replacing - for £60 I'll give it a go not much risk factor but hear what you are saying regarding down pipe going all way into ground. Like you suggesting of attached garden hose to pole system to do a flow test - I used to just out my pump control up to 9 and check it is flushing but not enough power to unblock/flush down pipe. Cheers mate

 
Outside tap is what you need to use the hosepipe cone nozzle trick. Or if they don't have an outside tap maybe next door might help. I've asked and used next door outside tap before. /emoticons/wink.png

The one you struggled on to unblock was it plastic?

If so swan necks are easy to take apart if not glued to unblock them by hand that's if there is good ladder access to get to it.

 

Latest Posts

Back
Top