Water spraying out of downpipes onto brick walls

[arbit]

Hi,

we've had the guttering on our 24 year-old house replaced last year as they had faded from the sun into some lovely pink/purple variations from what was once brown colour.

All was well last wet season but a few weeks ago we started having problems with water coming out of the connections of the downpipes and then running down the outside of said pipes and spraying onto the brick walls. This has caused and is causing a lot of damp patches along the walls and I've managed to rectify it in a few places by applying some tape around the downpipes connections but there was also simply a buildup of leafs in one location. The other downpipes were fine and I installed leaf guards at the top of most downpipes - no idea why the team who installed the guttering didn't do this as we've had them before as well.

I am not able to rectify this problem in a few locations though and as it's getting colder I am worried about the bricks once the frost starts.
What is a common denominator with the downpipes that are a problem is that all 4 of them have water butts connected to them. Now I am thinking that there could have been a buildup of sludge/leafs that's gone down the pipe to the water butt connections and is blocking the gutters there and above so that this overflow/spraying occurs.

I've attached a few pictures and videos below. Any ideas about my theory and how it could be resolved? I guess somehow get the water butt connections out of the downpipes and somehow get rid of the blockages and then get rid of the water butt connections and replace them with normal connections?

This is the brand that was installed:

Deepflow Gutter - Anthracite Grey

We stock quality FloPlast Deep Flow Anthracite Grey Guttering - high capacity gutters ideal for large or steep roofs. Buy online for free 24hrs delivery on orders over £FREE_DELIVERY_AMOUNT!

www.guttersupplies.co.uk

Here some pictures, ignore the video as that's what I've sent to the tradesmen who installed the gutters:

https://imgur.com/a/3w2zq0r

Any help/advice is appreciated.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That first 45, where it meets the hopper at the top - should not fit inside the hopper, it should be a female socket, fitting around the outside male, or at least ought to be glued in place, so there can be no leakage.

Any blockage at the bottom, will cause water to build up in the fall-pipe, increasing it's weight, causing water to spray out of the joints, and maybe cause the pipe to be pulled down through the fixing brackets.

 

[catlad]

The bit thats very loose at the top should have a 2" scrap piece of pipe inside so it fit better, water doesn't come out of the joints unless the pipes are blocked.

 

[JohnD]

Downpipes are deliberately made with loose socket joints, so that in the event of a blockage, water will escape from the joint above it. This warns you of the blockage, and gives an idea of where it is. More often than not it is accumulated leaf litter, but if the guttering is new, it's possible a builder dropped his crisp packet or pork pie down it.

Some shoddy builders wash their concreting or tiling tools into a drain, causing a hard blockage when it sets.

 

[Dereekoo]

should be a female socket, fitting around the outside male

It is?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It is?

No it is not! The female is the hopper, sitting around the male end of the 45 degree. Which means it is bound to leaks, every time it rains.

 

[noseall]

No it is not! The female is the hopper, sitting around the male end of the 45 degree. Which means it is bound to leaks, every time it rains.

Eh?

All that is missing (as Catlad said) is a short piece of DP fitted to the running outlet, which would make the connection snug. The rest looks ok.

 

[noseall]

Hi,

we've had the guttering on our 24 year-old house replaced last year as they had faded from the sun into some lovely pink/purple variations from what was once brown colour.

All was well last wet season but a few weeks ago we started having problems with water coming out of the connections of the downpipes and then running down the outside of said pipes and spraying onto the brick walls. This has caused and is causing a lot of damp patches along the walls and I've managed to rectify it in a few places by applying some tape around the downpipes connections but there was also simply a buildup of leafs in one location. The other downpipes were fine and I installed leaf guards at the top of most downpipes - no idea why the team who installed the guttering didn't do this as we've had them before as well.

I am not able to rectify this problem in a few locations though and as it's getting colder I am worried about the bricks once the frost starts.
What is a common denominator with the downpipes that are a problem is that all 4 of them have water butts connected to them. Now I am thinking that there could have been a buildup of sludge/leafs that's gone down the pipe to the water butt connections and is blocking the gutters there and above so that this overflow/spraying occurs.

I've attached a few pictures and videos below. Any ideas about my theory and how it could be resolved? I guess somehow get the water butt connections out of the downpipes and somehow get rid of the blockages and then get rid of the water butt connections and replace them with normal connections?

This is the brand that was installed:

Deepflow Gutter - Anthracite Grey

We stock quality FloPlast Deep Flow Anthracite Grey Guttering - high capacity gutters ideal for large or steep roofs. Buy online for free 24hrs delivery on orders over £FREE_DELIVERY_AMOUNT!

www.guttersupplies.co.uk

Here some pictures, ignore the video as that's what I've sent to the tradesmen who installed the gutters:

https://imgur.com/a/3w2zq0r

Any help/advice is appreciated.

Those hands haven't seen a days graft in their life.

 

[Dereekoo]

No it is not! The female is the hopper, sitting around the male end of the 45 degree. Which means it is bound to leaks, every time it rains.

????

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

????

Yep, that's how it ought to fit, but the female is the hopper and the 45 is male.

 

[noseall]

Yep, that's how it ought to fit, but the female is the hopper and the 45 is male.

The orientation of the OP's fittings is correct.

Dereeks image mimics it.

All that is missing is a short piece of DP linking the running outlet into the offset bend.

There is no hopper there.

What on Gods gracious earth, are you on about?

 

[HERTS P&D]

What on Gods gracious earth, are you on about?

Andy

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Sorry, I called it a hopper - it's actually called a 'running outlet'. The running outlet is acting as the female, the 45 below it is connected as the male. Hence, a proportion of any water which tries to drain by that running outlet, will escape around the outside of 45, and drain down the wall.

Dereekoo's, attached image (below), shows the correct way that 45 ought to have been connected to the hopper.

​

 

[opps]

Sorry, I called it a hopper - it's actually called a 'running outlet'. The running outlet is acting as the female, the 45 below it is connected as the male. Hence, a proportion of any water which tries to drain by that running outlet, will escape around the outside of 45, and drain down the wall.

Dereekoo's, attached image (below), shows the correct way that 45 ought to have been connected to the hopper.

​

That is how the OP's set up is. Watch the video again. Granted, when I first watched it, I too thought the same as you.

 

[aveatry]

Its really simple you just need to slip on a short section of downpipe - as per my white lines. Do it at that still frame position taken from the vid as it also looks like the swan neck and downpipe could be a little short. Don't cut the short piece of downpipe too long otherwise you will make a high spot at the running outlet. You may be able to do it all in situ with a bit of swearing.
It may be easier to take off the offset then add the extra downpipe on top - push that up to the running outlet and then lastly push on the part near your thumb, as you will have more flexibility to get it on as you can also twist the the swan neck to the side - line up the ofset and twist back and the ofset will go in. .