{"id":6176,"date":"2020-07-14T23:10:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-14T23:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nuflow.net\/how-to-clear-tree-roots-from-your-drain-pipe\/"},"modified":"2023-08-25T12:20:41","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T02:20:41","slug":"how-to-clear-tree-roots-from-your-drain-pipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nuflow.net\/how-to-clear-tree-roots-from-your-drain-pipe\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Clear Tree Roots From Your Drain Pipe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Being in the pipe relining business, Nuflow gets lots of emails and calls from people asking how to clear tree roots from drain pipes. In this article we share one of those emails as well as the advice and information we gave Rose about what can be done when these clever – but unwanted ‘vegetative visitors’ make their way into plumbing pipes.<\/p>\n

An email to Nuflow<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

Dear Nuflow,<\/em><\/p>\n

RE: TREE ROOTS IN SEWER LINE<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

I wondered if you can give me some advice about how I can get rid of tree roots in a sewer line please. My best friend on hot summer afternoons is the beautiful, big fig tree on the western (sunny) side of my house. But when I saw my neighbor digging holes all over his front yard, and heard the choice language he and the plumber were using in relation to my tree, I knew the tree and I were both in trouble.<\/em><\/p>\n

It seems that yes, my fig tree had found a tiny crack in the neighbour’s sewer pipe and had set up camp. Sadly, the new gig was just so perfect the web of roots had grown to an astonishing size and was completely blocking their sewer system.<\/em><\/p>\n

My neighbor stopped short of wanting me to send the tree to the great tree cemetery in the sky (perhaps because his carport shade-sail was chained to it and with the tree gone it would cost him a motza to have the whole thing reconfigured) but we did have to share the price of having the roots ground out and cleared away.<\/em><\/p>\n

I’ve since read up about thirsty little fig trees (and how persistent they can be if they’re living anywhere near sewer pipes) and I feel certain they will grow back. I don’t want to be paying to clear roots from the drain pipe year after year, so I wondered whether there was any permanent fix.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many thanks for any advice,<\/em><\/p>\n

Rose (surname withheld)<\/em><\/p>\n

Brisbane. Qld<\/em><\/p>\n

__________________<\/p>\n

Unfortunately this scenario is incredibly common. All over the western world, plumbing systems are one of the first things to go down in new housing estates. Then the homes are built and landscaped, properties are bought and owners move in. Over the years residents add a few cute little plants here and there (often not giving a thought to things like tree roots in sewer lines) and then they move on. New owners move in, they add a few more plants (by now any plumbing plans are long gone) and so it goes until someone is dealing with the issue of having to clear roots from drain pipes.<\/p>\n

Queensland, in particular, is a fairly dry place and during the last four or five years of drought many yards started to look like dust bowls. Established trees were doing it tough too and in order to survive they’re genetically programmed to send out the troops in search of supplies. Tiny exploratory roots travel through the soil in search of water, nutrients and oxygen and truth be told they should be congratulated on how cleverly they accomplish their task. They seem to sense where water and nutrients can be found and make a beeline for our house slabs, swimming pools and underground pipes. Once there, they can worm their way through the tiniest of cracks, then grow quickly to block a sewer pipe’s flow altogether.<\/p>\n

Understandably, few homeowners see the magic and wonder of nature when they’re confronted with tree roots in their sewer line. They see it as more of an invasion of ‘their’ property and all they can think of is the hefty repair bill they’ll most likely have to pay.<\/p>\n

In fact a quick scan of the advice and review forums on the internet suggest there are plenty of people who believe the only good tree is a dead tree when it comes to plantings within 20 metres of sewer systems and pipes. There is a smorgasbord of suggestions about how to get rid of roots in sewer lines, a few of which we’ve summarised at the end of the article.<\/p>\n

How do tree roots enter pipes?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even the tiniest little crack in a sewer or water pipe<\/a> can be seen as an invitation for thin root fibres to wiggle inside. Older porcelain or earthenware pipes are renowned for having small cracks and even if they’re not wide enough to be causing service issues they can be all a tiny root needs to force its way into where the ‘goodies’ are.<\/p>\n

PVC (plastic) pipes are definitely more resistant to tree roots so long as<\/em> there are no splits or cracks in the plastic and only if all the joins and joints have been totally and completely sealed when first installed. Herein lies the issue. Often in the pipe-laying stage of a new build apprentices will be left to do the gluing of sections of pipe. They put enough glue on to keep the pipes together, but sometimes little gaps remain. This, again, is the root system’s open door to the rest of the pipe 20 years later.<\/p>\n

How can I clear roots from my drain pipe?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are definitely those heroes who like the do-it-yourself options when it comes to plumbing. Perhaps digging up a stormwater drain at the root entry point, chopping up and poisoning (or sealing) the roots then replacing any broken pieces of pipe is an option if you’ve got nothing better to do with your weekend. You would need to keep in mind there could be issues over establishing exactly where (and in how many places) the roots are entering the pipe, however. You may have to do an awful lot of digging to be sure. Otherwise a CCTV inspection could tell you what you need to know. There is also the fact that it is not legal<\/a> to do your own work on sewer pipes.<\/p>\n

But if you’d rather be watching Netflix or throwing Frisbees with the kids, perhaps calling a professional is the way to go. Ensure you enlist the service of a reputable drain repair technician who has high quality CCTV equipment ( so you can see evidence of what is causing the blockage and establish entry point(s). You should also check that they can offer a range of alternatives for removing the roots (some equipment can damage certain types of pipes) and whether they can offer pipe relining<\/a> if necessary (to prevent re-entry).<\/p>\n

How can I stop tree roots getting into my sewer line for good?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Once the roots are cleared and the immediate problems resolved, there are four pathways you can take. They are:<\/p>\n