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5 Things You Can Do To Prevent Blocked Drains
Here are a few measures that go a long way to prevent roots from infiltrating and destroying your pipes.
- Use pipes made of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for new and replacement drains. PVC pipes are strong enough to repel the tree roots. Experts agree that PVC is the best material for reducing the risk of tree root blockages.
- Don’t plant trees near pipes. This seems simple enough, but many home and business owners don’t realize what constitutes as ‘near’ when we’re talking about tree roots. Many Australian trees have roots with an incredibly wide spread.
- Choose proper foliage. Eucalyptus, for example, can have roots systems that spread out as much as 60 meters. Hills Weeping Fig, on the other hand, can have a root spread as small as 6 meters.
- Maintain your pipes. Wear and tear, cracks, and leaks can cause nutrient-rich water to seep into the soil around your pipes. This attracts tree roots like mad.
- Routinely check and clear your sewer drain. Though roots can be attracted to any type of water-bearing line, they are most often lured towards sewer drains. Have an expert come by and clear roots out of your pipes before they become a big problem.
Tree Roots in Basement Drains
Blocked basement drain is the sneaky little brother of root blocked water and sewer pipes. It’s much harder to notice a blocked basement drain because they are only used during floods. You’ll notice a problem sooner if you use your basement line to drain the water from a clothes washer.
Basement floor drains are likely to get blocked by roots because they’ve been around longer and are made out of weaker materials. Some basement drainage systems are made of clay tile, which was standard plumbing when older homes were built.
Roots can easily penetrate the weak walls of older basement drains and will grow into them for years. For many home and business owners, a blocked basement drain doesn’t get noticed until a flood occurs.
By the time you become aware of the problem, it’s too late. Flooded basements have to be pumped out. Once the water is clear, there may be thousands of dollars in property damages to deal with, not to mention the still-blocked drain.
There are few simple ways you can avert disaster and detect a blocked basement drain before it becomes a huge issue.
- First off, listen to your drain. If it makes gurgling noises, especially during rain, it may be blocked.
- Second, you can try pouring a few buckets of water down the drain; you’ll know you have a problem if it overflows, or drains slowly. Remember to remove anything that you have stored around the drain before you try this experiment; the last thing you need is water damage that you caused yourself.
Tree Roots Block Drains
Did you know that the majority of sewer blockages are caused by tree root systems? A recent study found that tree roots are accountable for 54% of plumbing blockages; in some areas of Australia the number is as high as 93%
Plumbing blockages are a heavy price to pay for foliage. A root blocking inbound or outbound plumbing can quickly turn into a watery nightmare for home, business, and building owners.
Luckily, there are trees to avoid and trees that are okay. Trees with fibrous, or “spread out”, root can be dangerous near homes and businesses with plumbing. Trees with taproots, or roots that grow downward, can be safer for pipes. Also, some trees that are unsafe for plumbing become safer the farther they are away from buildings.
Don’t worry, if it’s too late for preventive landscaping, there are several ways to clear those pesky roots from pipes. Experts will use different methods depending on the circumstance of the blockages. Popular methods include rodding, jetting, root cutting, the use of chemicals, and a process called dig and repair.
No matter what the root blockage issue, Australia has a wealth of tree root and plumbing experts. They help our pipes live in harmony with our world-famous fauna.
Electric Snakes
Electric snakes are tools used by plumbers to clear pipes of debris. Electric snakes are used to buy time until a longer-lasting technique can be used to clear the pipe. So if your problem is roots growing into pipes, snaking is a very temporary solution.
These nifty machines are made of over 60 meters of tubing which spins at over 500 revolutions a minute. A powerful electric snake is enough to clear regular debris and small, thin root blockages. You’re going to need something stronger for dense root blockages.
Plumbers may still use an electric snake on a dense blockage, with the hopes that it will clear enough of the pipe to make it usable in the short-term. On top of their provisionality, electric snakes pose many other problems.
