Archives
What happens when tree roots grow in sewer pipes #2
The growth of tree roots in sewer pipes is probably the most destructive single element that faces those maintaining a sewer collection system today. 
Sewers are ageing expensive assets that only attract public attention when they fail. There are over 35,000 kms of water and sewer pipes in Sydney and 60% of all collection systems are made up of pipes with a diameter of 9 inches (225 mm) or smaller. The potential for tree root intrusion to inhibit flows, produce blocked drains and damage valuable pipes, is enormous.
Tree roots normally do not grow underwater and seldom cause problems where ground water covers the pipe. But in most areas, this is not the case.
Tree Roots Grow One Cell at a Time
When a seed germinates, it adds one cell at a time toward the best environment from which it might extract nutrients and moisture. The growing point of a tree moves best through loosely cultivated soil.
The most common practice used to lay sewer pipes is in an open trench. The back-filled soil offers a good growing medium for tree roots. Because the flow in sewer pipes is a higher temperature than the soil, this causes a condensation to appear on the crown of the pipe.
As the warm moisture from the sewer pipe evaporates up through the soil, the vapours offer an excellent trail for the tree roots to follow. If a vapour leak exists in the pipe, the roots concentrate its efforts at that point. Since some pipe joint compounds are of nutrient based material themselves (like rubber rings or sand cement mix), the root may entirely girdle before entering the pipe.
Roots Allow Accumulation of Debris
Once inside the sewer pipe, the root takes on the appearance of a “veil” or “horse tail” type structure. If flows in the pipes are fairly constant, the root mass hangs down like a veil to the normal flow level where they accumulate deposits of grease, slime and other debris.
Conventional methods of removing tree roots by cutting with an electric eel or a “Rattlesnake” high pressure water drain cleaner tend to increase regrowth; similar to pruning a tree. Removing tree roots inside the pipe solves the immediate problem of clearing the blocked drain, but does nothing to retard the tree root regrowth or destroy the tree roots outside the pipe.
This removal, regrowth and removal cycle of cutting and tearing roots can destroy the structural integrity of the pipe.
Herbicide Fumigants
Herbicide fumigants present the most effective method to destroy tree roots and inhibit their regrowth without affecting the above ground plant life. Vaporooter is a root control herbicide that enters the sewer as a foam. Only tree roots within the pipe and a short distance outside the pipe are affected. Trees and shrubs immediately above ground are not harmed in any way.
Why have a Drainoscopy?
Today our post is simple.
A client from Bronte called. Since Christmas they’d had 3 blocked drains causing the downstairs toilet to overflow. Yuck!
The plumber they had been using didn’t have a drain camera and it was suggested that the pipes were broken.
We were able to clear the blockage quickly, then, give the pipes a Drainoscopy. That’s Lone Drainer speak for “put a specialised drain camera in the pipes and see what is really going on.”
The pipe was full of tree roots. That’s all!
We cut out the roots and had another look.
A simple Vaporooter treatment will keep the roots away. With a Guarantee!
Yes, the pipes are old clay pipes. You can see where the roots have been cut out. But, they work and will for some time to come.
The best way to find out is to see it for yourself.
Who is responsible for my sewer pipes?
Did you know homeowners are responsible for their sewer pipes up to and including where they meet the Sydney Water sewer mains?
A lot of people are shocked when they find that out.
If you need to renew your sewer pipe line because it has been damaged by tree roots and the pipes run out in the middle the road, then, the homeowner is responsible for all the costs of the renewal, including Council road opening fees.
Do tree roots grow in PVC pipes?
Do tree roots grow in PVC pipe?
Yes they do!
The PVC pipe shown here in this Youtube clip has tree roots growing in through the wall of the pipe in three different places. There is a significant Norfolk pine tree and a Paperbark tree within two-three metres of the pipe.
The roots were cut from this pipeline about 8 weeks ago.
This survey was taken before applying Vaporooter to the pipe line.
Vaporooter will NOT fix a broken pipe. Vaporooter stops tree roots in drains!
In this case, we are only keeping the roots at bay until the necessary repairs are undertaken.
View your blocked drain with a Drainoscopy
Today our post is simple.
A new client from Bronte called because since Christmas they’d had 3 blocked drains which caused the downstairs toilet to overflow throughout their basement. YUK!
