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.
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