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Tree roots in your sewer pipes are like tree root cancer.
This is a shocking headline!
Tree roots in your sewer pipes are just like a tree root cancer. It will sneak up on you and block your drains if you leave it unchecked.
Sure, you can have some emergency plumbing surgery, removing the affected section and rejoining your pipes.
By now you know, if left unchecked, the tree root cancer will find another place to invade your drainage and in its own time will do just what it has always done… Block your pipes again!
Eventually, the tree roots will break your pipes and you will need major emergency plumbing surgery.
The only way to really stop tree roots in drains, is to have Vaporooter applied to your sewer pipes now and have it re-applied annually.
Here’s the thing – you have the choice…to stop tree roots in drains or continue to suffer with that silent tree root cancer threat.
Given the choice, which one would you prefer?
Deciding or NOT deciding is the decision you have to make. One will give you peace of mind knowing that if you get a blocked drain caused by tree roots, you will have it cleared free of charge, the other well…keep your emergency plumber and bank manager on speed dial.
Tree roots grow through pipe joints to block your sewer.
Todays post is very simple!
In 98% of blocked drains caused by tree roots, the roots grow through the pipe joints to get into your sewer line.
They rarely enter the pipeline through the pipes themselves.
Older sewers made of terracotta or earthenware pipes usually 600-900mm (2-3foot) long, have sand cement joints and it’s through these joints that the roots grow.
Imagine this, a 40 metre or 120 foot sewer line, with bends, junctions and fittings will have at least 40 joints.
Each pipe joint is a potential point of entry for tree roots.
Once they grow into the pipeline seeking moisture and all those nutrients, they just keep growing!
During repairs or renovations to sewers, where new PVC pipeline sections have been inserted into the old earthenware lines and joined by sand cement or rubber adaptors, its only a matter of time before the tree roots grow into these pipe joints and cause a new tree root blockage.
Symptoms of a blocked drain
As our summer rolls on and the Easter break approaches and we get together with our family and friends, keep an eye out for some of those vital symptoms that indicate you have a slow or blocked drain.
Make it a holiday break to remember for the right reasons, rather than needing to call an emergency plumber to rescue you and your family from a sewer blockage.
Keep an eye out for:
- The excessive rise or fall of the water level in your toilet. We call it syphoning, and it comes with a Glug Glug Glug sound.
- Slow draining water or ankle deep water in the shower or bath.
- Swarms of small flies or sewer flies around smelly drains.
- Your kitchen sink, waste disposal unit or dishwasher are slow to drain.
- Toilet paper or dirty water around your sewer surcharge gully in the garden or yard.
- Dirty water leaking from a retaining wall or garden bed that conceals sewer pipes.
These are signs of a blockage, and your pipes are trying to tell you that all isn’t well.
When the extra guests arrive you will know because the additional load on your sewer pipes will bring any blockage to a head.
So have a look around you home for the symptoms of a blocked drain and please don’t ignore them.
If you are unsure, contact your friendly plumber for help and some drain maintenance advice.
What are the main causes of blocked drains?
Today’s post is a simple one.
Amazingly, 83% of all blocked drains in Australia are caused by tree roots!
Cooking fats, oils and grease, human and pet hair, sanitary products, facial tissues and napkins used instead of toilet paper, dental floss and broken or collapsed pipes make up the other 17% of blocked drains.
If you have persistent problems with your sewer pipes caused by tree roots then this simple instruction found in the “head” or toilet of an ocean racing yacht, makes a lot of sense to me. I’m sure the yacht owners won’t mind if you put a similar sign in your troubled bathroom.
Who is responsible for these drains?
Problems with drains, including blockages, occur no matter what type of building you live in.
Most single or multiple level houses have their own drainage systems taking the discharge from all the plumbing fixtures within the property. The owner of the property is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their pipes up to the point where his pipes join the council main.
Rows of terrace houses in inner city suburbs and semi-detached homes often drain into a “common sewer line”. These terrace rows can have up to 20 homes or more, draining into one common line. Depending on the fall of the land, this common sewer line may pass across the front or rear of the row and then spill into a Boundary trap, before discharging into the Water authority’s main sewer line.
Generally, the common sewer line should be maintained by the owners of the properties connected to the sewer line, and costs associated with works or repairs on this common sewer line should be borne by all parties on that common sewer line.
