# Getting heattape in Downspouts? How to?



## Bsecdone (Aug 22, 2005)

I have a good size job with installing heattape in gutters and on the roof. The roof part is done. 

I am having some trouble getting the wire up or down the Downspouts. Any suggestions?

Pics below. Thanks


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## Tiger (Nov 21, 2007)

Drill a hole through a golf ball, tie a string on and let-er-go.

Dave


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## firemike (Dec 11, 2005)

An electricians fishtape might work. Or anoth thought, tie one of those flimsy plastic bags (like from the grocery store) to a good nylon string and use a shop vac to suck it down through the downspout. You may have to use rags, duct tape, etc. to get a good seal. We used to use this for fishing PVC conduit all the time, quicker than a fish tape.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

A penal colony for failed abstract sculptors?
I don't think a golf ball would fall through that!
Suggest that the have the spouts hung by someone
not under the influence of ....?


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

firemike said:


> An electricians fishtape might work. Or anoth thought, tie one of those flimsy plastic bags (like from the grocery store) to a good nylon string and use a shop vac to suck it down through the downspout. You may have to use rags, duct tape, etc. to get a good seal. We used to use this for fishing PVC conduit all the time, quicker than a fish tape.


Ping-pong ball and nylon masons twine is slick:thumbsup:


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## Patrick (Apr 12, 2006)

WTF may i ask is holding that downspout up in mid air as is shown in the lovely picture?


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

Patrick said:


> WTF may i ask is holding that downspout up in mid air as is shown in the lovely picture?


...and *why?*


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## Bsecdone (Aug 22, 2005)

I have no idea. I think it looks like crap. I think the golf ball idea will work great


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## Bsecdone (Aug 22, 2005)

Well, the golf ball idea didn't work, I also tried a mini soccer ball from a soccer table, and lead fishing weights. Anymore ideas?

I wish I could find a half pound round weight with a hole in the center or something. That would roll all the way down.



















better pics. I spent 2 days trying to figure this out.
I'm about to say get a new gutter guy then call me back.


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## robertc65 (Apr 16, 2005)

Maybe you could try to attach the wire to something buoyant like a rubber ball, then flush it through with water from a hose. 

Just a thought 

Rob


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## nlgutters (Dec 18, 2007)

first off i think your gutter guy might be retarted? we do them a lot and will just take the elbows apart and slide the wires down the elbows and downspout then put back together. but with strong heat tape it will take a day per downspout.


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## Tiger (Nov 21, 2007)

Whenever I have that much trouble, I do some disassembly. If the golf ball worked partway, pull the downspout apart at that point.

Dave


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## nlgutters (Dec 18, 2007)

keep in mind if u take them apart it will take a couple guys and a long time because u kind of take a pece or 2 apart then put it back before you start on the rest. but truthfully if i were u i would have them redo the whole damn thing first of it is hideous looking and is going to be a problem with all those bends


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## gregj (Jul 31, 2006)

Try a weasel with a string tied to it's tail. Drop a mouse in first if you want the weasel to go faster.

Slightly more serious answer: Maybe a real good shop vac would get enough air flowing through to get the right size ball to suck through.


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## Bsecdone (Aug 22, 2005)

nlgutters said:


> keep in mind if u take them apart it will take a couple guys and a long time because u kind of take a pece or 2 apart then put it back before you start on the rest. but truthfully if i were u i would have them redo the whole damn thing first of it is hideous looking and is going to be a problem with all those bends


Yep that is what I am leaning toward. Having the gutters redone, I don't want to take the gutters apart. I am fearing that I will be held responsible for any problems they may have in the future.

Looks like I will be returning payment. The cheap :whistling Landlord won't pay for new gutters.


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## oldfrt (Oct 10, 2007)

If a golf ball on a string won't go down that mess,what's going to happen when a few leaves and twigs get tangled up in the heat tape?
Them babies are going to clog!
Geeez,looks like he**!
WHY are they like this?


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## Patrick (Apr 12, 2006)

$4.75 / ft and Ill solve all his problems


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## Tiger (Nov 21, 2007)

I have a new plan for you. Don't pull the downspouts apart, just remove the lower sheet metal screws that are probably making the golf ball hang up. If there are no upper screws, install some so the downspout won't come apart. This all assumes there are no uphill runs. If the downspouts are ever horizontal, it'll take water behind the ball to move it along. Good luck.

Dave

PS Mono filament line might have less drag than string.


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## Bsecdone (Aug 22, 2005)

Patrick said:


> $4.75 / ft and Ill solve all his problems


Wow that's it  I charged $10.75 a foot.


Cool, I'll try that. Thanks Dave


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## Patrick (Apr 12, 2006)

Bsecdone said:


> Wow that's it  I charged $10.75 a foot.


No, Im talking $4.75/ft to install new gutters and downspouts. Unlike the guy that installed those gutters, We dont play "Pipe Dream" for a living


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## Bsecdone (Aug 22, 2005)

lol pipe dream


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## Patrick (Apr 12, 2006)

Actually looking at It I just realized why those gutters are set up the way they are. Rather than spend the few extra mins to measure and see where the windows are, the guy running the gutter machine just punched outlets every 25 feet from the back of the truck, with no regard to where the windows fell.


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## Bsecdone (Aug 22, 2005)

Wow, I might get a gutter guy down to the project and give it a once over and see if we can get this fixed. thanks for the insight and the time for looking at that.


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## Patrick (Apr 12, 2006)

I would suggest, having the gutter guy remove the downspouts, patch the holes, and put the downspouts where they need to be eliminating ALOT of downspout and elbows


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## nlgutters (Dec 18, 2007)

i dont think its the windows they wanted to run the downspouts to the end of the building instead of dropping all that water on the walkways


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

Why not put the tape on the outside?
It's apparent that he doesn't care what it looks like!


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## Bsecdone (Aug 22, 2005)

Lol, I thought about that today. Do gutter installations not have codes?


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