Leaf Catcher Screen Cleaning Procedure
One of the components of the gutter system is the leaf catcher located at the bottom of each downspout.
One of the components of the gutter system is the leaf catcher located at the bottom of each downspout.
Your home may have roughly five of these.
This device will catch large leaves, debris, needles, etc., as they flow down from the gutters into your downspouts. The leaf catcher stops this material from going down into the in ground drains, while letting water to pass through.
We must keep the leaf catcher screens free of debris so they work properly.
Periodically, we ask that you check each of your leaf catchers to see if the screens are covered with leaves and debris.
There are two ways to clean the screens:
A-Best way
Step 1 Using both hands, lift up on the frame of the leaf catcher screen frame (photo #1).
Step 2 Lift frame into position as shown in photo #2.
Step 3 Pull frame back and out of the leaf catcher so it is separate and apart from the leaf catcher (photo #3)
1. 
2. 
3. 
Step 4 Clean the screen with your hands and water to remove all debris.
Step 5 Replace filter screen back into the leaf catcher. THIS IS MANDATORY. If you don't do this, debris will end up in your in ground drains causing clogs! Clogs are expensive to fix!
B-Another way
With the leaf screen still in place, using your hands, simply remove the debris from the top of the screen and discard the material.
THINGS NOT TO DO:
1-Do NOT clean the screens when installed using a hose with high pressure and/or high volume of water.
2-Do NOT throw the screen away or forget to replace it.
Should you find one of your leaf catchers missing its screen, please call or e-mail the maintenance chair for assistance. Thank you.
(Thanks to Greg Nelson for the pictures and explanation.)