If blockages, repairs or pipe renewals are confined to the pipes and drains that take the discharge from any one particular house on the common sewer line, then those costs should be borne by that individual.
Any property owners connected to a common sewer line should be aware that should a blockage occur in the common line, downstream of where he/she connects to the line, the sewer may surcharge or overflow in his/her yard or garden if it is the lowest open drain in the line.
This can be quite unpleasant if someone else’s sewer is coming up in your yard or even worse, your home!
When blockages occur, we recommend that all owners connected to a common sewer line communicate and co-operate with all other parties on this line .
Strata home unit blocks and Townhouses will have their own drainage lines that generally drain to a Boundary trap and then on to the Water Authority or Council sewer mains.
The responsibility for the maintenance and repairs of these drains is generally directed by a Strata Title Manager and sometimes a Real Estate Property Manager.
Commercial properties, Industrial Estates and Schools generally all have their own drainage lines that generally drain to a Boundary trap and then on to the Water Authority or Council sewer mains.
Nightmare Christmas…will this happen to you?
Christmas is fast approaching…
…and I’ll let you in on a little “trade secret”…
…that I guarantee will make me very unpopular with a lot of emergency plumbers!
You see, Christmas tends to be a busy time for emergency plumbers getting called out to deal with blocked drains caused by tree roots!
Why? Well when you think about it, blocked drains almost always happen at the WORST POSSIBLE TIME!
For example, at holiday times when the whole family is at home…
…and when you’re in the middle of a big get together, BBQ or party.
And when it’s an EMERGENCY or “after hours” you know that fixing the problem can be very costly.
Now, of course, at the “Lone Drainer And Pronto” we provide emergency and after hours service and we know how to Stop tree roots in drains.
And our customers are very happy indeed with our service. For example, here’s what Georgia Cleary in Sydney has to say…
“Thank you again for all your assistance (at all hours-weekends and whenever was required) over the past 10 years. You have dealt with some very difficult plumbing problems and always found a solution, without fuss and fanfare. This has been greatly appreciated.”
But my business philosophy is that we’re here to help you with the best and most cost effective solution for your plumbing and drain problems.
And in the case of tree root blockages in your pipes and drains…
…that means Vaporooter.
Vaporooter is the proven and effective solution that stops tree root damage…
…and continues to protect pipes and drains so you can sleep peacefully at night.
And it’s dead easy to make sure that you’re not at risk of having your Christmas ruined by tree roots causing blocked drains or (even worse) clogged sewers.
Get your pipes and drains checked out with our CCTV survey…
…the Vaporooter “Drainoscopy”.
It’s inexpensive and if you call now we can arrange to carry out the survey quickly.
Simply call me on 1 800 637 600.
If you have trees on or near your property, then you’re at risk of tree roots penetrating your drains and pipes and causing a blockage.
Why risk having Christmas ruined by an ugly drain overflow or similar problem?
Call me on 1 800 637 600.
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.
Another Satisfied Vaporooter Customer
After several trials with various chemical products, Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water (GWMW) chose Vaporooter as its aid in combating drain pipe blockages and overflows and has successfully used it since 1989.
Vaporooter, a product of the RSP Environmental Services, is a mixture of herbicides, root growth inhibitor and foaming agent which softens and then destroys the live roots which intrude into the drain pipes and causes a blockage. The product also prevents other roots from growing by slowing down their development for almost three years.
GWMW has initially used the Vaporooter in its problematic areas, where drain blockages were frequent due to shallow sewers and close vicinity of the trees and sewage systems. After solving its immediate problems, GWMW has moved on to preventing blockages and maintaining the high-quality functionality of the draining system.
A great advantage of the Vaporooter is that its efficacy causes no negative side effects on the environment. The foaming process only affects the tree roots that intrude into the pipe and those very close to the pipe. But the rest of the trees and plants in the vicinity are not touched by this non-acidic biodegradable treatment.
RSP Environmental Services do not only provide the product and the technology, but they also assist their clients throughout the different stages of the foaming process. RSP offers its assistance to identify and solve the problems whenever they occur, although this implies higher costs and efforts for them. Just as Vaporooter involves an ongoing long-term process, the RSP honours its provider and aide roles to the client.