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Can tree roots crush drain pipes?

Yes, tree roots can crush drain pipes. As tree roots grow, they can exert a lot of force and pressure on pipes, particularly older or pipes with any structural damage. The tree roots can also grow into small cracks or in the pipe joints, causing them to expand and eventually crush or break the pipe.

Additionally, if the roots are able to penetrate the pipe and grow inside it, they can cause blocked drains.

It’s also worth noting that, tree roots can cause more damage to clay pipes, and cast iron pipes because of their rigid structure but, more durable and flexible materials like copper or PVC pipes can still be crushed.

We have seen instances where tree roots growing through the excavated soil of the trench under a PVC sewer system, squash the pipe from beneath as they get thicker and stronger. The pipe line needed excavation for repairs and to cut out the offending tree root which was about 200mm in diameter.

The PVC pipeline was only twelve years old!

The Hills Weeping fig (Ficus microcarpa var. hillii) was about fifty years old.

Tree roots crush pipes

If you think your stormwater or sewer pipes are being crushed by tree roots, it’s important to regularly inspect the pipes and address any issues promptly, because leaks through the cracks will only attract more tree roots.

Also, when planting trees near pipes or underground utilities, proper plant selection can prevent potential problems.

Tree roots grow through pipe joints.

Tree roots usually enter your pipe line through the pipe joints.

Did you know each clay sewer pipe is usually 2-3 foot long? That’s 600-900mm each.

So, in a pipe line 100 feet in length (30 metres), there could be up to 50 individual pipes with bends and junctions.

That means there are at least 50 different places for tree roots to get into your sewer pipes.

That’s a lot of opportunity for tree roots searching for moisture in our hot Australian climate where rainfall is unpredictable.

If you’re considering pipe relining, root cutting or a pipe renewal as options for keeping the roots at bay, remember, the tree roots can just move down to the next pipe joint that hasn’t been protected.

How tree roots get into pipes #3


Tree roots grow into cracks in the joints of sewer pipes that may have been there even before the pipes were used.

Hard to believe but envisage this.

Your friendly plumber has dug a trench, laid the new earthenware pipes, cemented all the joints, then proceeded to back fill the trench.

The very process of backfilling the trench is enough to put pressure and fine cracks in the cement joints.

That is just enough to let the tree roots know that warm condensation is nearby.

How tree roots get into pipes #2

In my last post I described how tree roots can easily travel through soil that has been loosened by excavation to accommodate your pipe installation.

Do you know why tree roots grow in sewer pipes from the top of the pipe joints?

Condensation is formed when we run water from our water pipes, through our drains; especially when we have a hot shower, wash our clothes or dishes in hot or warm water.

When the warm water enters the drains buried in the cold earth, condensation is formed, and it gathers on the inside top of our sewer pipes and drains.

The tree roots moving through our already loosened soils can now move along the top of the pipelines and are attracted to the warmth and moisture inside. All they need now is a way into the pipe.

This 1.58sec clip shows how.

Neighbours tree roots in your pipes

Tree roots growing under the fence is multiplying the number of over the fence disputes between neighbours.
As trees mature, their roots spread and sometimes, go under fences and into neighbouring properties’ sewer pipes.
Periods of no rain will see tree root systems spread in all directions in their search.

Many homeowners without a single tree on their property will still get a blocked drain caused by tree roots from their neighbours’ trees; sometimes 2 or more houses away. That is an inconvenience!

However, Vaporooter is a cost-effective way to stop tree roots in your drains and maintain neighbourly relationships.

Tree roots chase liquid gold in drains

Did you know tree roots chase the liquid fertiliser in sewer drains?

That’s because the waste water running through your pipes is a constant source of moisture and nutrients.
In our dry continent a sewer pipe is an easy target for a tree root system that plays the long game.

Most of us use our plumbing every day. When we brush our teeth, wash the dishes and of course shower and flush our toilets, we send the waste water off to the sewerage treatment works.

We are also sending liquid fertiliser along the pipes for our trees to feast upon.

That waste water usually runs along the bottom 1/3 of the pipe.
More on that later….

Cutting tree roots makes them grow thicker and stronger

Did you know when you cut tree roots from your blocked sewer pipes, they grow back thicker and stronger?

You see, getting a blocked drain specialist to cut tree roots with high-pressure water or an electric eel is like pruning your hedge or rose bush, it encourages tree root regrowth.

Over a long period, when the tree roots in your sewer pipes grow back thicker and stronger, it reduces the time between cuts. And blocked drains occur more frequently!

Eventually, the roots that grow in through the small cracks and joints in your sewer pipeline will begin to damage or break your pipes.

So is the only remedy to dig up that section of pipe and carry out expensive repairs?
No! Find out more about Vaporooter.

Questions about Vaporooter?

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

Every situation with tree roots in sewer pipes is different!

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 contact me personally to discuss the situation.

As a regular reader of this blog you already know there are several ways to Stop Tree Roots in Drains.

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: Its expensive!

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

Street trees block drains

 

Are these Beautiful Trees in your street?

Liquid amber, London plane tree, Golden Robinia, Hills weeping fig, Brush box.

Every year as they grow a little bigger their expanding canopy adds thousands of dollars to the value to your home, bringing energy saving cool shade from the summer heat, the beauty of the colours of autumn, some, when they lose their leaves, provide much needed natural lighting and in some cases a windbreak in winter. 075

These same trees help replenish our oxygen supply and bring birdlife in abundance, a place for the kids to play, making your street one of the most sought after in your suburb.

Imagine your street without the trees.

Now if you have lived in your tree-lined street for some time, you will know that there is a downside to having these trees.

Did you know their luxurious canopy is fed by a root system that is fed nutrition from the non-stop supply running through that main artery from your home, also known as your sewer pipes?

Tree roots are growing around the clock; they don’t just grow overnight. They start, finer than the hairs on your head, searching for that hint of moisture or condensation on the top of your sewer pipes. (Condensation is caused as the water running through the sewer is slightly warmer than the pipes and the earth they are laying in).

Their task has been made easier by the trench excavation, breaking up soils to fit the pipes in the first place. Backfill and compaction is still way easier for tree roots to penetrate than virgin soils.

Once the fine hairs get in through the slightest crack in old earthenware or terra cotta pipe joints, they feast on the nutrients available, and grow constantly. They can end up as thick as your arm with a horse tail attached.

Amazing!

We have cut tree roots from sewers that fit this description and up to 8 metres in length.

As the roots grow in length they grow in diameter and can actually crack the earthenware pipes as they grow.

They don’t just grow overnight.

Who knows how a tree thinks?

Once they get in the pipe and have a constant source of moisture and nutrients they will keep coming back for more. Having their roots cut by drain cleaners is like pruning the roots. As any gardener will tell you, pruning makes them grow thicker and stronger. Think hedges or Rose bush.

It’s the same with the root system.

Spring brings shoots and tree roots

Spring in Australia brings new growth to our trees and shrubs. New shoots above ground means the trees are growing underground as well, and new tree roots means blocked drains.

As Australia’s leading authority on tree roots in drains, with over 15,000 blocked drains under my belt and I’ve used all kinds of drain cleaners, its safe to say I know a lot about fixing blocked drains.

Having said that, I can tell you that there is a simple way to Stop Tree Roots in Drains. It’s called Vaporooter!

Over the next few weeks I’ll share some of my blocked drain experiences and how you can prevent them from happening at your place ever again!

New Shoots