Drain clearing (leaves) in Tiverton

### 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