Wondering.. How tree roots enter your drains and cause a blockage?
Pipes can crack, break, perish, and squash through age or ground movement and tree roots enter your drains
After years of being underground, any pipe can succumb to the pressure of ground movement. Old earthenware drainage pipes often crack, break or the rubbers may perish. PVC can be squashed, distorted, cracked and broken. Tree roots have even been known to create so much [pressure on the pipe walls they eventually destroy the integrity of the pipe surface thus creating an entry point; as soon as they have forced/found an opening they are free to grow.
Plant roots continue to take advantage of the damp space inside the drain, settling in for the long haul, and there is nothing like taking in some dirt and sand as they go, to completely fill the void they have found, setting up camp for the long haul. And, that is how tree roots enter your drains, but.. death by tree root is the absolute last thing anyone would want for their drainage system.
Apart from it being annoying and inconvenient to the home owner (you), it can also be a very time consuming job, (thus costly) to repair, especially if the compromised drains lay under your home or manicured gardens.
How do I prevent it? You might ask?
Having a professional regularly maintain your drainage system, can be your saviour. Drain cleaning will blast away any foreign matter which has made it’s way into your drains/pipes. Annual high pressure jetting and cctv inspection will ensure your drains remain clean and ready to flow freely through to the suburban storm water or sewage system. CCTV cameras provide a way to look inside the drains so they can be assessed for damage, and the appropriate measures be taken to ensure the life of your drainage system is long.
If roots have already made their way in, they can generally quickly and easily be removed, and if necessary a special root reducing formula can be administered annually to prevent further growth and damage to your pipes.
