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How to keep tree roots out of drain pipes.

There is always more than one way to skin a cat! Here are four commonly used methods to prevent tree roots from blocking your drain pipes, along with a general cost comparison:

  1. Chemical Root Treatment: This method involves the use of chemical substances to inhibit root growth and entry into the pipes. The cost of chemical root treatments can vary depending on the size and length of the pipe being treated, the severity of the root intrusion, and the specific chemicals used. Typically, the cost ranges from $300 to $800 per treatment, and treatments may be required annually.
  2. Physical Barriers: Installing physical barriers, such as root barriers or copper sulfate-impregnated strips, can prevent tree roots from reaching and damaging terracotta pipes. The cost of physical barriers will depend on factors like the length of the barrier required and the labor involved in installation. On average, the cost can range from $200 to $400 per linear metre, including materials and installation.
  3. Pipe Renewal: Completely replacing the old terracotta pipes with more modern materials like PVC can effectively solve the problem of root intrusion. However, this method is typically more expensive and disruptive. The cost of pipe replacement can vary significantly depending on factors like the length of the pipe, depth of installation, and accessibility. As a rough estimate, the cost can range from $500 to $2500 per linear metre, including excavation, removal of old pipes, and installation of new ones.
  4. Pipe Relining: Relining creates a new and seamless pipe within the old one, which is made of a durable and long-lasting epoxy resin material. This can extend the life of your pipes for several decades and prevent future root intrusion and blockages. Estimates range between $1,000- $1,500 per metre depending on the access to the pipes to be relined.

It’s important to note that these cost estimates are approximate and can vary depending on various factors like location, specific project requirements, labor costs, and contractor fees. It is recommended to consult with local professionals to obtain accurate cost estimates for your specific situation.

What is Pipe Relining?

Pipe relining has become a fashionable thing.

There is a place for pipe relining usually when the structure of the pipe has been compromised or broken.

Pipe relining involves inserting a liner, usually fibreglass resin, into the existing drain pipes, creating a new, seamless, and durable pipe within the old one, without the need for excavation.

This process is a little disruptive but, less disruptive, faster, and more cost-effective than traditional pipe replacement. By relining the pipes, you can restore the flow and function of your sewer system, prevent future damage, and extend the life of your pipes.

We have used pipe relining to repair broken and damaged pipes especially in those few situations where excavation is difficult or dangerous, like under a roadway or when the pipes are buried deep in the ground on a tight work site.

Some plumbers will recommend pipe relining for a simple blocked drain caused by tree roots where the roots have just grown through one of the many pipe joints in an earthenware pipeline.

I’ve seen multiple instances where after relining a section of the pipe, tree roots just grow along the pipe line and find another pipe joint to grow through.

At the time of writing this, in Sydney Australia, the cost to reline one metre of 100mm or 4″ pipes is about $1,000.00 per metre.

That means, to reline 30 metres or 100ft of sewer pipe will cost about $30,000. And that’s a lot of money!

You can Click here to see an earlier post about pipe relining costs.

If you’re researching options on How to Stop Tree Roots in Drains or you’re unsure if pipe relining is the answer to your problem, I invite you to call me on 1800 637 600.

Condensation attracts tree roots to sewer pipes

Did you know tree roots are attracted to condensation on the inside of drain pipes?

Trees are naturally drawn to moisture and nutrients, and condensation can provide a source of both. The roots of a tree can detect the presence of moisture inside a pipe and grow towards it. As the roots grow, they can cause blockages or damage to the pipes. This can be more prevalent in areas with high humidity.

It’s also worth noting that tree roots are also attracted to other sources of moisture such as leaks, cracks or joints in the pipe and then the waste material inside the pipe. Tree roots will seek the nutrients found in the waste material in the sewer pipes.

It’s important to note that tree roots can cause damage to pipes no matter where the pipes are located, whether it’s near or far from the tree.

We have seen instances where tree roots will grow above the ground to get into sewer pipes that have been laid above ground under a house.

If you’ve had a blocked drain caused by tree roots, its definitely worth having your plumber regularly checking your pipes and addressing any issues promptly to stop blockages and prevent further damage caused by tree roots.

Do summer rains make stronger tree root growth?

 

Summer rain can encourage stronger tree root growth. Trees need water to survive, and during the summer months, when the weather is hot and dry, adequate water is essential for the tree’s survival. Rainfall during the summer can provide the necessary water for the tree’s roots to absorb and grow.