The plumber they had been using didn’t have a drain camera and it was suggested that the pipes were broken.
We were able to clear the blockage quickly, then did a Drainoscopy. That’s Lone Drainer speak for “put a specialised drain camera in the pipes to see what is really going on”.
The pipe was full of tree roots. That’s all! We cut out the roots and had another look. A simple Vaporooter treatment will keep the roots away. With a Guarantee!
Yes, the pipes are old clay pipes. You can see where the roots have been cut out. But, they work and will for some time to come.
The best way to find out what is causing a blockage is to see it for yourself.
Don’t play Noughts and Crosses when you have sewer problems
Today’s post comes courtesy of Dr Marc Dussault, The Exponential Growth Strategist. At his recent Exponential Business Building Bootcamp, he showed a series of “impossible pictures” from Swedish Artist Erik Johansson. This photo was of particular interest. This is what we want to avoid with the use of Vaporooter when tree roots get into and block your pipes and drains.
Plumbing Products – Bio-Clean and Vaprooter
Plumbing Products Have Come a Long Way: A Look at Some Products and Their Benefits
Sir John Harrington, the godson of Queen Elizabeth I made a new invention for his godmother: Sir John created the flush toilet and built it for his godmother. This all took place in 1596, according to history records.
Alexander Cummings obtained the first patent for a flushing toilet in 1775. Toilets started gaining popularity, and a city wide sewer system was constructed to handle the flow of refuse. As science advanced, it was recognised that poor sanitation caused diseases and in 1880 the officials of the day decided that toilets and sewer systems were not luxuries but priorities to control human waste and disease.
Jumping to modern day plumbing, the innovations and possibilities are endless when you have plumbing services like The Lone Drainer and Pronto, experts in the field of plumbing with 40 years combined experience. Any type of renovation, plumbing emergency or plumbing need can be taken care of with just one phone call to The Lone Drainer and Pronto.
Sewer lines brought whole new problems to society that had not been faced before. Many old trees had roots that sometimes stretched for a block. These roots invaded the sewer lines because the roots are attracted to the plumbing pipes where they find a constant source of moisture. Today there is a product that eliminates this problem for you. Vaporooter is 100% safe and has been used successfully for more than 40 years. Paying for repairs is much more expensive than using Vaporooter to prevent the problem in the first place. Vaporooter stops tree root blockage from occurring.
Are you tired of having plumbing problems where roots have crushed, cracked or blocked your sewer pipes? It gets very expensive trying to keep up with repairs. So call The Lone Drainer and Pronto plumbing services and get insurance on your drains with Vaporooter.
Older homes with older pipes can produce a foul odour, but there is a way to solve that problem. The plumbing services of The Lone Drainer and Pronto have a product that will solve this problem for you faster than you could have ever imagined. You will no longer have to be embarrassed about the odour coming out of your pipes when you use Bio-Clean. This environmentally friendly bacteria waste eliminator will get your pipes spotless and odour free. What a relief it will be to walk into your home and smell the cut flowers instead of sour old pipes!
Bio-Clean performs several functions such as cleaning out the hair in the drains and pipes, and dissolves paper and cotton without using toxic chemicals. This environmentally green solution to an ageless problem is safe, will clear most of the obstruction in the drains and pipes and will not damage your pipes and/or fittings. Bio-clean is friendly to your plumbing pipes and drains.
Just what is your peace of mind worth when the plumbing goes on the blink and the missus is upset because your drains are blocked? Call The Lone Drainer and Pronto, and keep the peace in your household with Vaporooter and Bio-Clean.
Trumpets and toilets
The 2010 Pumper and Cleaner Environmental Expo held in Louisville Kentucky February 24th-27th 2010
We went to Louisville to see how the best of the best plumbers in the United States, look after their clients. If you have blocked sewer drains, blocked sewer pipes caused by tree roots in your pipes, or tree roots in your drains, or overflowing toilets, the experts we met at Pumper Cleaner 2010 know how to fix your problem.
As the name of the show suggests, the focus is on pumping and cleaning up on that other topic very close to my heart, sewerage, that’s right S – – T; because in our game S – – T happens.
Our short YouTube video shows some of the equipment on display and how it is used.
Enjoy the trip!
Music by Chuck Mangione, “Give it all You’ve Got”
Don’t Let Tree roots Take Over Sewer pipes!
