How can I prevent roots from entering my drains?
Root invasion is a serious problem for your drains and can cause a great deal of damage if left untreated. Any issue with your drainage systems can be inconvenient and stressful, but there are things you can do to stop it from happening.
Tree roots find the perfect home in a drain – it provides them with all the water and nutrients they need to survive. You will often find that drains that are very old and have cracks in them are more susceptible to tree root invasion. The further away from the tree you get, the smaller the root is, meaning they can make their way into even the tiniest of cracks in your drains. As they absorb all the nutrients and water from the drains, they will continue to grow and now that they have lodged themselves into the crack this means the crack will expand alongside the root.
This creates more and more pressure on the drain and can eventually lead to a burst pipe, or even a collapsed drain which results in flooding. Flooding is a huge problem for your property as it causes a great deal of damage and the bacteria from the wastewater can easily contaminate your property, posing a serious health hazard.
The number one way to prevent roots from entering your drains is to make sure that your drainage systems are in perfect condition, with no signs of decay or wear-and-tear. You may need to consider getting your drains relined, whether that’s just a small section of the drains or the entire system. If you know that your property’s drainage system is particularly old then it may be worth getting a new system laid out, as this will be far more cost-effective than to simply replace multiple sections. The thought of having your drains completely relined may seem daunting but it is much more cost-effective and efficient than regularly calling out a drain engineer every time a new part of your drain system collapses or breaks.
One way to find out if you have any tree roots making their way into your drains is to call out a professional drain engineer to complete a CCTV drain survey on your property.
CCTV drain surveys are a very useful way to locate anything that may be causing damage to your drains, such as tree roots. A professional drain engineer will use the latest technology and software to thoroughly inspect your drains for any sign of entry made by tree roots, and if anything is identified during the survey it will be dealt with then and there. They will also be happy to provide you with a fully comprehensible and useful report of the findings as well as some friendly advice on how best to proceed.
If you are unsure of whether there are roots in your drains, but would like to take preventative measures to ensure they do not find their way in, there are a few steps you can take. Chemicals that will kill tree roots are available to find at garden centres or some supermarkets, but you must be careful as some chemicals will also kill the plant. The best way to prevent this is to use the chemical inside the drain rather than on the ground, as this will kill any root that has found its way inside without getting to the tree itself.
It is best to stay ahead of the game and keep tree roots under control before they can start causing any chaos in your drainage systems. It may be a good idea to find out how old your drainage systems are, and this can be done in many ways including finding the original plans for the drains from your local council, but the best way to give you guaranteed results is a CCTV survey as this will provide you with accurate details of the current condition of your drains and whether there are any problems that you need to address.