Remove Tree Roots with Vaporooter

In order to ensure the free flow of fluids throughout the sewer system, it is important to remove tree roots from sewer pipes. Unfortunately, sewer pipes are a draw for tree roots as they tend to grow toward moisture through a continuous process that occurs at the end of the root.

Roots in sewer pipes are the result of roots growing one cell at a time at the end of the root. This process allows the root to penetrate extremely small openings in the pursuit of nourishment, leading to roots in drains. Once a tree root problem occurs, it can divide hundreds of times to form an enormous mass of tender root ends.

Vaporooter emerged onto the scene more than 40 years ago as municipalities needed to address clogged drain issues and to develop a process to remove tree roots. Vaporooter is a chemical compound protected by the EPA, therefore it must be applied with the use of a Mini Foamer machine by a licensed applicator to ensure that it safely and truly penetrates the roots in sewer pipes.

The machine generates the foam and pumps it to deliver optimal sewer root control to remove roots in pipes. The applicator is trained to ensure this process to remove the roots delivers foam throughout the clogged drain to ensure proper contact with all tree roots. This helps to deliver safe and effective control of roots in sewer pipes without tree root damage.

Vaporooter should be used within six to eight weeks of a new sewer system installations to avoid a clogged drain later on.  If you want to avoid roots in sewer pipes, learn how Vaporooter can be used to remove tree roots. If this process is done annually, it can prevent the cracking of pipes caused by live tree roots in sewer lines.

When the herbicides present in the Vaporooter penetrate the tree roots in drains, it bursts the root, causing it to die and decay. The herbicide combination enables grease and slime to be stripped away from tree roots in the sewer pipes to allow for deep penetration in the root mass to inhibit root cell division and growth for up to three years.

The Vaporooter is truly the most effective method to remove tree roots from sewer pipes. To avoid tree root damage, you must first remove the roots from a clogged drain with an auger to clean out the root mass. Sewer root control is inhibited if Vaporooter is immediately applied unless your Vaporooter applicator can overcome the obstacle of “bleeding sap”.

When a tree root is cut during the initial treatment to remove roots in pipes, the tree roots respond very quickly by “bleeding” a sap that assists healing and regrowth. Think of it as the tree’s survival method. The bleeding sap can block the absorption of the Vaporooter foam for a number of days. If application is done six to eight weeks after the roots are cut, the Vaporooter foam is efficiently maximized in the application.

Vaporooter should be applied to tree roots in sewer lines every year to to address your tree root problem. This process to remove tree roots in sewer lines should be ongoing maintenance as once tree roots have found a nutrient source, they will continue to seek that source and continue to grow. You cannot control the habits of the tree, but you can prevent tree roots in pipes with Vaporooter.

Sanafoam Vaporooter II

Sanafoam Vaporooter II is a widely used herbicide combination which combats mainline sewage blockages caused by live root invasions and retards the growth of new roots. The Vaporooter treats the blockage and overflow problem and prevents future problems.

The product which is introduced into the pipe fixes the blockages by softening and killing the intruding tree roots. The tree roots die right away and within six months they decay and flow down the drain. Retreatment of the pipes increases the efficacy of the product and inhibits the root growth.

This method of of treating blockages is time-efficient as only one worker is required to treat 25 branch lines per day. Also, preventing blockages from happening is a way to save time and money, as this ensures emergency interventions and pipe replacements are rare.

Because Vaporooter prolongs the life of the sewage assets by eliminating the live roots inside them, less money is spent to ensure good functioning of the sewage system. Even the rigid pipes made of concrete or clay, whose joints are usually an easy prey for root invasions, are protected by Vaporooter. By destroying the root cells inside the pipe walls, the product allows the cracks to close under the ground’s pressure.

While having an aggressive approach inside the pipe, the Vaporooter does not affect nearby vegetation. Being biodegradable and non-acidic, the herbicide is also used in fruit and vegetable crops.

The widespread use of Vaporooter by authorities throughout the world confirms its many advantages. Scientific research led in North America supports the affirmation that Vaporooter is the most efficient way of tackling the sewage pipe root invasion.

Tree root infiltration in sewer drainpipes

The search of warmth and humidity is part of the natural growth process of tree roots and the sewer pipelines seem to be a plentiful, accessible source that can aide the root development. The maturing process involves the splitting and growth of one cell at a time, which gives them access to microscopic fissures of the draining pipes.

After finding a small opening, the root can keep growing and enlarging the fissure, which may eventually lead to the pipe breaking open or to its blockage. The pipes made of clay or cement are more vulnerable to tree root infiltration as they are usually made up of many short pieces joined together and the linking areas are most likely to have small cracks.

Tree roots can either grow above the pipe and enter it from the top and sides or they can grow along the length of the pipe and fill the diameter of the pipe. Either way, once the root has invaded the pipe, the latter’s decay starts.

The traditional method of dealing with a sewage blockage and overflow is cutting the tree roots. This, however, is only a short-term efficient solution. In the long run, the cutting of the root produces its revitalization and it makes it an even stronger enemy to the drain pipes.

Years of research have led to a different, more efficient solution. A combination of herbicides and growth inhibitors has the desired long-term result. Sanafoam Vaporooter II softens and then kills the invasive roots, while inhibiting the future growth of new ones. The clearing of the pipes is not immediate, as the roots need time to naturally decay, but a retreatment can lead to a 99 per cent efficacy.

In addition, Vaporooter technology helps maintain the good functioning of the sewage systems through the restoration of the pipes. As the Vaporooter destroys the roots that invaded the pipe, the small opening cracks close under the ground weight. The treatment is valid for up to three years, thus having a long-lasting effect that can be reinforced with a retreatment.

Cutting costs in Wagga City with Vaporooter

After several trials with the Drainchem Minifoamer and Vaporooter, the City of Wagga Wagga has decided it is the most efficient solution to and prevention from sewer chokes and blockages, as well as the best maintenance for the draining lines. The trial was aimed at old problematic areas, especially places with old clay pipes and maturing or mature trees.

Due to the Minifoamer’s and Vaporooter’s herbicide formula, the live invasive roots were killed, and their natural decay is expected. The combination of herbicide and root inhibitor not only fixes the problem, but also keeps working on it for up to three years, by preventing further blockages and retarding root growth. As the killed roots decay and clear up the pipes, the cracks they had created in the lines contract under the ground pressure, thus prolonging their life and efficacy.

Because the Vaporooter involves an ongoing process and does not require permanent assistance, it enables the teams in charge of sewer operations to take care of maintenance and not only emergency calls, as they used to. The Vaporooter technology and methodology allow for prevention and long-lasting solutions instead of quick fixes of urgent matters.

The Wagga City trial of the Vaporooter has started with problematic areas and, as it has proven efficient, it will go on to all the areas. After fixing the pipes dealing with sewer chokes and overflows in critical areas, the supervisor of sewer operations will start a maintenance program. By preventing the drain line problems, the sewer staff saves time and energy which would have otherwise been spent on emergencies.

Another time and cost saving is the fact that the Vaporooter technology can be used by in-house staff. Due to the nature of the foaming process, the Council can tackle drain pipe blockages and overflows concomitantly with other urgent matters. As foaming can be paused while the Council deals with something else, and easily continued when time is available, the Council has much more freedom and schedule flexibility. Plus, the scheduled annual foaming of the sewer mainlines will ensure a regular cleaning and preservation of the pipelines and an insurance against sewer chokes and overflows.