External drain unblocking covers everything outside your property — gullies, manholes, inspection chambers, and the pipes that carry waste to the public sewer. Leaves, soil, moss, grit, and tree roots build up in these pipes over time. Because they sit underground, problems often go unnoticed until water pools in the garden or backs up indoors. We bring high-pressure jetting gear, drain rods, and CCTV cameras to find and clear the blockage. We flush the full pipe run and check it for any damage. Most jobs take one to two hours, depending on pipe length and access.
We open every access point outside — manholes, chambers, and gullies. Water levels here show us where the blockage sits, since it often pools near the fault.
Our jetting unit feeds a high-pressure hose into the blocked pipe. This blasts through the blockage and scours the pipe walls clean.
Where needed, we run a camera through the cleared pipe to confirm the blockage is gone. Although rare, we also check for cracks or root damage during the same visit.
We refit all access covers and clear surface debris. We still advise you on your drain's condition and any repairs worth doing.
The cost of external drain unblocking depends on the length of pipe affected and the type of blockage. Tree root clearance or heavily compacted debris can mean extra jetting time, since both take longer to clear fully. Request a fixed-price quote online. We confirm all pricing before we start, and there's no call-out fee.
You're generally responsible for the private drains inside your property boundary. Severn Trent Water looks after shared sewers and public drains beyond that line, in the Derby area. If the blockage sits in a shared or public sewer, we can tell you how to report it to them.
Tree roots are one of the most common causes of external drain blockages in Derby. Roots seek out moisture and push into pipe joints and cracks, growing inside the pipe until they block the flow. Regular CCTV checks catch root damage early, since small fixes cost less than a full blockage.
Most homes only need an external drain check and clean once a year. If you have large trees near your drains, or you've had blockages before, aim for every six to twelve months instead.