Introduction: Small Problems, Big Costs
When we talk about blocked gutters in Exeter most people don’t think this is a major issue, but they are one of the leading causes of water damage in UK homes.
We’ve been called out to properties with blocked gutters across Exeter, Exminster, and Devon and to villages like Marsh Barton, Poltimore, and Upton Pyne, where a simple gutter blockage turned into thousands of pounds worth of repairs.
The truth is, most homeowners don’t realise their gutters are blocked until the damage is already done.
That’s why spotting the early warning signs is so important.
So here are the top 5 red flags to look out for, and why you shouldn’t wait to take action.
1. Water Overflowing from Your Gutters
The most obvious sign that your gutter is blocked is if you see water spilling over the edge of your gutter during heavy rain.
This is a sure sign of a blockage. Instead of flowing through the downpipes, the water has nowhere to go.
The result…
Damp walls, mould patches, and water damage inside your home.
We’ve seen this countless times across Devon, where homeowners waited too long, and then we get the stories of how they were awoken in the middle of the night by the soft sound of a drip coming from their bedroom ceiling.
A quick gutter clean in Exeter or Exminster could prevent thousands in damp-proofing costs.
2. Sagging Gutters or Visible Plant Growth
When gutters get clogged with moss, leaves, and debris, they become heavy.
Because of the buildup of this sludge, the weight causes gutters to sag, crack, or even detach from the roofline.
Over the years of cleaning gutters in Exeter I have seen it all. Sometimes I’ll go to clear a gutter and find what appears to be the Amazon rainforest in there, it looks like a mini garden coming out of the gutters.
Other than being a total eyesore, a collapsed gutter can cause serious damage to your roof and walls.
From my experience in cleaning gutters for years, I notice that once gutters sag, the cost of the repair skyrockets.
A regular gutter clean once a year keeps your guttering secure and functional (and attached to the wall)
3. Damp Patches Inside the Home
This is for me the most worrying sign of blocked gutters is finding mould indoors.
When water overflows, it seeps into the bricks and mortar of your property, and eventually shows up as stains or black mould on your walls and ceilings.
This isn’t just bad for your property, it’s bad for your health.
According to health experts, prolonged exposure to mould can trigger breathing problems, allergies, and asthma and in some cases pneumonia.
It’s especially dangerous for children, the elderly, and anyone with existing respiratory issues. A problem that starts with leaves in your gutter can quickly become a daily health risk for your family.
That’s why professional gutter cleaning in Marsh Barton, and Poltimore or any village in Devon is about more than protecting bricks and mortar.
It’s about protecting the people inside. By removing moss, debris, and blockages before they lead to dampness, you keep your home dry, healthy, and safe.
That’s why we pride ourselves on providing professional gutter cleaning services in Exeter
This protects both your home and your family.
4. Water Pooling Around the Foundations
When downpipes are blocked, the water will spill over and collect around the bottom of your home. Over time, this erodes the foundations and weakens structural stability.
We’ve worked on gutters across Exeter, where neglect allowed water to pool around driveways and garden walls, leading to cracks in the exterior wall and more importantly costly foundation repairs.
We often hear from residents searching for gutter cleaning in Devon villages like Broadclyst or Upton Pyne only after costly repairs are needed, and it’s frustrating because it’s so easy to prevent
Because a quick clean now saves thousands later.
5. Strange Noises or Smells Coming from Your Gutters
If you ever hear strange dripping, gurgling, or bubbling sounds coming from your gutters after it rains, that’s your system crying for help.
Those noises usually mean water is trapped behind a blockage and is struggling to find a way out, like a sink trying to drain with the plug half in.
When this happens, the standing water begins to stagnate.
Over time, it can produce a damp, earthy smell and even leave dark streaks running down your render or fascia boards.
This trapped water adds extra weight to your gutters, eventually causing them to sag, leak, or split at the joints.
The good news is that this issue is easy to fix before it becomes a repair job.
A quick gutter clean in Exeter clears the hidden blockages and restores proper flow, leaving your gutters silent, free-flowing, and back to doing their job.
How Gutter Cleaning Protects Your Home’s Value
When we talk about property value, we often focus on how the kitchen looks, or does the bathrooms need fresh paint.
But one of the most overlooked factors during a home survey is the condition of the gutters.
Surveyors in Exeter, Broadclyst, and Exminster often flag blocked or overflowing gutters as a red warning sign.
Why?
Because this suggests neglect, and neglect usually results in hidden problems. A home with visible damp patches, mould, or sagging gutters can quickly lose appeal with buyers and even lower the valuation.
Throughout the years of cleaning gutters in Exeter, I have seen cases in which homeowners delayed a gutter clean, only to face costly repairs just before selling.
Then if the surveyors did their job right the homeowner would have to take down the price of their home by a few thousand pounds.
I know most homeowners aren’t thinking about selling their home but this is almost always the case and then years later when life takes them down a different road and they want to sell, they have to take the hit on the price because of years of neglect.
How to Prevent: Regular Gutter Cleaning
The signs of blocked gutters are easy to miss because we come in from a hard day’s work and when we get home the last thing you want to do is go out and inspect your gutters.
I have known people who tried to ignore it and their excuse is,
“It’s not that big a deal, it’ll unblock itself.”
Avoiding a gutter clean is cheap until it becomes an expensive gutter replacement. But prevention is simple and affordable.
At The Exeter Gutter Cleaner, we use a powerful gutter vacuum and our specialist Vac & Flush system to clear gutters safely from the ground and flush downpipes thoroughly.
This ensures moss, leaves, and debris are completely removed, and not just skimmed off the surface.
By booking regular gutter cleaning in Exeter, Exminster, Marsh Barton, Broadclyst, and Newton St Cyres, you protect your home from damp, mould, leaks, and costly repairs.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs
Blocked gutters are silent at first and we don’t notice them as we never think to look up, but they always leave a trail of damage.
Overflowing water, sagging gutters, mould indoors, foundation problems, and even pest infestations, all of these start with one simple cause.
The good news?
It’s easy to fix before the damage takes hold. Join the 46+ homeowners across Exeter and Devon who already trusted us with their gutter cleaning.