Vaporooter Helps Strata Prevent $40,000 Sewer Replacement

Location: Clovelly, Sydney
Occupants: Mostly women over 40. 2 with teenage children.
Home: Block of four 2 bedroom flats 2 up, 2 down circa 1920
Trees in Vicinity: Tree lined Street, many large Hills Weeping Fig (Ficus Microcarpa Var.)

In total we have billed this client $9,772.00 for tree root cutting and repairs.

In March 2010, they finally indicated their interest in applying Vaporooter to control the tree roots in and around their sewer pipes.

The quote to apply Vaporooter is $1,586.00. This comes with a 12-month Guarantee.

The estimated cost to renew this sewer around both sides of the building and out to the sewer main in the street is estimated to be an astonishing $40,000.00.

The roots from the trees in this street are widespread and we have attended to blocked drains in houses and unit blocks up and down the street. The roots are getting stronger and without Vaporooter, a full sewer replacement will be the only (costly) alternative.

Some of the residents have indicated that instead of applying Vaporooter, they will lobby the Council to cut down the trees. That would change the entire streetscape and severely diminish their property value above the $40,000 sewer replacement and well beyond the preventative Vaporooter solution that is guaranteed to solve the problem.

This beautiful period block of flats, a 5 minutes walk from the beach is on a street lined with Hills weeping fig trees.
You know the kind; they produce the most beautiful summer shade with birds attracted to the fruit. The branch canopy stretches right across the street. But, so does the root system of these magnificent specimens.

We were first called to this property to attend a blocked drain in May 2005. The problem was tree roots from the specimens on the public footpath at the front of the property. The ground floor flats were the worst affected. Not only did their toilets back up when they flushed them, but when the flats upstairs flushed their toilet, that also came up and sometimes overflowed in the ground floor toilets.

That’s called The U-Tube (poo-tube) effect!

We recommended to the owner occupiers that Vaporooter would control the tree roots in their sewer. They declined to take up the offer.

In the 5 years since, we have attended to this sewer blocked by tree roots 7 times. We have carried out excavations to repair sections of drainage damaged by this aggressive tree root system. This unfortunately includes costly and inconvenient weekend and after hours callouts.

5 Ways to Prevent Blocked Drains

These simple measures will go a long way to prevent roots infiltrating and destroying your sewer pipes

1. 1. Use pipes made of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for new and replacement drains. PVC pipes are strong enough to repel the tree roots. Experts agree that PVC is the best material for reducing the risk of tree root blockages.
   2. Don’t plant trees near pipes. This seems simple enough, but many home and business owners don’t realize what constitutes as ‘near’ when we’re talking tree roots.   Many Australian trees have roots that have an incredibly wide spread.
   3. Pick proper foliage. Eucalyptus, for example, can have root systems that spread out as little as 6 metres. Hills Weeping Fig, on the other hand, can have a root spread up to 60 metres.
   4. Maintain your pipes. Wear and tear, cracks, and leaks can cause nutrient-rich water to seep into the soil around your pipes. This attracts tree roots straight to your pipes.
   5. Routinely check and clear your sewer drain. Though roots can be attracted to any type of water-bearing line, they are most often lured towards sewer drains. An expert plumber and drain cleaner can come by and clear roots out of your pipes before they become a big problem.

Compare Vaporooter and  Stop Tree Roots in Drains.

Vaporooter kills tree roots in drains – Period

Sanafoam Vaporooter II is a foaming mixture of herbicides which stops and prevents drain line blockages produced by tree root penetration through the pipe joints. This technology tackles the problems caused by live root infestation by attacking the roots inside the pipe.

The foam containing the combination of Metham Sodium (herbicide) and Dichlobenil (growth inhibiting agent) is introduced in the sewage pipe, so that it can have direct contact with the intrusive roots. The treatment softens and kills the live roots, leaving them to naturally disintegrate within six months.

If the pipe blockage is in a very advanced stage and requires the cutting of tree roots, a period of at least six weeks should be left between the cutting and the Vaporooter treatment, so that roots have time to regrow.                      

Any Questions about Vaporooter?

Every situation with tree roots in sewer pipes is different!

As a regular reader of this blog you already know there are several ways to Stop Tree Roots in Drains. If you know that tree roots are causing your blocked sewer pipes but you’re not sure Vaporooter will work in your situation, I want you to ring and ask me personally.

Root cutting: Makes the roots grow back Thicker and Stronger!
Pipe excavation: Damages gardens, lawns and footpaths. It is messy and can be very expensive!
Pipe relining: Is expensive!

Vaporooter will do what all these processes will do …..at a fraction of the cost!

No matter where you are in Australia, if you have a blocked drain caused by tree roots and you want to discuss your particular blocked drain situation, please ring me on 1800 637 600.

Vaporooter stops tree roots in Council drains

Tree lined streets in big cities and country towns across Australia have many benefits, but there are also negatives.

Tree roots from street trees invade the council and water authorities mains, reducing the flow and block the sewer mains.

When it comes to blocked drains, Council manpower and budgets are stretched by tree root affected drain maintenance.

There is a safe alternative! Vaporooter Stops Tree Roots. Period!

Tree roots in sewer mains? Vaporooter kills roots. Period!

Tree root infiltration in sewer drainpipes

The search of warmth and humidity is part of the natural growth process of tree roots and the sewer pipelines seem to be a plentiful, accessible source that can aide the root development. The maturing process involves the splitting and growth of one cell at a time, which gives them access to microscopic fissures of the draining pipes.

After finding a small opening, the root can keep growing and enlarging the fissure, which may eventually lead to the pipe breaking open or to its blockage. The pipes made of clay or cement are more vulnerable to tree root infiltration as they are usually made up of many short pieces joined together and the linking areas are most likely to have small cracks.

Tree roots can either grow above the pipe and enter it from the top and sides or they can grow along the length of the pipe and fill the diameter of the pipe. Either way, once the root has invaded the pipe, the latter’s decay starts.

The traditional method of dealing with a sewage blockage and overflow is cutting the tree roots. This, however, is only a short-term efficient solution. In the long run, the cutting of the root produces its revitalization and it makes it an even stronger enemy to the drain pipes.

Years of research have led to a different, more efficient solution. A combination of herbicides and growth inhibitors has the desired long-term result. Sanafoam Vaporooter II softens and then kills the invasive roots, while inhibiting the future growth of new ones. The clearing of the pipes is not immediate, as the roots need time to naturally decay, but a retreatment can lead to a 99 per cent efficacy.

In addition, Vaporooter technology helps maintain the good functioning of the sewage systems through the restoration of the pipes. As the Vaporooter destroys the roots that invaded the pipe, the small opening cracks close under the ground weight. The treatment is valid for up to three years, thus having a long-lasting effect that can be reinforced with a retreatment.