Archive for the 'Tree Roots' 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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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 Blockage Basics

Published on January 25, 2011 in Root Infiltration and Tree Roots. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

Has this happened to you? You notice that your sinks are draining slowly so you call a plumber. After some examination your plumber tells you that you don’t have an ordinary drain blockage. He says that tree roots are growing in your pipes.

What does that mean? Well- here’s a little of why it happened, and what you can expect.

Tree roots growing into and subsequently blocking, plumbing causes many health and safety issues. The blocking of drainage pipes causes back-up that leads to unsanitary conditions. Even when the pipes aren’t completely blocked, the decay of dead roots can cause noxious gasses to infiltrate your home or business.

The tree root decay also threatens building substructures such as maintenance holes and concrete pipe cases. Finally, the area available to process household drainage is reduced as slime and fungus grow onto the decayed and stuck plant matter.

Roots growing into pipes aren’t a coincidence. Tree root systems seek out your pipes. Tree roots are attracted to pipes because of the moisture in the soil around the pipes.

There are several other factors that can contribute to potential tree root blockages. Regional rainfall, the types of plants and trees near the pipes, the type of soil and the quality of your pipes all come into play.

No matter how dry your soil or how pervasive your roots, trees will probably not be able to penetrate quality, undamaged pipes. On the other hand, damaged or sub-par plumbing basically guarantees trees access to your pipes.

Mechanically cutting and removing the blocked portion of pipe is the routine solution to roots in plumbing. But, this method often results in damaged pipes that roots just grow right back in to. That’s why many modern tree root specialists recommend preventive measures and alternative root removal techniques such as Vaporooter.

Tree Roots Exposed - Use Vaporooter To Safely Manage The Roots Without Killing The Tree

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Applying Root Foam To Pipes And Drains

Published on January 12, 2011 in Blocked Drains, Clogged Drain, Environmentally Friendly, Root Infiltration and Tree Roots. 1 Comment Tags: , .

Root foam kills small root masses, inhibits future root growth and reinforces pipes. It’s low impact on the environment and reduced toxicity make root foam an ideal option for home and business owners plagued by tree roots blocking pipes.

This is one of those ‘don’t try this at home’ situations. Unless you’re a qualified plumber, DO NOT attempt to use jet rodding or root foam application machinery. The process is delicate and misuse of equipment or chemicals could lead to environmental damage or personal injury. Even certified plumbers are required to wear safety equipment during use. Such equipment could include; safety boots, boot proctors, gloves, safety glasses, safety vests and ear protection.

If your intruding tree roots are particularly dense or thick, your plumber may feed a mechanical root cutter or jet rodder down your pipe to clear out the debris before applying the foam.

Drainoscopy Equipment Used In Vaporooter Application

On the other hand, the foam is sturdy enough to kill and flush out many smaller, looser root masses. Your plumber may not have to use a mechanical root cutter.

To start the root foam process, your plumber uses a ‘Root Foamer System’ to mix the root foam chemicals with water to create a frothy mixture. The machine’s even mixing creates a uniform foam.  Consistent foam reduces the chance of harming plants by ensuring that no area receives a highly concentrated dose of herbicidal chemicals.

Your plumber will feed an application tube all the way down the pipe, turn on the feed from the foam mixer and then retract the foam tube. The foam will eject from the tube and evenly coat the inside of your plumbing as it gets pulled back through the pipes.

During the entire process, your expert plumber will constantly take measurements to ensure safe and effective chemical application.

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Tree Root Inhibiting Chemical Foam – Vaporooter

Published on January 5, 2011 in Root Infiltration and Tree Roots. 2 Comments Tags: , .

If you have roots blocking your pipes, it’s likely that you plumber will recommend a substance called tree root foam to clear your plumbing. If the root obstruction is too dense, your plumber may recommend mechanical removal of some roots before the foam is applied.

The thought of adding chemicals to plumbing that carries your water is a scary one. Home and business owners anxious about the effect on their foliage and soil may also be concerned about chemical side effects.

Vaporooter

This type of root foam is made up of combination of herbicide and root growth inhibitors.  The herbicide causes the roots to decay and eventually die, while the growth inhibitor attaches to organic material in the pipe and keeps it from growing. The growth inhibitor lasts for about three years, but annual application is required for the guarantee to be valid and prevent the start of re-growth.

Vaporooter also includes a surfactant blend that removes slime and grease from pipes and roots. The slime is nutritious to the tree which encourages tree root growth if left in pipes. Finally, Vaporooter includes a foaming agent that carries the chemical to where it’s needed in the plumbing system.

Vaporooter causes minimal damage to trees and surrounding foliage, it only affects the tree roots directly surrounding the pipes. However, in large amounts, Vaporooter can be detrimental to nearby aquatic plants. Also, methylisothiocyanate (MITC) may be created when come of Vaporooter’s chemical encounter water. MITC has been reported to cause mild health issues such as skin irritation and respiratory issues. That’s why you must request a plumber who is a certified Vaporooter applicator.

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