External drain unblocking covers all drainage outside your property. That includes gullies, manholes, inspection chambers, and the underground pipe runs that carry waste and surface water to the public sewer. External drains face leaves, soil, moss, grit, tree roots, and other debris that builds up over time. Because these pipes sit underground and out of sight, problems often go unnoticed. Water may start pooling in the garden, overflowing from manholes, or backing up into the property before anyone spots it. Your engineer arrives with high-pressure jetting kit for even the most packed blockages, along with drain rods for easy-to-reach blockages and CCTV cameras for hidden ones. They clear the blockage, flush the full pipe run, and check the drain's condition. This helps spot any structural issues that might cause problems later. External drain work typically takes one to two hours, depending on pipe length, access, and the type of blockage.
We find all outside access points, such as manholes, inspection chambers, and gullies, since checking water levels and flow direction there shows where the blockage sits.
Our jetting unit feeds a high-pressure hose into the blocked pipe. As it moves along, it blasts through the blockage while scrubbing the pipe walls clean.
Where it helps, we run a camera through the cleared pipe, since that confirms the blockage is fully gone and reveals issues such as roots, cracks, or moved joints.
We refit all access covers securely and clear any surface debris. We also tell you the condition of your outside drains, since that helps you plan any upkeep or repairs.
The cost of external drain unblocking depends on the length of pipe involved and the type of blockage. Tree root clearance or heavily packed debris can mean longer jetting. Request a fast, fixed-price quote online. We confirm all pricing before we start, and there's no call-out fee.
You're generally responsible for private drains inside your property boundary, while shared sewers and public drains beyond it are down to South West Water in the Exeter area. If the blockage is in a shared or public sewer, we can advise you on reporting it to the water company.
Tree roots are one of the most common causes of external drain blockages in Exeter, since roots seek out moisture and grow into pipe joints and cracks. Regular CCTV checks help spot root growth early, before it causes a full blockage.
For most homes, an annual check and clean of the external drains is enough. However, homes with large trees near drainage runs, or those that have had blockages before, may do better with a check every six to twelve months.