The tubes are long and cumbersome, so space will have to be made to fit the equipment into as your snakes will be covered in grease and grime. They can make a huge mess in your home if you happen to get careless plumbers. Even the most courteous plumbing experts can still unwittingly leave some muck for you to clean up.
Experts warn against renting or buying electric snakes and using them to routinely clear pipes. The tube spins so fast that it can be dangerous if you’re not trained in the proper use. Like most complicated devices, the use of electric snakes is best left to the pros.
5 Methods to Clear Tree Roots From Pipes
- Rodding: Plumbers stick a ratchet (a bar with teeth) down your pipe to break up the root block. They then send another bar down to cut and clear the debris.
- Jetting: Plumbers will use a hose with a special nozzle to direct a powerful jet of water at the block. With this method there is a big risk that the jet won’t be able to break up the blockage and you may have to pay for a more hard-hitting solution.
- Root Cutting: This process uses the same high-pressure water as jetting, but in this case the water is more directed, and is used to cut the roots before flushing them out. Cutting the roots usually encourages new root growth and they could grow back faster and stronger.
- Chemicals: This treatment is a heavy foam that contains herbicides. How a chemical treatment works depends on how bad the root block is. Less dense root masses can be forced out by the pressure of the foam as it travels down the pipe. More dense masses will have to be jetted first. The foam seals cracks in the pipes caused by the roots, and the herbicides hinder further root growth. You’ll have to treat pipes near root systems at least once a year by using Vaporooter; this is the leading product to get this done.
- Dig out and Repair: This method requires excavation of the pipes and roots. Although fairly permanent, this method is often only used in extreme situations, such as the total collapse of a main drainage pipe. The costs can be quite high when you have to dig to remove tree roots.
The First Sign Of A Tree Root Blockage
The first sign of a tree root blockage is a slow drain. Simple right? But, this won’t be an average slow drain that can be cured with a plunger or a drain cleaning solution. The blockage may be accompanied by a gurgling sound from within the drain, which can be heard when no water is running.
A quick visual diagnosis will let you know if there is a tree root blockage. Any trees that are within 60 meters of the building, or within ten meters of any known pipes, have root systems that might penetrate a line.
Tree roots are more likely to grow into your lines during winter and other cold months. That’s because tree roots have to travel farther for moisture during these months. Older pipes, especially those laid before the 1980s, can be made of materials that are easy for tree roots to infiltrate.
Some plumbers use high-tech cameras to determine whether a blockage is common, or caused by a tree root system. A camera is attached to a drain snake and run down the affected pipe so that the tech savvy blockage experts can use this camera to explore every aspect of a blocked pipe. They’ll take a video, diagnose the problem, and then suggest the best course of action.
Clogged Drain or Tree Root Damage? Time for Vaporooter
Vaporooter is the perfect solution to remove tree roots in sewer pipes. Vaporooter is 100 percent effective in tree root control when applied repeatedly. No other process to remove tree roots in pipes and away from foundations has proven to be nearly as effective or efficient.
Vaporooter is delivered in a foam application to prevent tree root damage. The foam ensures that the combination of herbicides, Metham Sodium (herbicide), and Dichlobenil (growth inhibiting agent) reaches every root surface within the pipes to kill the root and prevent regrowth of the root cells. This effectively addresses the tree root problem within the pipe and eliminates roots in drains.
The use of a foam application also controls the amount of time the herbicide combination is in contact with a tree root. Vaporooter only affects the tree roots lodged in the pipes and does not affect trees or shrubs that are above the ground because it is not absorbed by the tree. No method to remove roots in pipes has proven to deliver the same safe and effective process as Vaporooter.
Because Vaporooter is a chemical compound, it must be applied by a licensed applicator using a Mini Foamer machine. By following this process to address a clogged drain, it helps to ensure the Vaporooter foam safely and truly penetrates the root to remove the roots in sewer pipes.
