Archive for the 'Pipe Damage' Category

What are the main causes of blocked drains?

Published on February 3, 2012 in Blocked Drains, Drain Maintenance, General, Pipe Damage and Tree Roots. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Todays post is a simple one.

The main cause of over 85% of blocked drains  in Australia is tree roots!

Cooking fats, oils and grease, human and pet hair, sanitary products, facial tissues and napkins used instead of toilet paper, dental floss and broken or collapsed pipes make up the other 15% of blocked drains.

If you have repeat repeat repeat problems with your sewer pipes caused by tree roots then, this simple instruction found in the “head” or toilet of an ocean racing yacht, makes a lot of sense to me. I’m sure the yacht owners won’t mind if you put a similiar sign in your troubled bathroom.

 

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What is a blocked drain?

Published on January 4, 2012 in Blocked Drains, Clogged Drain, Drain Maintenance, Environmentally Friendly, General, Pipe Damage and Stop tree roots in drains. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

A  drain is an outlet where water can be piped away from a plumbing fixture like a toilet or WC, a basin, bath or shower, a kitchen sink, laundry tubs or an external drain, known as a gully.

Stormwater drains can take discharge from roofing guttering and pits and grates installed to take runoff  water collected from hard surfaces.

 

A blocked drain is usually referred to when waste water accumulates around any of the drains indicated and can not be evacuated from this place.

Most drains run to either sewer or stormwater mains that are assets of Water authorities, municipal councils and the cities and towns across the country

Most blockages are generally caused by tree roots, grease, hair, sanitary products, dirt and debris or a multitude of foreign items, even broken pipes.

Blocked drains are the resposibility of the property owners.

This series of blog posts will be aimed at blocked drain basics.

We will discuss who owns the drains, how to maintain them, what you should and should not put in your drains and what to look out for if your drains are about to block up.

We will look inside pipes, show you a drainoscopy or pipe survey so you know what it’s like in the network of pipes under your homes and buildings.

I encourage your feedback, so please ask questions and we will answer them promptly!

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Sewer snake is an Anaconda

Published on December 20, 2011 in Blocked Drains, Cost Benefits, Pipe Damage and Tree Roots. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

Last week we removed this large tree root from a drain in Kingsford Sydney.

 In fact, it was a tree root anaconda, measuring 6.3 metres long and it had completely blocked the pipeline. After removing the tree root from the pipeline and carrying out a “Drainoscopy” to determine there was nothing else wrong, our client elected to have Vaporooter sewer root control applied to his pipeline.

He understands the Vaporooter Guarantee.

” If you have a blocked drain caused by tree roots after an application of Vaporooter, we will clear your blocked drain for free”

Now, will someone call a reptile handler and have this beast removed!

 

 

 

 

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Nightmare Christmas…will this happen to you?

Published on December 12, 2011 in Blocked Drains, Environmentally Friendly, General, Pipe Damage and Tree Roots. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

Christmas is fast approaching…

…and I’ll let you in on a little “trade secret”…

…that I guarantee will make me very unpopular with a lot of emergency plumbers!

Continue reading ‘Nightmare Christmas…will this happen to you?’

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Summer brings mysterious outbreak of blocked drains across Sydney suburbs…

Published on December 6, 2011 in Blocked Drains, Clogged Drain, Pipe Damage and Tree Roots. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

…as well as NSW and the rest of Australia.

With summer now here and the weather getting warmer…

…there is one BIG PROBLEM that rears its ugly head at this time of the year.

Mysteriously, there is often a surge in the number of cases of blocked drains and clogged sewer pipes. Continue reading ‘Summer brings mysterious outbreak of blocked drains across Sydney suburbs…’

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A tale of two drains

Published on October 26, 2011 in Blocked Drains, Cost Benefits, Environmentally Friendly, General, Pipe Damage and Tree Roots. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

 These 2 sewer drain  pipes with their lids removed are taking the discharge from neighbouring properties. They are surrounded by different species of large trees. Tree roots are growing into the sewer pipe through the pipe joints

The drain on the left belongs to a client who, after many years of tree root blockages to her sewer pipes, grew tired of the sewer overflow running through her home.

