A gutter inspection camera is a small camera on the end of a long pole, linked to a screen on the ground. It shows the inside of your gutters, which you can’t see from below, so you can see blockages, standing water, leaking joints, broken brackets and nests before and after cleaning.
How does a gutter camera work?
A small, lightweight camera is fixed to the top of a pole, usually the same carbon pole used for the gutter vacuum. It points down into the gutter and sends a live picture to a screen or tablet held on the ground. The operator can move along the gutter and see exactly what’s inside. Pictures and short clips can be saved.
Why can’t you just look from the ground?
Because the inside of a gutter is above your eye line. From the ground you see the front edge and the bottom of the gutter, not what’s in it. A gutter can be half full of silt and moss and look perfectly normal from below. You only find out when it overflows in a storm.
From an upstairs window you might see a short stretch of one gutter, but not the whole run, the corners or the outlets.
What does the camera show before cleaning?
- How full the gutter is. Leaves, moss, silt and any plants growing.
- Where the blockage is. Usually at the outlet or a corner.
- Standing water. A sign of a blocked outlet or a gutter that doesn’t fall towards the downpipe.
- Nests. Birds nesting near or in the gutter, which must be left alone while in use.
- Odd objects. Balls, toys, bits of roof tile.
It means we know what we’re dealing with before we start, and you know what you’re paying for.
What does it show after cleaning?
That the gutter is actually clear, end to end, including the outlets and corners. Without a camera, gutter cleaning is often a matter of trust. With one, you can see the result. We take photos of the clear gutter so you have them, and so do we.
Can the camera find problems other than blockages?
Yes, and that’s one of its most useful jobs. The camera can show:
- Cracked or split gutters, often from ladders or ice
- Failed joints between sections, where seals have hardened
- Sagging sections where brackets have bent or broken
- Gaps between the gutter and the roof edge where water runs behind
- Loose or slipped tiles near the gutter
- Missing stop ends at the end of a run
We don’t do repairs, but we tell you what we see so you can get the right trade in. We don’t invent problems either; you see the same picture we do.
Does the camera help when buying or selling a house?
It can be useful. Gutters are often overlooked in a home survey because surveyors look from the ground. A camera check gives you photos of the gutters’ condition, which can help if you’re buying, selling or just keeping records.
Does every gutter cleaner use a camera?
No. Many clean by hand from a ladder, and some use a vacuum without a camera. Without one, it’s hard to be sure the whole gutter is clear, especially on long runs and two-storey houses. We use the camera on every job because it’s the only way to check the work from the ground.
Can I see the pictures?
Yes. If you’re home, you can watch on the screen while we work. If you’re out, we can send you photos of the gutters before and after. They’re kept with your job record. Our privacy page explains how we handle them.
Is a camera check worth it without a clean?
Sometimes. If you’re not sure whether your gutters need cleaning, a camera look tells you. If they’re clear, we’ll say so. That’s better than paying for a clean you don’t need yet.
How do I book a gutter clean with a camera check?
Every gutter clean we do includes the camera check before and after. Send us your postcode and a photo of the house, or call 07346 818746, and we’ll give you a price.
Does the camera see into downpipes?
It can see into the top of the outlet, which is where most downpipe blockages start. It won’t travel all the way down the pipe, but it shows whether the outlet is open and whether water disappears down it during the test. If water backs up, we know the pipe is blocked lower down and clear it from the bottom or with rods.
What does a clean gutter look like on camera?
A clear gutter looks like an empty channel: the white or black plastic floor of the gutter visible from end to end, the outlet open, and no standing water a few minutes after the water test. You might see a thin film or stain, which is normal on older gutters. What you shouldn’t see is a dark layer of silt, clumps of moss or anything green growing.
Can the camera be wrong?
It shows what’s there, but it has limits. Very bright sun can make the screen hard to read, and a deep box gutter may need a second angle. If we’re unsure about a section, we look again or run more water down it. We would rather spend two more minutes than tell you something is clear when it isn’t.
