How Tree Roots Can Cause Chaos With Your Drains

It might surprise you, but tree root ingress is one of the biggest causes of drainage problems in the UK!

Many homeowners that are suffering from blocked drains believe that it's been cause by grease, debris or excess dirt. But upon closer inspection, it's primarily tree roots encroaching into the pipework that is causing the blockage; significantly restricting water flow and taking up space.

If this is the case with your property, it's important that you get it instantly looked at by experienced professionals. Before we tell you the tell-tale signs of tree root ingress, first we'll tell you how tree roots can even get into your drains in the first place.

How tree roots get into drains

While drainage and pipework is traditionally made from standard vitrified clay that is great at preventing corrosion and abrasion, the pipes are not particularly effective at restricting fine tree roots from entering them. In fact, tree roots can very easily find their way into pipe structures via chamber walls, cracks and features and gaps in the pipe joints before developing into root masses and larger tap roots.

In nature, roots spread in search of nutrients and moisture. They are highly likely to find it in the condensation-ridden walls of drainpipes and the water-soaked fissures of faulty drain joints. If the ground nearby has also been dug up or disturbed recently, this will also provide an easy and quick pathway for a new tree root system. Therefore, if your drainage network has been installed on a new development site or is relatively new, it is even more prone to root damage than older networks. 

It certainly doesn't take much for tree roots to take hold of your drainage system and once they are in there, they can, and will, very quickly spread to cause leaks, burst pipes and blockages. 

What are the main indications of tree root ingress?

There are four main indicators that you might have tree root ingress;

• Low water pressure
• Slow draining drains
• Gurgling noises coming from your drains
• Frequent blockages and clogs in your showers, sinks and toilets

Each one of these signs indicate that there is not enough room in your main water system or drainage pipework for water to flow away easily and quickly. It may of course, just be an ordinary drain blockage, but regardless of what is causing the issue, it's important that you hire an experienced, dedicated and professional drainage company to investigate and provide an effective solution.

What can you do to prevent tree root ingress?

Tree root ingress can't always be prevented but there are some things you can do to try and prevent roots from taking hold of your drains in the first place.

For instance, it's very important to keep a close eye on your drainage system and regularly have it maintained to keep it free from blockages and build-ups. Excess water and silt can very easily create a breeding ground for tree roots, as they will be actively seeking out any nutrients available, so it is best to flush out your pipework as often as you can to get rid of anything that might encourage further growth.

It's also worth avoiding the planting of species of shrubs and trees that have particularly aggressive root systems (for instance, sycamore, poplar, birch, plane, willow, maple and elm trees), especially near to your home's foundations and drainage lines. 

How we specialise in repairing root damaged drains

All it takes is just one phone call to us and we'll be with you within 90 minutes. The first thing we will do is undertake a full CCTV drain survey so that we can accurately identify the scale and cause of the problem.

If our survey indicates that fortunately the system joints are still intact, we may be able to simply flush out the offending tree roots with our highly effective and powerful high pressure water jetting equipment or cut the root system with our specialist machinery and then pull it out of the ground.

However, if there has been a severe displacement to these joints, we may well need to excavate. This will be a bigger and longer job but the works will be essential in maintaining the safety, performance and health of your drains in the long term. 

So if you even suspect that tree roots may have made their way into your drainage system, call Kent, Sussex and London's experts at JLH Drains today! We specialise in fast, accurate and effective drain repairs, CCTV drain surveys and drain unblocking services. Contact us today to arrange your free property survey at your convenience.