The pipeline runs underneath her marble tiled entrance and the suggestion to renew the pipeline would mean excavating the black and white tiled floor. Matching the tiles would be difficult!

The drain on the right is as we found it. We told the owner about Vaporooter!

The images below show the inside of each pipe.

Guess which drain has had Vaporooter?

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Protecting Your Pipes And Drains From Tree Roots

Published on February 16, 2011 in Blocked Drains, Clogged Drain, Pipe Damage, Root Infiltration and Tree Roots. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

If you’ve ever had to deal with tree root blocking your plumbing, you know that it’s an experience that no one would want to have twice. Drain back up leads to health hazards and removing tree root blockages can be costly.

Many home and business owners attempt to prevent future root intrusion through pipe maintenance and preventative measures.

Much of the root removal process includes measures that protect your plumbing from roots growing back into your pipes. Defensive measures include chemicals or chemical foam that coats the inside of your plumbing with root killing herbicide such as Vaporooter.

Other methods of plumbing maintenance include routine pipe and joint replacement or a complete overhaul of your plumbing (known as relaying). This protective measure is considered undesirable because it’s a very expensive maintenance option.

Mechanical plumbing maintenance might include regular pulling or rodding, which clears root obstruction before it grows to completely block pipes. This sort of maintenance keeps tree roots and other obstruction at bay, but it’s not a complete protective measure.

Protecting you pipes could be as simple as regular chemical treatment of your plumbing system. Chemical powder, liquid or foam is applied to the pipe to reinforce plumbing and prohibit future tree root intrusion. However, many home and business owners are nervous about dumping chemicals down their plumbing.

The best preventive measures often include a combination of several maintenance techniques. For example, regular mechanical maintenance followed by chemical treatment is a popular way to support plumbing.

Even careful pipe maintenance may not be enough to keep tree roots out of your plumbing, epically if you have numerous tree roots growing near your underground pipes.

The best solution is one that’s discussed with, and executed by an experienced plumber. A good plumber will help you decide the management method that’s ideal for your plumbing needs, such as Vaporooter.

Vaporooter Is Safe And Guaranteed To Stop Tree Roots From Damaging Your Pipes And Drains

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Tree Roots in Pipe And Drain Joints

Published on February 7, 2011 in Blocked Drains, Clogged Drain, Pipe Damage, Root Infiltration and Tree Roots. 4 Comments Tags: , , , .

So, how did the tree roots get into your plumbing in the first place?

Pipe Joints - Protect Them With Vaporooter

It’s possible that the three roots found their way in through a damaged pipe or a weak spot in your plumbing system. Most likely, they first infiltrated through pipe joints, which are one of the weakest spots in the drainage system.

The joint is the part of the plumbing system that connects one pipe to another. Tree roots seeking food and moisture will travel along a pipe until it finds a defective area that can be used to infiltrate the pipe.

Pipe joints are often made of one of three materials, rubber, cement or an unplasticized polymer material know as UPVC. Each kind of material has a different level of resistance to tree root intrusion.

Cement (or mortar) joints are not very stable, and lend to the exact ruptures and cracks that let tree roots right in.  Cement is unstable because it’s so rigid that any movement of the surrounding soil can cause it to fracture. Cement joints cannot be treated with root fighting chemicals because the chemicals can cause the cement to degrade. On the upside, if they don’t crack or degrade, cement joints offer good resistance to roots that would degrade other types of joints.

Rubber ring joints are both easy to install and flexible enough to withstand shifts in the surrounding soil. But, they are an easier material for the roots to penetrate. Rubber joint’s resistance to roots rests on factors such as the quality of the ring installation and chemical treatments to the material. For example, some manufactures treat the rubber rings with root fighting chemicals.

UPCV pipe joints are the plumbing joint superstars.  These plastic-like pipes offer huge resistance to root intrusion. They offer the same tree root resistance as undamaged cement joints and they can be treated with resistant chemicals like rubber joints.

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Tree Root Removal From Pipes Without Using Chemicals

Published on December 17, 2010 in Blocked Drains, Clogged Drain, Cost Benefits, Pipe Damage, Root Infiltration and Tree Roots. 3 Comments Tags: , , , .