Today’s post is courtesy of Joe from Woollahra Sydney.
Joe had constant problems with the trees around his Sydney home, and tree roots growing in his sewer pipes, blocking them repeatedly. He would need drain cleaning several times a year to cut the tree roots, as the London Plane trees around his home tightened their vice like grip on his sewer pipes and drains. When this happened, the sewer would overflow in his home and on some occasions the raw sewage would come up in his kitchen sink!
Joe found a way to deal with the tree roots in his sewer pipes, to stop them re-growing and blocking his sewer line.
Now, Joe and his wife Elizabeth, both teachers, travelled to South-east Asia to help those less fortunate and during their travels over summer visited Cambodia and in particular the ancient city of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century.
Joe at Angkor Wat Beware of tree roots!
Joe was astonished by the power of these tree roots and how they could almost consume these ancient buildings. He couldn’t wait to share this and other images with us.
Joe says, “Don’t let tree roots take over your drains and sewer pipes!”
Tree Roots Growing In Sewer Pipes
Are the Roots of my Neighbours Trees, or the Trees Growing Out the Front of My Property, Growing in my Sewer Pipes?
One of the major plumbing concerns is trees that send roots into sewer lines, especially in homes that were built over twenty years ago. Trees are equipped with water finding capabilities that send tiny roots in every direction in a quest for water. The trenches where there are sewer lines do not usually have hard packed soil therefore, roots gravitate to this loose soil. When these roots invade from trees growing out the front of your property or from across the street and get into the sewer system, it is time to call in the professionals who do plumbing that know how to deal with a blocked drain. Read More
Eradicating tree root problems
Tree roots are a very common cause for blocked drains, however the extent of damage that tree roots can cause before a problem is recognised, can vary greatly. To get rid of a tree root problem you must know what condition of the pipes are.
The Lone Drainer and Pronto has a number of weapons in its arsenal to combat those all-invasive tree roots; but in order to decide on the correct solution for the situation at hand, it is good practice to know what is happening with the drain. In many cases we insist on the use a special drain camera to view the location of the blockage and the condition of the connecting pipes.
The drain cameras we use are an enormous cost saver and allow us to determine the condition of underground pipes. Our pipe locating equipment shows us where to dig, minimising the need for large excavations to locate them. This reduces the guesswork and helps us make informed decisions on how to treat your particular blocked drain. In 2009 it makes great sense to use the technology available to us; it helps us help you!
https://www.thelonedrainerandpronto.com.au/plumbing_services.php
PVC Pipes Blocked by Hills Weeping Fig
The Hills weeping fig (ficus microcarpar var.) is a beautiful tree which in some areas provides a shady archway for many streets in our Sydney Eastern suburbs.
But why are the residents of these streets pulling out their hair?
The Hills weeping fig is like Jekyll and Hyde.
Dr Jekyll brings shade in summer; tree lined streets become a breezeway, cooling our homes as their majestic branches cast shade and protect us from the searing summer heat, attracting birds to feed on their fruit twice a year.
But, Mr Hyde is lurking. Those same fruit bring flying foxes…and other mysteries.
My interest in this tree is the power of its root system. Their reach is widespread, sometimes 3 or 4 or more times wider than they are high. The root system will move stone walls, lift concrete footpaths and driveways and of course invade sewer and stormwater pipes. The roots from this tree just keep on coming after they are internally pruned with an electric eel or “Rattlesnake” high pressure water drain cleaner.
Last week we attended to 4 tree root sewer blockages directly caused by the Hills Weeping fig.
The 2 blocked sewer pipes that particularly interested me were PVC sewer pipes.
Why is that interesting, I hear you ask?
Well… tree roots don’t grow into PVC pipes! …..or do they?
The Kensington blocked drain was in an established housing estate about 10 – 15 years old. The townhouse in question had no previous blocked drain history. The Hills weeping fig was about 30 metres away. Its root system had grown up to this house and had actually grown into the PVC pipeline through a screw-on cap that we plumbers call a cleaning eye. The fine roots had grown into the cap thread and multiplied inside the pipe thus causing the sewer blockage.
The Bellevue Hill blocked sewer was similar.
This house was built during the year of Sydney’s 2000 Olympic games after the long term owners, were tired of having blocked sewer pipes every 3 months, and tree roots “growing up through the back of the toilet”, amongst other reasons.
