Nature is beautiful. Trees have a way of make you home feel and look beautiful. During the springtime, the blooming trees can have such an amazing effect on your home and provide a natural lovely shade. Is there really anyone who does not like trees? While it is true that trees are all nice, you drains are important as well. Tree roots can be major problem for your drains. So on one hand you have your drains to consider and on the hand you have to think about your trees.
One thing you need to know about trees is that they are the number one cause of underground pipe damage. Tree roots crave for the water and nutrients that flow through your pipes. A tiny crack that emits vapors can attract the roots such that the roots find their way to these openings and continue to grow to a point where a root mass forms and totally blocks the pipe.
Sometimes you may be drawn to keep you trees while simultaneously protecting your drains. This can be possible only if:
- You catch the problem early by listening to the telltale gurgle in the toilet. And when you have slow drains that you clear out again and again but the clog keeps coming back, then you might just have a root problem
- You block the direction of the tree root growth or have drain cleaning services to route out your drain regularly
Sometimes, it can be difficult to avoid tree roots getting to your drains. When this happen, it is expected that your drains will clog and you will have issues with your drainage systems. In such instances, it is necessary to remove the tree roots to avoid any further damage your drains and your piping.
How to remove tree roots from your drains
There are different ways of removing tree roots from drains. The methods may be mechanical, chemical or physical. Mechanical control methods exist to remove tree roots that have grown in the sewers. They include augers and cutters. Chemical control methods as the name suggests, are chemical substances that kill the roots. Lastly, physical control methods are physical remedies of getting rid of the roots by either replacing or lining the pipes or removing the tree. These methods include:
Mechanical cutting
In this technique, a mechanical auger is used where a powered sewer auger is sent down a sewer line. The head of the auger is covered in teeth resembling a reciprocating saw blade. The rotating action of the auger cuts the roots and clears them up. Using this mechanical method makes it easier for drain cleaning services to take place. The tree roots are cleared and kept from eventually getting to the drain and blocking it. The use of a mechanical auger is one of the most common methods of clearing tree roots.
Read: Is Drain Maintenance Worth It?
Chemical root treatment
Can you imagine that there are special chemicals that are designed to kill the root structure of a tree so that it does not grow back? The most common chemical agents used are copper sulfate treatments. The chemical is placed inside the drains and eats away the roots of a tree before they can grow into the pipe. Chemical root treatment is quite effective because it creates a poison barrier within the soil that kills the tree roots before they can grow into the pipe. Some other chemical treatments have foaming agents which have an added advantage if coating the entire pipe. As a result, they saturate the roots that grow from the top and the bottom as well. Tree roots do not stand a chance in the presence of these chemical agents.
The downside of using chemicals is that they may present and environmental hazard.
Read: Should I use Chemical Drain Products?, Natural Drain Cleaning Alternatives.
Using a hydro jetter
A hydro jetter is a machine that uses a pump and pressurized water. It is one effective way of clearing your drains and sewer lines from tree roots. After the hydro jetter has performed its role, you can flush the drain and sewer line with a chemical in order to kill any roots that may be remaining. The downside to this method is that it is quite expensive.
Read: The Right Drain Cleaning Equipment Makes All The Difference.
Digging up invasive tree roots
In some circumstances, neither an auger, a hydro jetter nor a chemical will work in clearing your drain off the tree roots especially if there has been significant damage to the drain and the drainage system including the sewer line. At this point, it is important to invest in a camera that records inside the drainage system or sewer line in order to assess the extent of the damage. With this camera, drain cleaning service providers will be able to know the best way to approach the problem and how to handle it.
Robotic cutting
In robotic cutting, a technician utilizes specialized cutting tools to remove tree roots. The cutting blades are extremely sharp and powerful. They are able to cut not only through tree roots but also through concrete. After the tree roots have been removed from the pipes, the inside of the pipe is lined with epoxy resin which allows it to cure and harden the inside. The consequence is that in the future, the tree roots will not be able to infest the system since the epoxy resin hardens to become smooth and extremely durable.
The equipment used in root removal is aimed at removing the roots without having to excavate. Once this is done, the flow of water is restored and the drain returns to its full capacity. After roots are removed from drains, drain lining can be carried out to prevent the roots from returning and causing any future issues.
Root ingress or intrusion has a significant effect in drain blockage and breakage within the pipework. The aftermath is significant damage to your drains. Be careful when removing tree roots from drains. Hence it is important to remove tree roots for an easier and effective provision of drain cleaning services.
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