Keeping leaves and other debris out of downspouts – GreenBuildingAdvisor

What works best depends upon your climate, the type of roof and the type of trees nearby.

Here’s what I’ve always wondered: why are downspouts designed to clog? What I mean is that plumbers figured out about 150 years go how to minimize the chance of a drain pipe clogging, and there are a few simple rules. A pipe should be either vertical or sloped at 1/4″ per foot. When transitioning from vertical to horizontal you should have a wide sweep elbow. And you should never, ever have a reduction in drain pipe diameter. Downspouts break these rules all the time, and they clog all the time. In particular, it’s normal to have a constriction where the gutter connects to the downspout. A guaranteed clog!