During the rebuild all the pipelines were installed in PVC pipes and fittings. The house finish was state of the art plumbing fixtures, with beautiful sandstone tiles around the outside of the house. All the pipes were concealed! No cleaning eyes! Why would we need access to the pipes as they have all been installed in tree root proof PVC? The nearest fig tree was 30 odd metres away.
Well, what started as a simple blocked floorwaste, grew to removing that beautiful toilet suite to clear the blocked sewer pipe. We used the “Rattlesnake” high pressure water drain cleaner to remove tree roots from the blocked pipeline. When the blockage was cleared we carried out a camera survey of the pipeline. About 14 metres downstream the camera showed the remnants of the cut tree roots, but just as important, our drain camera survey showed the PVC pipe had been squashed. What was a round internal pipe, was now oval shaped with a crack in at least 1 of the fittings.
Who said tree roots don’t grow in PVC sewer pipes?
Beware Mr Hyde!
https://www.thelonedrainerandpronto.com.au/vaporooter.php
Hills Weeping Fig Tree
Vaporooter Guarantee
Blocked drains are a major problem – any way you look at it!
Tree root invasion of sewer lines is a common cause of such blockages — BUT, when left unattended, tree roots will cause major damage to your sewer pipes (which, as you might imagine, can be far more troublesome than just any old blockage, not to mention the resulting sewerage backflow).
Replacing broken or collapsed sewer pipes can be a VERY expensive exercise…
Thankfully, there is a solution!
The best solution available is Sanafoam Vaporooter. When applied to sewer lines correctly, the foam coats the interior of the affected pipes, seeping through any fine cracks which may have been created by the invading tree roots, and killing off any roots it comes into contact with. Vaporooter is so effective, that we guarantee the results for 12 months…
Vaporooter: The BEST solution for tree roots in sewers!
https://www.thelonedrainerandpronto.com.au/vaporooter.php
What Happens When Tree Roots Grow In Sewer Pipes
The intrusion of tree roots in sewer pipes is probably the most destructive single element that faces those maintaining a sewer collection system today.
Sewers are ageing expensive assets that only attract public attention when they fail. There are more than 35,000 kms of water and sewer pipes in Sydney and 60% of all collection systems are made up of pipes with a diameter of 9 inches (225 mm) or smaller. The potential for tree root intrusion to inhibit flows, produce blocked drains and damage valuable pipes, is enormous.
Tree roots normally do not grow underwater and seldom cause problems where ground water covers the pipe. But in most areas, this is not the case.
Tree Roots Grow One Cell at a Time
When a seed germinates, it adds one cell at a time toward the best environment from which it might extract nutrients and moisture. The growing point of a tree moves best through loosely cultivated soil.
The most common practice used to lay sewer pipes is in an open trench. The back-filled soil offers a good growing medium for tree roots. Because the flow in sewer pipes is a higher temperature than the soil, this causes a condensation to appear on the crown of the pipe.
As the warm moisture from the sewer pipe evaporates up through the soil, the vapours offer an excellent trail for the tree roots to follow. If a vapour leak exists in the pipe, the roots concentrate its efforts at that point. Since some pipe joint compounds are of nutrient based material themselves (like rubber rings or sand cement mix), the root may entirely girdle before entering the pipe.
Roots Allow Accumulation of Debris
Once inside the sewer pipe, the root takes on the appearance of a “veil” or “horse tail” type structure. If flows in the pipes are fairly constant, the root mass hangs down like a veil to the normal flow level where they accumulate deposits of grease, slime and other debris.
Conventional methods of removing tree roots by cutting with an electric eel or a “Rattlesnake” high pressure water drain cleaner tend to increase regrowth; similar to pruning a tree. Removing tree roots inside the pipe solves the immediate problem of clearing the blocked drain, but does nothing to retard the tree root regrowth or destroy the tree roots outside the pipe.
This removal, regrowth and removal cycle of cutting and tearing roots can destroy the structural integrity of the pipe.
Herbicide Fumigants
Herbicide fumigants present the most effective method to destroy tree roots and inhibit their regrowth without affecting the above ground plant life. Vaporooter is a root control herbicide that enters the sewer as a foam. Only tree roots within the pipe and a short distance outside the pipe are affected. Trees and shrubs immediately above ground are not harmed in any way.