The machine generates the foam and pumps it to remove tree roots. The technician is trained to ensure this process delivers foam completely throughout the pipe to penetrate roots in drains and prevent their growth. The herbicides in Vaporooter will penetrate the roots in drains and burst the root, causing it to die and decay. Grease and slime are stripped away from the clogged drain to allow for deep penetration to prevent the tree root problem.
Removing tree roots from a clogged drain must first be done with an auger to clean out the root mass and make way for the proper method to treat roots in drains. Vaporooter should be applied within 6 to 8 weeks of new implementations or fresh root cuts to prevent continued tree root damage. When this process to remove tree roots from pipes is done annually, it can effectively prevent future tree root damage.
Removing tree roots in sewer pipes and away from foundation walls can easily be achieved with Vaporooter. We can show you how to remove roots in pipes with our licensed applicator and proven Vaporooter method. You no longer have to pay for tree root damage, nor should you be at the mercy of invasive tree root problems on your property.
Don’t wait for your tree roots to become a problem that will cost significant resources to repair. Call a Vaporooter profeassional today to assess your tree root problem and eliminate your clogged drain. They can show you how to remove roots in pipes before they cause a clog and backup your system. Sewer root control is proven and effective with Vaporooter!
Tree Root Damage Prevented With Vaporooter
No one wants to have to deal with tree roots in sewer pipes, but if you encounter this issue, when it occurs, tree root damage can become a problem. To achieve effective removal of roots in drains and address a tree root problem, nothing has been proven to be nearly as effective as Vaporooter.
Vaporooter foam is designed to remove roots in pipes without causing damage to the environment or the surrounding plant life. The chemical combination in Vaporooter is protected and monitored by the EPA and must be applied by a trained and certified Vaporooter technician. When properly applied on an annual basis, you can safely and effectively remove tree roots from a clogged drain.
Vaporooter delivers other advantages as well, including continuous protection. The application only needs to be done once a year to address an ongoing tree root problem. This method to remove tree roots from sewer lines is an effective way to prevent roots from penetrating pipes in the future while also preventing tree root damage.
Vaporooter is also cost effective. For less than $1.50 per day, you can prevent regrowth of roots in drains after they have been removed. This process for addressing a clogged drain ensures you can remove roots in pipes without tearing out landscaping or the pipe itself. No digging is required and your tree root problem can become a thing of the past.
The process for using Vaporooter and the chemicals it delivers to remove tree roots from sewer lines while preventing tree root damage to other pipes and foundations has been proven to be 100 percent safe and effective. While it is important that the Vaporooter be handled only by a trained and certified technician, its application will not cause harm.
When compared with costly repairs to pipelines, foundations and landscaped areas, the application of Vaporooter is significantly less expensive. A clogged drain can seem like a simple blocked pipe, but in reality, tree root damage can cost a fortune. When Vaporooter is properly used on an annual basis to treat roots in sewer lines, homeowners and municipalities avoid costly repairs.
The proven method in the use of Vaporooter to remove roots in pipes and prevent tree root damage is readily available throughout the world. Municipalities in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have relied on Vaporooter to remove tree roots from sewer pipes and prevent untold damage to sewer lines and building foundations. No other method to remove roots in pipes has been proven to be as effective, safe or efficient as Vaporooter.
Vaporooter should be applied to tree roots in sewer lines every year to ensure root regrowth does not occur. Ongoing maintenance is necessary as once tree roots have found a nutrient source, they will continue to seek that source. You cannot control the habits of the tree, but you can prevent tree roots in sewer pipes with Vaporooter.
Remove Roots in Pipes with Vaporooter
While trees contribute to the value of property, the health of citizens and the basic aesthetics of the environment, their roots can be extremely intrusive. When this intrusion happens in sewer lines, the tree roots cause extensive damage to the pipes. Implementing a process to remove tree roots from a clogged drain is essential in order to ensure the free flow of the waste water collection system.