Additionally, summer rain can also help to loosen compacted soil, allowing the roots to penetrate deeper and spread out more easily. This can lead to stronger, healthier root systems that are better able to support the tree.

However, it’s worth noting that heavy rainfall can also cause soil erosion and can lead to waterlogged soil, which can suffocate tree roots and inhibit their growth. It’s also good to note that, while water is important for tree growth, too much water can also be harmful.

It’s important to note that while water is important, it’s not the only factor that affects tree growth. Other factors like temperature, sunlight, soil nutrients, and pests also play a significant role. A well-balanced environment with adequate water and other factors is essential for a tree’s healthy growth.

Whether we have wet or dry summers, the nutrients or natural fertiliser available in sewer pipes makes them a magnet for the searching tree roots of many species. Our experience has seen that if trees can “drink” the abundant water available during summer rains, the tree roots will swell and cause more blocked drains.

Tree roots don’t like wet feet

Even though tree roots get into pipes seeking water, they don’t like to be in the water all the time.

Excavated soil allows the fine tree roots to move along the top of and into the pipe joints and then down into the water flow.

In permanently water charged ground, tree roots rarely appear in the sewer because they don’t like to be continually immersed in water.

Why trees choose sewer over stormwater pipes

Trees are more likely to grow into sewer pipes than stormwater pipes.

Every day we use our plumbing sending that water and fertiliser combination along the pipeline for the trees and their root systems to drink their fill. BUT, stormwater pipes only carry water when it rains, which in this country is fairly unreliable.

If I was a tree and had a choice of putting my roots into a sewer pipe or a stormwater pipe, I would choose the sewer pipes because every day, as regular as clockwork, I will be fed and watered. If I chose the stormwater pipes, I may die of thirst!

How tree roots get into pipes #2

In my last post I described how tree roots can easily travel through soil that has been loosened by excavation to accommodate your pipe installation.

Do you know why tree roots grow in sewer pipes from the top of the pipe joints?

Condensation is formed when we run water from our water pipes, through our drains; especially when we have a hot shower, wash our clothes or dishes in hot or warm water.

When the warm water enters the drains buried in the cold earth, condensation is formed, and it gathers on the inside top of our sewer pipes and drains.

The tree roots moving through our already loosened soils can now move along the top of the pipelines and are attracted to the warmth and moisture inside. All they need now is a way into the pipe.

This 1.58sec clip shows how.

How tree roots get into pipes #1

Tree roots grow through trenches dug for plumbing pipes.

When plumbers excavate a trench in virgin soil to lay pipelines to take the waste water from your home, we till the soil.

That’s right, the simple method of excavating the soil with a shovel or even a mechanical excavator like a backhoe actually breaks up the soil.

After we complete our excavations and lay the pipes in the trenches, we back fill the trench, putting the excavated soils back.

Sometimes we water in the soil and quite often use a compactor to help with the back fill process.

Some pipe line excavations are back filled with an aggregate like blue metal gravel. Even so, the backfilled soil is never as compact as virgin soil. That provides the roots of nearby trees a much easier path to “wander” along in their search for water and nutrients.

Neighbours tree roots in your pipes

Tree roots growing under the fence is multiplying the number of over the fence disputes between neighbours.
As trees mature, their roots spread and sometimes, go under fences and into neighbouring properties’ sewer pipes.
Periods of no rain will see tree root systems spread in all directions in their search.

Many homeowners without a single tree on their property will still get a blocked drain caused by tree roots from their neighbours’ trees; sometimes 2 or more houses away. That is an inconvenience!

However, Vaporooter is a cost-effective way to stop tree roots in your drains and maintain neighbourly relationships.

Tree roots chase liquid gold in drains

Did you know tree roots chase the liquid fertiliser in sewer drains?

That’s because the waste water running through your pipes is a constant source of moisture and nutrients.
In our dry continent a sewer pipe is an easy target for a tree root system that plays the long game.

Most of us use our plumbing every day. When we brush our teeth, wash the dishes and of course shower and flush our toilets, we send the waste water off to the sewerage treatment works.

We are also sending liquid fertiliser along the pipes for our trees to feast upon.

That waste water usually runs along the bottom 1/3 of the pipe.
More on that later….