Guttering accumulation of Pine Needles

[Hysteresis]

I have a bi-annual 'pain in the Bum' job which I have done for the past 20 years as I just can't find an alternative solution that works although I have scratched my head for ideas.
The problem is that I have a lot of Pine trees in my garden which are under a council preservation order so I can't get them felled. Every autumn I have a down fall of lots and lots of Pine needles and in the spring I get a load of other trees thingies which are, I think, tree seed and are about an inch long and look like small caterpillars both of which, when they fall, accumulates in the roof Guttering. if I ignore them there is a big likely hood that the 'Things' will block the down drainpipes which would be a major job to unblock if I don't address the Pine Needle and tree seeds things as the accumulate. I have tried these long gutter brushes laid in the guttering to stop the Needles etc getting into the down pipe. All that that does is accumulate the needles etc such that when it rain the needles are trapped in the brush things and stop the water getting into the guttering channel and as such overflows down the walls.
So my next bright idea was to buy a dozen of the Guttering/Downpipe filter inserts from Screwfix which are inserted into the downpipe inlet. All that succeeds in doing is blocking the entry to the down pipe when the needles descent, and then the obvious Gutter overflows again. At least the cleaning of the guttering twice a year is easier than unblocking the Downpipe.
Hope all of that makes sense.
I am at the limit of my knowledge on possible solutions to my problem. Has anyone got any other suggestions of things on the market or even DIY designs which will address the issue.

 

[justigator]

I've had decent results with the Screwfix 68030, cleaning manually maybe twice a year. Not sure what you expect?

BTW what's with the Unnecessary Capitals?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I am at the limit of my knowledge on possible solutions to my problem. Has anyone got any other suggestions of things on the market or even DIY designs which will address the issue.

Wild idea, flush the gutters down more regularly, with a hosepipe. If the needles are not allowed to accumulate so much, there will be no blockage. An easy way to do it....

A length of copper pipe, with a couple of elbows soldered on, to form an upside down J, attach a hose to the bottom, hook it onto the gutter, and flush it out.

 

[Hysteresis]

Hi Harry, Good idea, thanks so much for your suggestion, but the problem is that when it becomes necessary it is when the damn Pine Needles rain down like a snow storm in the autumn and similarly the Tree seed things in the spring, when this happens flushing down the guttering flushes the needles/seeds to the down pipe drain where it blocks either at the filter thing or the Brush things I have tried or the downpipe if I dont stop the needles going down them , so then any further water has nowhere to go other than over flow, including rain storms in the spring and autumn. the result is wet walls and potential damp problems caused by the water having no where to go. I suspect the only solution is getting up to the guttering and to remove the Needles/Seed things which is a pain and dangerous in my advancing years, several times in the Spring and Autumn

 

[Hysteresis]

I've had decent results with the Screwfix 68030, cleaning manually maybe twice a year. Not sure what you expect?

BTW what's with the Unnecessary Capitals?

The capital is a way of highlighting the areas of concern that creates the problem.
As I mentioned in the question, I have tried the Screwfix 68030 things (12 of them), all they do is stop the Pine Needles from entering the down pipe and by doing so blocks the flow of water into the downpipe and the resultant guttering overflow as the water has no where to go. Cleaning twice a year, (4 times in my Case) seems to be the only solution. Maybe my expectations are too High as to find a better solution.

 

[foxhole]

I find a small roll of chicken wire pushed into top of down pipe allows rain down without blocking the pipe.
Have a problem from my trees blocking annex gutters, so remove the end cap and flush out the gutter with leaf blower .

 

[jj4091]

"Has anyone got any other suggestions"

Have you thought of asking your local window cleaner or handyman to do it for you, that's my plan for the future and it's a service that several of them offer in this area. Not particularly expensive.

 

[nickjb]

I have a very similar issue. I've made up a length of 40mm plastic waste pipe with a couple of elbows that attaches to a Henry hoover. Hook it into the gutter and move along. Sucks them up well when it's dry. Not brilliant when they are soggy but still picks up quite a bit. There are commercial versions too eg https://www.diy.com/departments/maxblast-gutter-vacuum-poles-7-2m/5055986175087_BQ.prd

 

[Mottie]

 

[Hysteresis]

Thanks Mottie, looks like a possibility and at only £70 from Amazon worth a try.

 

[foxhole]

That looks a messy solution .

 

[Hysteresis]

That looks a messy solution .

Yeah , on a closer look the debri in the gutter will blow all over the place and in my case there is a lot of junk in the gutters in the Spring and autumn. I think the only practical solution is to hand clean and collect the junk as you go. I think paying a Handy Man is the only answer.
Thanks everyone for your comments, they were all very much appreciated.

 

[noseall]

Yeah , on a closer look the debri in the gutter will blow all over the place and in my case there is a lot of junk in the gutters in the Spring and autumn. I think the only practical solution is to hand clean and collect the junk as you go. I think paying a Handy Man is the only answer.
Thanks everyone for your comments, they were all very much appreciated.

I've just cleaned out my gutters manually. I chose today because it's been dry for a while. The rubbish came out a piece of cake.

 

[Nige F]

I have seen , but don't know what they are called - devices that go on the downpipes, just above the ground . Open front with a grid angled so debris falls onto the ground and the water passes through.. Found IT Rainus downpipe filter !

 

[Nige F]

Poplar trees have the caterpillar seeds - you have a nightmare combination of trees round you.. Back in the day we used to have to get on a flatroof using a massive triple extension ladder to clear the poplar seeds from trees planted round the field of a snobby school - stuff went everywhere all over "our" blocks of Social Housing maisonettes that we maintained. . At least now there would be a big scissor lift used !