How To Deal With Tree Roots in Drains
When admiring the beauty of nature, we often forget that trees, hedges and plants all need firm roots in the ground to stabilise and gather water. This is what helps them grow, but it can wreak havoc with domestic drains and commercial drains alike.
Once roots reach your drains, they are powerful enough to, over a period of time, work their way into the drain or make even the smallest cracks much worse. This causes blockages which usually seem to be a mystery until a CCTV survey is carried out for your drains. This month, we’ll talk you through why this happens and how you can help to prevent it from affecting your drains.
Why do tree roots gravitate towards drains?
Firstly, let’s talk about why tree roots seem to love drains so much. The simple science behind this is that tree roots will seek out water wherever they can find it. If your drains are already cracked and leaking, the water will seep into the surrounding ground, attracting roots. Your drains can also attract roots if hot water goes through your pipes, as it can release condensation onto the outside of the pipes. This attracts the roots initially until they find a defect in the pipe wall or joint, at which point they start to feed and grow larger over time, making cracks and defects worse.
How to tackle tree roots in drains
Now let’s look at how you can stop roots from getting into your drains in the first place or get them out if it’s become an issue.
Don’t plant trees and hedges near drain lines
The first and most obvious thing to say is: don’t plant new trees and hedges where you’re aware you have a drain line. This could save you major headaches down the line. Even if it’s only a small tree, it will one day grow much larger. Conifers are a popular tree in the UK, but their roots are some of the widest spreaders.
Maintain your drains
Root issues might already be an issue if you’ve newly moved into a property, but it pays to have regular drain maintenance from experts. This way, any root ingress or damaged pipes can be tackled quickly, preventing larger issues such as blockages or collapsed drains in the future.
Cut out roots
If you notice roots have steered towards your drains and you can remove them, then do so. However, because roots burrow underground, it’ll be hard to know whether this is happening – this is the reason why CCTV drain surveys are so useful. Only dig up roots that are on your land and discuss with a neighbour if the roots don’t belong to trees on your property first to find an amicable solution.
Chemical treatment
Chemical treatment of the ground where roots have been attracted to your drain pipes is one way to prevent them from coming back. It will kill off the offending roots, as well as making the surrounding ground a no-go zone, preventing future issues. There is a clear risk to this if you’re not an expert in landscaping and the use of chemicals since you could end up killing off trees and plants for good. Always consult an expert if you’re unsure before handling any type of chemicals for your garden.
Call the experts for help with tree roots in your drain
If you’re unsure how to tackle roots that have impacted your drains – or if you’re not even sure what it is exactly that is causing issues with your drains – don’t try and tackle things yourself. You could end up doing more damage than good, or worse, you might injure yourself.
When presented with root issues in drains, call the expert team here at Power Rod. We have years of experience in helping to fix all manner of drain issues in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Watford. We don’t charge call-out fees and we’re fully insured to undertake all necessary action to restore normal working order to your drains.
Call us today to book a precise, hourly slot with our team of drain technicians and we’ll be happy to help.
