Downpipe Cleaning in Derby
Rainwater running down the wall instead of away from the house? A blocked downpipe is one of the most common causes of damp and staining. We clear blocked downpipes from the ground — outlet cleared, pipe flushed, flow confirmed — with GoPro proof. Fixed prices from £90, often same week.
Blocked right where it drains
Blocked downpipe? Let's get it flowing again
A downpipe does a big job quietly — until it blocks. Then water backs up, spills out at the top or at the hopper, and tracks straight down the wall behind it, staining the brickwork and risking damp inside. The frustrating part is that the gutter itself often looks fine from the ground: it's the outlet where the gutter feeds the downpipe, or a bend further down, that's quietly clogged.
We clear blocked downpipes from the ground — clearing the outlet and hopper, flushing the pipe through, and confirming it runs freely before we leave — and we document the whole thing with GoPro footage so you can see it's genuinely sorted. You can see real before-and-after jobs in our gallery.
Every downpipe clearance includes
Downpipe cleaning prices in Derby
A blocked downpipe is usually cleared as part of a gutter clean — here's what a standard visit costs. Tell us if you need just the downpipe and we'll give you a fixed price for that alone. Either way, you'll have the price before we start.
Semi-detached
Typical 2–3 bed semi
3-bed detached
Standard detached home
Larger & period homes
4-bed, large or period property
A standalone downpipe clearance is usually a quick fix — just ask for a price. Full pricing, bungalows and our Annual Maintenance Plan are on the full pricing page. Pay on the day by card (we use a SumUp machine and print a receipt), cash or bank transfer.
Get your fixed price today
Send your property type and postcode — we'll come back with a fixed price, usually the same day. No call-out fee, no obligation.
How we unblock downpipes in Derby
Ground-based, camera-guided, and proven with footage — here's how a typical downpipe job goes.
We assess and quote first
Send us your postcode and a quick description and we'll find the property on Google Maps to work out a fixed price — no site visit needed and no call-out fee.
We find where it's blocked
A camera on the pole lets us check the outlet, hopper and the runs of the pipe so we know exactly where the blockage is sitting before we start.
We clear and flush it through
We draw the blockage out from the outlet and hopper with the vacuum and flush the pipe through, all from the ground — no ladders leant against the wall.
You get the proof, same day
We confirm the pipe's running freely and send GoPro before-and-after footage — usually by WhatsApp, as the files are too big to email. We take the debris away with us.
A new local name, with real experience behind it
Derby Gutters is a new business, but it isn't an inexperienced one.
An inspector's standard
Run by Stephen Fudge, a former Local Authority Cleaning Inspector with 25+ years in exterior cleaning. The job's done when every run is genuinely clear — not when the hour's up.
Proof, not promises
You get GoPro before-and-after footage on every job. No reviews to show yet because we're just starting — so we let the footage do the talking instead.
Insured & straightforward
£1 million public liability, fixed prices with no call-out fee, no subcontractors, and a landline you can actually call. Open 7 days a week.
Stephen Fudge
Owner & operator — former Local Authority Cleaning Inspector
Derby Gutters is run by Stephen, who spent years as a Local Authority Cleaning Inspector and has over 25 years in exterior cleaning behind him. Every job is his — no subcontractors, no handing it off to a van that turns up once and never again.
That inspector's eye is the whole point: a gutter isn't finished because the hour's up, it's finished when every run is genuinely clear — and the GoPro footage proves it. More about Derby Gutters.
Book your downpipe clearance
The person who quotes the job is the person who does it — get a fixed price direct from Stephen.
Signs your downpipe is blocked
A blocked downpipe shows itself a bit differently from a blocked gutter. If you're seeing any of these, it's worth getting it looked at.
Overflowing at the top
Water spilling out at the top of the pipe or over the hopper in rain — the gutter's draining to the outlet, but the pipe below isn't taking it away.
Damp or stain behind the pipe
A patch of damp or a dark stain on the wall directly behind the downpipe is a classic sign water's been backing up and tracking down the brickwork.
Water running down the outside
If water's trickling down the outside of the pipe rather than inside it, the pipe is full and the overflow is finding its way out at a joint.
