Gutters main function is to get water away from the foundation of your home. assuring all drains are cleared is essential for your gutters and drains to properly function. Not maintaining this can cause bigger and more costly issues to your home. We get calls on a weekly basis in regards to customers having clogged gutter drains in their underground drainage system, Explore the many reasons this is being caused, how to solve these issues and how to assure these issues do not arise in the future causing more issues to your home.
The Biggest Problem We See in Clogged Gutter Drains
When it comes to underground drainage systems, you may come across these. French Drainage systems, Underground corrugated piping and Custom PVC style drain pipes. Having a underground drainage system installed has many benefits, however not if its installed wrong! In certain climates such as Michigan you have to be careful what material you use and how you install these drains. We have cold winters in the state of Michigan. Using the wrong material can cause cracking in the pipes which lead to dirt, debris and sometimes roots filling these pipes. This causes water to shoot back up the pipe and sit at the base of your home!
Properly Installed Drain Systems
At J&A Exterior we stay away from all black corrugated piping. Most homes when built use this method as an easier and cheaper solution for the home. This is something we unfortunately have to deal with when it comes to buying a home these days. Its important to know the proper layouts for gutter drains. We only install PVC piping attached to a French Drain System or a Pop-up, that is located downslope from the home. This doesn’t completely eliminate the chance of cracking but we do make fine cuts in the drains to allow any extra water to seep out and avoid freezing. Its essential that when these cuts are made, Pea gravel or some type of stone is installed under the drain so mud and debris doesn’t spill into the drain.
Common Clogs in Gutter Drain Systems
Because builders and gutter companies try to save money. Unless instructed by the home owner or buyer to use certain materials and methods, you will come across issues with clogs in these drains.
You may notice water starting to raise back up the pipe and overspill as the point where the downspout attaches to the drain. To best explain why this is happening, try and imagine this. Have you ever set a can of soda in the freezer and returned to a mess. This is because when water freezes below 32 degrees it expands, causing the can to explode. This is the same for your drain pipes.
No matter the material you use a pipe will burst if its filled with water and freezes. The best way to prevent this issue is adding small cuts to the bottom of the drain pipe. You may be thinking well is this why my drain is clogged up. Yes Exactly. This is why we install stone.
Installing Stone to Drain Systems
Drain systems need to have cuts or exit points for water to extract. Eliminating the chance of bursting or cracking the pipe. All drains systems should have at least 6 inches of pea gravel or small stone installed. This allows water to that doesn’t make it up to the pop-up drain to exit the pipe but doesn’t allow mud to build up i the pipe. These stones are to big to fit into the exit points allowing water out but not in. Installing a drain system requires stone no matter what!
How to Fix Clogged Gutter Drains
We come across this issue more than any others at J&A Exterior Seamless Gutters. With this being said we believe our knowledge can help educate you on this problem. Giving you the solutions to eliminate this problem.
Option 1. Downspout Extensions
This option is the cheapest and easiest solution to a gutter drain not functioning. If you have drains on your home you might be against the normal look of downspout extensions. However they may not look the most appealing we think these are the best options for getting water away from your home. The reason why is simple. You can see where the water is going instead of guessing if your drain is working properly. This is also the cheapest option for the home owner. We start by covering up the old drain pipe and attaching 3-4 foot downspout extensions to the current downspout elbow and attach with self tapping screws.
Option 2. Cleaning your Gutter Drain
The second option you have when it comes to gutter drain clogs is, snaking or clearing your drain. At J&A Exterior we steer away from this option for a few reasons. Snaking or cleaning your gutter drains requires the proper equipment and even then doesn’t give you a 100% chance at success. When the drain cleaning snake is inserted to the drainpipe it spins at a fast rate with metal rods attached to grab and rip up any dirt or clogs. This can cause extreme damage to your drainpipes and leave you with more holes in the drain which will lead to more clogging in the future. This is why we suggest staying away from snaking your gutter drains.
Option 3. Replace the drain system
Replacing your gutter drain system can be costly but will guarantee you a 100% clog free system if installed properly. As discussed previously if you install a PVC drain system with stone and a proper exit point you will have no problems. However this is expensive to install. Your landscape has to be removed, trenches will be dug, stone will be laid with the PVC pipe. Dirt will be backfilled and then landscape will be put back together. This is a big process but is the best option. As we often say the best comes with a price.
Conclusion
In conclusion, having an underground gutter drainage system has its benefits, but built the wrong way can cause many problems. Its essential to build these system correctly the first time to avoid bigger issues such as leaks or even worse basements flooding. Follow the steps discussed and ask question to the professionals and you have nothing to worry about. If you are having these issues and are located in the Metro Detroit or Southeast Michigan area contact us and we can help you resolve these issues.
248-403-0281 – jnaguttercleaning@gmail.com