A tree root that continues to grow will cause problems as roots will grow toward moisture through a continuous process. Tree root damage to drains is the result of roots that grow one cell at a time, enabling the root to penetrate extremely small openings in the pursuit of nourishment.
Once the root has entered a pipe, tree root damage escalates. A clogged drain caused by roots in sewer pipes is a much more formidable adversary than a basic clog. Once the damage occurs and the pipe is penetrated, the root can divide hundreds of times to form an enormous mass of tender root ends.
It is important to remove roots in pipes before a devastating backup occurs. The mass of roots within a clogged drain usually collects a thick coating of grease, causing it to become heavy and hang in the water. This hanging creates grit settlement and shoaling. As debris and sewage solids continue to build in the clogged drain, it piles on the root mass until a blockage occurs.
A common solution is to use an auger on the roots in sewer pipes to remove them from the sewer lines. This process to address a tree root problem can actually allow the tree roots to grow back bigger and stronger than before, thereby exacerbating the problem. A better solution that is not only easier to apply, but also ensures roots in drains do not continue to be a problem, is the Vaporooter solution.
Vaporooter is the perfect solution to remove tree roots from sewer lines as it is safe to use and does not hurt trees or other plants above ground. The use of Vaporooter approaches the level of 100 percent effectiveness in the process to remove roots in pipes. In fact, when used in annual applications, Vaporooter has proven to be the safest and most effective process to remove tree roots from sewer lines.
Delivered in a foam application by a certified technician, Vaporooter ensures elimination of your tree root problem. The foam ensures that the combination of herbicides, Metham Sodium (herbicide), and Dichlobenil (growth inhibiting agent), reaches every root to address any ongoing tree root problem. The roots will no longer grow in the sewer pipes and this will allow for the free and clear flow of fluids.
The use of a foam application also controls the amount of time the herbicide combination is in contact with the tree root to remove the roots in pipes. No other method of removing tree roots has been able to deliver the same safe and effective process as Vaporooter.
Sanafoam Vaporooter II versus traditional methods of dealing with root infiltration
Tree root infiltration in sewage pipes can lead to blockage of and overflow in the draining system, the destruction of the system itself and even the replacing and relining of the pipes. The traditional methods of dealing with this problem involve short-term fixing, not long-term solutions and prevention.
The most widespread traditional method of dealing with a live root invasion problem is the cutting of the root. Although this may seem like a good immediate response, the long term result is disastrous. The cutting leads to rejuvenation and strengthening of the root, which becomes an even more forceful enemy of the pipes. Plus, some types of roots, like the ones that grow along the length of the pipe, are very difficult to cut due to their shape and position.
The modern efficient alternative is the Sanafoam Vaporooter, a combination of herbicides that leads to the weakening and later killing of the unwanted roots. The effect of the herbicides can be as long as three years, if proper retreatment is applied. Unlike the cutting of the root, which offers immediate response, the clearing of the pipes with the Vaporooter can take up to six months, as the natural decay of the killed roots cannot happen overnight. If the treatment is reapplied after six months, efficacy can be as high as 99 percentage.
While cutting of the tree roots solves the blockage problem, it does not prolong the life the pipes. Vaporooter can destroy even the small root cells which intrude into small cracks in the pipe. By removing these elements, the pipe cracks can close up under the ground weight.
Because cutting the tree only momentarily solves the problem and does not prevent further problems from forming, root invasions are dealt with only when they become an emergency. Urgent interventions, which may even involve the replacing of the pipes, are very costly and time-consuming. Vaporooter, however, is much more efficient cost and time-wise, because it solves and prevents root invasion problems, controlling them at all times and preventing them from getting out of hand.
Vaporooter is environment-friendly, as it only affects the roots inside the pipe, in the pipe wall and very close to the pipe. As it is biodegradable and non-acidic, it does not bother the trees and plants above the pipe. Cutting the roots, however, as they lead to even stronger roots, may create severe blockages which require pipe replacing, a possibly invasive method for the surrounding vegetation.