Gurgling or trickling sounds
A gurgle, drip or trickle inside the pipe after the rain has stopped often means water's sitting above a partial blockage and slowly working through.
Pooling at the base
Water collecting around the bottom of the downpipe or the gully not draining away points to a blockage at the foot of the pipe or the gully itself.
Green streak down the wall
A vertical green algae streak running down the wall beside the pipe is a sign of water that's been escaping and running down the same line for a while.
What blocks a downpipe?
Most downpipe blockages start at the top, where the gutter feeds in, and build up at the first bend.
Leaves washed from the gutter
Leaves and debris in the gutter wash down to the outlet and pack into the top of the downpipe, which is the single most common cause.
Moss & silt at the bends
Fine silt and washed-down moss settle and compact where the pipe bends, gradually narrowing it until water can't get through.
Birds' nests in the hopper
Open hoppers and pipe tops are tempting nesting spots. Nesting material is a frequent cause of a downpipe that's stopped up completely.
The gutter outlet cage
The cage or trap at the outlet catches debris by design — useful, until it fills up and stops the gutter draining into the pipe at all. The same trade-off applies to gutter guards.
Balls, litter & garden debris
Stray balls, litter and windblown garden waste drop into open hoppers and wedge in the pipe, trapping everything behind them.
A blocked gully at the bottom
Where the pipe meets a surface gully, leaves and silt can clog the grid so water backs up the pipe from below rather than from above.
Blocked downpipes on Derby homes
Derby's older terraces and period homes — around Normanton, the inner suburbs and the conservation areas — often still have cast-iron downpipes and shared hoppers that block at the joints and the bends, where decades of silt and moss have built up. These need a careful hand rather than brute force, and we work them from the ground.
On the post-war estates — Chaddesden, Alvaston, Sinfin and Oakwood — the uPVC downpipes tend to block where leaves wash down from the gutter above. And the leafy suburbs like Allestree, Mickleover and Littleover see it worst through autumn, when the trees are dropping and every outlet is working overtime. Wherever yours is, we'll find the blockage, clear it, and show you it's flowing on the footage.
Downpipe cleaning across Derby
We cover the whole of Derby and the surrounding villages, with no travel charge. A few of the areas we clear:
Common questions
How do I know if it's the downpipe that's blocked, not the gutter?
A blocked gutter usually spills over its front edge along the run. A blocked downpipe tends to overflow at the top of the pipe or at the hopper, with damp or staining on the wall directly behind it. Often the gutter looks fine and it's the outlet feeding the pipe that's clogged — the camera tells us for sure.
Can you clear a blockage in an underground drain?
We clear the downpipe and the surface gully it runs into. If the blockage is further down in the underground drain itself, that's a drainage job rather than gutter work — we'll tell you honestly if that's what we're seeing rather than charge you for something we can't fix.
Do I need a full gutter clean, or just the downpipe?
If only the downpipe's blocked, we can clear just that. But blockages usually start in the gutter and wash down, so if the gutter's full too a full clean often stops it coming straight back. We'll give you an honest steer on the day — no upselling.
Can you clear cast-iron downpipes on older Derby homes?
Yes. The older terraces and period homes around Normanton and the conservation areas often have cast-iron pipes and hoppers. We clear them carefully, working the joints and bends without stressing aged fixings.
What if the downpipe is cracked rather than just blocked?
We'll show you on the footage. Clearing a blockage won't fix a split or pulled-apart pipe, so if that's what's causing the problem we'll explain what's actually needed rather than clear it and leave you with the same leak.
Get your free, no-obligation quote
Fill in a few details and we'll come back with a fixed price — usually the same day.
What happens next?
No call centres and no pushy sales. Just a fixed price from the person who'll do the work.
- 1You send your detailsProperty type, postcode and what you need — takes a minute.
- 2We reply with a fixed priceUsually the same day. No call-out fee, no obligation.
- 3We book a day that suits youOpen 7 days a week across Derby and the surrounding villages.
- 4You get photo proofGoPro before & after footage sent over once the job's done.
Sort your blocked downpipe
Tell us your postcode and what's happening, and we'll send you a fixed price — no call-out fee, no pressure. Covering Derby and the surrounding villages, 7 days a week.