There are two surefire ways to remove tree roots from pipes and protect plumbing from further tree root intrusion. One: dig up the pipes, cut out the section that hold the roots, and replace the plumbing with new, root resistant pipes. And two: completely remove all plants that could grow into plumbing.

Unfortunately, these options are all but infeasible to the average home or business owner. This system of tree root removal is expensive, and in some cases, impossible.

On top of those drawbacks, cutting the roots can actually make the trees (and roots) grow faster. Add to that the fact that replacing sections of pipes weakens plumbing, which raises the chance that tree roots will find their way back into pipes. This method of removal could make the situation ten times worse!

Some plumbers recommend this removal method for emergency situations only.

Alternative methods might be just as ineffective. Pipes can be relined with cement or mortar, which seals the pipes and kills invasive roots. But, cement often cracks when the surrounding ground shifts. The compromised pipes are a welcome mat for nearby tree root systems.

Other, interesting, non-chemical solutions exist. One method creates a new pipe inside existing plumbing, rerouting water through the new pipe and killing the roots that live in the pipes. Plumbers feed a cloth-like, collapsed pipe down the plumbing system and then fill the pipe with cold water. The cold water expands the pipe and activates chemicals that harden the cloth. Voila! A new pipe inside your old pipe.

Another method does the exact opposite. A new PVC liner is placed around the existing damaged pipe. Cutting off root access to the old pipes and forming a new plumbing system.

Inside and outer pipe replacement is often more cost effective than substitution of pipe sections, but their are many chemical alternatives that are cheaper, easier and longer lasting, including Vaporooter.

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Clogged Drain or Tree Root Damage? Time for Vaporooter

Published on June 14, 2010 in Clogged Drain, General, Pipe Damage and Root Infiltration. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Vaporooter is the perfect solution to remove tree roots in sewer pipes. When used in repeated applications to remove tree roots from sewer lines, Vaporooter approaches the level of 100 percent effective in tree root control. No process to remove tree roots in pipes and away from foundations has proven to be nearly as effective or efficient.

Vaporooter is delivered in a foam application to prevent tree roots damage. The foam ensures that the combination of herbicides, Metham Sodium (herbicide), and Dichlobenil (growth inhibiting agent) reaches every root surface within the pipes to kill the root and prevent regrowth of the root cells. This effectively addresses the tree root problem within the pipe and eliminates roots in drains.

The use of a foam application also controls the amount of time the herbicide combination is in contact with a tree root. Vaporooter only affects the tree root problem in pipes and does not affect trees or shrubs that are above the ground as it is not absorbed by the tree. No method to remove roots in pipes has proven to deliver the same safe and effective process as Vaporooter.

As a chemical compound, Vaporooter must be applied by a Mini Foamer machine by a licensed applicator. By following this process to address a clogged drain, it helps to ensure the Vaporooter foam safely and truly penetrates the root to remove the roots in sewer pipes.

The machine generates the foam and pumps it to remove tree roots. The technician is trained to ensure this process delivers foam completely throughout the pipe to penetrate roots in drains and prevent their growth. The herbicides in the Vaporooter will penetrate the roots in drains and burst the root, causing it to die and decay. Grease and slime are stripped away from the clogged drain to allow for deep penetration to prevent the tree root problem.

Removing tree roots from a clogged drain must first be done with an auger to clean out the root mass and make way for the proper method to treat roots in drains. Vaporooter should be applied within 6 to 8 weeks of new implementations or fresh root cuts to prevent continued tree root damage. When this process to remove tree roots from pipes is done annually, it can effectively prevent future tree root damage.

No one should have to be at the mercy of an invasive tree root problem on their property. Removing tree roots in sewer pipes and away from foundation walls can easily be achieved with Vaporooter. We can show you how to remove roots in pipes with our licensed applicator and proven Vaporooter method. You no longer have to pay for tree root damage.

Don’t wait for your tree roots to become a problem that costs significant resources to repair. Call a Vaporooter profeassional today to assess your tree root problem and eliminate your clogged drain. They can show you how to remove roots in pipes before they cause a clog and backup your system. Sewer root control is proven and effective with Vaporooter!

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