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Why You Need to Protect Your Downpipes - 90 Second Insight

In our latest 90 Second Insight video we take a look at securely protecting downpipes and why this needs to be considered. Read on to learn more.

Some have suggested that the summer of 2024 has been the wettest on record. But this theory has been debunked by experts who point out that we are still a long way from breaking summertime rainfall records. The wettest summer on record for the UK occurred in 1879 when 397.1mm of rain fell. In 1912 this record rainfall was almost beaten with 381.1mm recorded and again in 2012 when 378.7mm or rain fell on the UK.

But there is no getting away from the fact that here in the UK we need to contend with significant volumes of rainwater, regardless of the season.

Why Downpipes are Essential

Downpipes play an essential role in rainwater management. These pipes, typically mounted on the external walls of homes and properties, channel collected rainwater from gutters into surface water drainage systems. UK building regulations state that rainwater from rooftops and gutters should be discharged at least 1 metre away from property foundations to avoid ground saturation, flooding and damage. Downpipes are required to route rain water to appropriate surface water drains or soakaways.

External Pipework Used by Burglars

External pipework including downpipes, drain pipes and soil pipes, is a common feature on properties throughout the UK. While these plumbing elements are essential for dealing with our waste water management they can also provide criminals with a relatively easy way to scale a wall and reach upper storey windows.

There are many cases, often reported in local press publications, of burglars who’ve accessed properties by climbing up external pipework. In Perth, Scotland, for example, a thief pled guilty and was jailed for 12 months at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting he’d attempted to break into a house by climbing up a drain pipe and smashing a window. He was seen by a vigilant neighbour who contacted the police and was subsequently identified and arrested.

In another case a brazen house breaker climbed up a drainpipe to gain access to a property via the first floor. An Xbox and accessories, valued at around £800, were stolen from the home in broad daylight.

And in Blackburn a burglar was recorded on CCTV, climbing a drainpipe to reach an open window. After being captured and pleading guilty to burglary he was jailed for two years and four months.

External Pipework Susceptible to Damage

External pipework on homes and properties can also attract unwanted attention from vandals and adventurous youngsters who can be enticed by the climbing challenge. While they may not have any purposeful criminal intent, they might attempt to scale a wall simply to show off or demonstrate their climbing prowess. Unfortunately this can result in damage to the pipework and risk serious injury.

External pipework can also be damaged by vehicles, sometimes manoeuvring in tight spaces. Pipework, on walls surrounding car parking areas and goods-inward yards at supermarkets, is particularly susceptible and often damaged. Forklifts can dislodge or damage exposed plumbing pipework leading to leaks and further damage.

Pipework Needs Protection

External pipework clearly needs protection. Downpipes and other external pipework must be protected against climbers to ensure properties are secure and don’t offer easy access for burglars. Vandals and adventurous children need to be discouraged from scaling pipework to keep them safe and avoid costly damage.

In locations where downpipes might be damaged by vehicles, trolleys or forklifts, armoured pipework shielding is needed.

Plastic Anti Climb Spikes

 A simple, easily installed, low-cost way to deter and prevent pipes from being climbed is to wrap flexible plastic anti climb spikes around the pipes. While these spikes look nasty their rounded tips make them relatively harmless. They are simply attached to pipes using cable ties and the prickly surface makes it impossible to gain a good hand hold. Any burglar, vandal or adventurous young climber will immediately be deterred from even attempting to climb a protected pipe.

Spiked Pipe Collars

 Spiked pipe-collars provide additional pipe-climbing protection. These are highly visible and genuinely nasty, spiked metal collars that attach to the wall either side of a drainpipe. They need to be installed above a height of 2.2 metres from the ground and appropriate warning signage must be displayed. It may be necessary to install these aggressive spiked anti climb barriers higher than this in some locations, or wherever children might be present.  

Anti Climb Downpipe Covers

Another highly effective, popular pipework protection option is to enclose external pipes in our robust, steel downpipe covers. These pipe covers present a strong, armoured shield around the enclosed pipe making it impossible to climb. They are ideally installed to cover the lower, easy-to-reach sections of external pipework where the protection also prevents damage from vehicular impact or inadvertent contact. They are ideal for securing pipework in busy commercial situations where forklifts and vehicles are constantly on the move, putting external pipes at risk of damage.

Our steel downpipe covers are available in either galvanised or durable paint finishes (black or white) for long lasting weather resistance. Installation is very simple using the pre-drilled holes to attach the covers to the wall, either side of the protected pipework. Supplied in lengths of 2 metres, the covers can be overlapped to cover longer lengths where necessary.

These covers are not only robust, they also look great. They are now widely used to protect pipes in many schools (as shown), commercial premises and domestic settings where they also enhance the aesthetic appearance of buildings.

If you have any questions about effective downpipe protection, or if you have any special requirements, remember we are here to help. Give us a call on 01273 475500 and we’ll provide you with free, expert advice.

This message was added on Thursday 5th September 2024