Drain clearing (leaves) in Exmouth

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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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