Cleaning an inaccessible gutter

13 years ago

I have a lexan cover that's just under a 2nd story deck that keeps the patio under it dry. The installers put a gutter at the lower end of the lexan cover. It worked fine for several years, but now is apparently at least a little clogged. I can't get my hands into it since there is very little space between the top of the gutter and the lexan cover, and it was not made to be removable, so I can't really take it down easily. It does have two short open runs of about 6 inches each, one at each end. I was able to partially get it working this morning by running a lot of water down it with a garden hose.

So I'm wondering how I can clean it. Of course, the downspout is pretty small so I can't wash the junk in it out that way. So my alternatives appear to be some sort of snaking to pull the stuff out, or using a shop vac with a long hose that might be able to suck out the junk.

Any thoughts or suggestions about this, other than "how could you install a gutter that you can't easily clean" *smile*...that ship has sailed.

Thanks.

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Comments (3)

cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
13 years ago
If you can get the end of a garden hose in you should be able to do the same with a snake.
Perhaps go at it from the discharge end- how do they terminate? Do they just gush onto the lawn or are they leading into a drainage system?
homebound
13 years ago
They are often clogged where it meets the downspout. I would tackle that area first. If you can't access it, disassemble the downspout and see what you find. (If it's riveted, drill through the center of the rivet to release it.) Later you can reinstall it with short sheet metal screws instead (3/8" or 1/2").

This post was edited by homebound on Sat, Dec 22, 12 at 10:20
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rogerv_gw
Original Author
13 years ago
The discharge end goes onto a gravel bed that I put there *smile*. I have a plumber's snake around here somewhere that I may try soon. We're currently in our rainy season, and it has been raining more than usual, so I'm sure that it will clog again if I don't do something. I can go in from both ends of the gutter, or up the downspout. Maybe all of the above *smile*.

Anyways, thanks much for the suggestions. I like the vacuum cleaner idea, if I can find a suitable hose for my shop vac, at least to give it a try, anyways.