Drain clearing (leaves) in Exeter
Professional drain clearing (leaves) services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
1 hr
Location
Exeter, Devon
Garden drains and gullies cleared of leaves, silt, and debris. Water flowing freely again, pooling sorted, flooding risk reduced. Quick callout service for a common autumn/winter problem.
Why Garden Drains Block
Because leaves, silt, and garden debris wash into them and build up.
One autumn storm dumps a load of leaves. They wash into the drain. They compact down. More debris piles on top. Eventually you've got a solid mass blocking the outlet and water's pooling on your patio instead of draining away.
In Devon's wet climate, blocked drains mean flooding. Lawns turn to swamps, patios develop puddles, water sits against house walls (damp problems waiting to happen).
Clearing drains is simple, unglamorous work that makes an immediate difference.
💡 Pro tip: Clear garden drains before winter sets in. Autumn's the critical time - leaves falling, wet weather starting. Get ahead of the problem rather than calling when you've already got a pond on your patio.
What Happens When Drains Block
| ✅ Clear Drains | ❌ Blocked Drains |
|---|---|
| Rainwater drains away quickly | Water pools on patios and paths |
| Lawns stay healthy | Waterlogged grass dies |
| No flooding issues | Puddles, soggy areas, potential damp |
| Easy winter maintenance | Emergency calls when it's pouring |
What Gets Done
🔧 The Clearing Process
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Locate drains | Find all garden drainage points |
| Remove grates | Lift covers to access drain |
| Clear debris | Scoop out leaves, silt, muck |
| Flush through | Pour water down to check flow |
| Replace grates | Put covers back securely |
📦 You're Left With
- Drains flowing freely
- No pooling water
- All debris removed and disposed of
- Peace of mind before next rain
Common Drain Problems
Patio drain full of leaves? Classic autumn problem. Lift grate, pull out compacted leaves, flush through. Usually sorts it instantly.
Gully overflowing in heavy rain? Probably silted up or outlet blocked. Clear the debris, check outlet's not blocked by plant growth.
Drain at bottom of drive collecting gravel? Needs clearing regularly - gravel washes down and builds up. Clear it out, consider a filter or repositioning.
Soakaway not soaking? Might be blocked with silt, or it might be failed (needs replacing). I can clear surface blockage but if it's genuinely failed, that's a bigger job.
Multiple drains all backing up? Could be main outlet blocked, or pipes collapsed somewhere. I'll clear what I can see, but might need drainage specialist for underground problems.
Pricing
| Service | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Clear garden drains (all of them) | 1 hr | £60 |
| Severe blockage needing extra work | 1.5 hrs | £85 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Price covers all your garden drains, not per drain.
When You Need This
✅ Water pooling on patio after rain - blocked drain almost certain
✅ Autumn leaf fall - preventative clear before winter
✅ Lawn staying soggy - drainage probably blocked
✅ Before major weather - clear drains before storm season
Why Choose Us for Drain clearing (leaves) in Exeter?
Drains cleared and flowing freely
Flooding risk reduced
All debris removed from site
Quick callout and fix
What to Expect
Step 1: Find & Assess Drains
I locate all garden drainage points, check which are blocked, work out what's causing the problem.
Step 2: Clear Them Out
Grates off, debris cleared, drains flushed through. If something needs rodding, I'll do that. If it's a deep blockage beyond basic clearing, I'll tell you honestly.
Step 3: Test & Tidy
Pour water down to confirm it's flowing. Replace grates. Remove all the muck I've pulled out. Job done.
🔧 DIY Tips
Want to clear your own drains? Here's how:
🧰 What you need
- Garden gloves (it's mucky work)
- Bucket for debris
- Garden hose for flushing
- Old spoon or trowel for scooping
- Drain rod (optional, for stubborn blockages)
📐 Clearing technique
- Remove the grate - might be heavy, might be stuck
- Scoop out debris - pull out leaves, silt, everything
- Check the outlet - make sure pipe's not blocked
- Flush through - hose water down to test flow
- Replace grate - make sure it's seated properly
🍂 Seasonal maintenance
Autumn: Clear drains weekly if you've got lots of trees - leaves build up fast
Winter: Check after storms, clear if water's pooling
Spring: Give them a good clear after winter debris
Summer: Usually okay, but check if you've got heavy rain
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Not removing grate properly (trying to clear through gaps doesn't work)
- Pushing blockage deeper instead of pulling it out
- Not flushing through to test (blockage still there, just moved)
- Forgetting to check outlet pipe isn't blocked
- Using harsh chemicals (damages pipes, doesn't work on leaves anyway)
💡 Pro trick: Put a layer of gravel or mesh over grate to catch leaves before they go down. Doesn't stop everything but reduces blockages massively. Clean the mesh regularly - defeats the purpose if it clogs solid.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🍁 Preventative clearing is cheaper: Clearing drains before they cause flooding costs £60. Dealing with drainage flooding, waterlogged lawn, and damp walls costs a lot more. Get ahead of it.
Old Exeter properties often have Victorian or older drainage that wasn't designed for modern demands. These can be fragile - I clear them carefully.
Soakaways eventually fail - they're designed to last 20-30 years but silt up over time. Clearing the inlet helps but eventually they need replacing.
Root invasion is a thing - tree roots grow into drains looking for water. If that's happening, clearing leaves won't fix it - you need a drainage specialist.
Regular clearing helps: If you've got lots of trees, autumn drain clearing should be routine maintenance. I can come annually in October/November before winter sets in.
Multiple drains in different parts of garden? I clear them all in one visit - makes sense to do the lot while I'm there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this for drains that are properly blocked or just leaf-clogged?
Leaf-clogged surface drains in gardens and patios. If it's backed up with leaves, silt, general garden debris, I clear it. If it's a deep blockage that needs rodding or it's the main house drainage, that's a drainage specialist job, not mine.
How do you clear them?
Remove the grate, scoop out all the leaves and muck, flush through with water to check it's flowing. Sometimes need to poke a rod down to shift compacted debris. Basic but effective. You get working drains and I remove all the gunk.
What if the drain's still not draining after clearing?
Then it's a blockage further down or a structural problem - cracked pipe, root invasion, collapsed drain. I'll tell you honestly if it needs a proper drainage specialist. I'm not going to charge you for clearing leaves if that's not actually the problem.
Can you check all the garden drains or just one?
I'll check all the ones you've got - no point clearing one and leaving the others blocked. Price is for the visit and clearance work, not per drain, so I sort them all out while I'm there.
Is this a seasonal thing?
Peak season is autumn when leaves are falling, but drains can clog any time. Spring's bad too after winter storms. If you've got water pooling on paving or lawn, blocked drain's the likely culprit.
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