Tree Roots in Your Drain: Causes, Signs, and Fixes

If you’ve noticed regular drain blockages, there is likely to be a problem beneath the surface. While there are multiple causes, tree roots can often go undetected as they can grow into your underground pipes and cause significant damage to your commercial or domestic property.

Read on to discover more about the common causes, signs, and the best ways of removing roots from drains.

Causes of Tree Roots in Drains

Tree roots are naturally attracted to sources of water, making pipes a common area for them to gravitate towards. Drains are also sources of nutrients, as they contain food and other natural waste, essential for tree development. 

Known as root ingress, the roots usually make their way into cracks or weakened joints in older pipes, where they rapidly grow due to the moisture inside. It’s important to note that trees are rarely the cause of cracks in pipes; however, they can exacerbate any existing issues. 

Without the right equipment, it can be hard to fully determine whether trees are the issue at hand. We recommend looking at the placement of trees within your outdoor area or garden. Tree roots can often grow two to three times the height of the tree, and so any trees that are close to your outdoor drains could be the culprit for your blockages.  

Signs of Invasive Tree Roots in Pipes

As intrusive tree roots are rarely visible, it can be more difficult to spot the signs of other drainage issues. We recommend checking for the following issues:

Gurgling Sounds

Whether from your drain or sink, bubbling sounds can be a fast way to identify roots blocking your drainage systems from working as intended. These sounds are caused by trapped airflow and water, and roots sucking water from the drains.

Slow Draining

If you’ve spotted that your systems are draining slowly, it can be another sign that tree roots have invaded your pipes. Roots make it harder for water to pass through, causing systems to work more slowly than usual. 

Standing Water

Water pooling and standing water in your garden may indicate unwanted tree growth, causing water to leak across your property. This can result in further damage to your garden while posing safety risks. 

Frequent Blockages

You may start to find that you’re having to repeatedly unblock your drains. While it can be due to a multitude of reasons, tree roots are fairly common, but a highly disruptive cause. 

Sewer Backups

Tree roots are notorious for causing sewer backups. If you are finding that sewer water is backing up from your drains or notice bad odours, you will need to find the source of the issue fast.

Fixes for Tree Root Drain Growth

When you notice any of the signs, it’s important to identify the extent of the root and find a quick fix.

CCTV Drain Survey

One of the best ways to understand the extent of the tree growth is to perform a drain survey. This helps you to inspect the inside of your pipes to determine the next steps required to remove the roots.  

High-Pressure Water Jetting

A highly effective way of removing roots from pipes is high-pressure water equipment. This machine uses a high concentration of pressurised water to clear the blockage. It can also be used for cleaning the pipe walls and removing materials like silt, grease, or food waste that may be blocking your pipes. 

Mechanical Root Cutter

For thicker roots, a mechanical root cutter can be used to slice through the root and the blockage that has grown into the drain or pipe. Like high-pressure water jetting, it can also get rid of any materials like grease or compacted debris. 

Speak with a Drainage Specialist

wWhen you feel there is a need for sewer line root removal, it’s essential to consult with a professional to ensure that you [EC3.1][MW3.2]take the right precautions to prevent further growth. Where there is damage to your pipes or drains, our specialists can provide you with recommendations for replacements and long-lasting solutions.

Get to the Root of the Problem

At Drain Doctor, we know that often the biggest drainage problems occur beneath the surface. If you suspect or need to verify that tree roots are invading your water systems, we provide 24-hour support to rectify the issue whenever you need it. 

We treat any intrusive tree root growth with our wide range of equipment and expertise, including all the methods found above. From CCTV drain surveys to high-pressure water jetting, mechanical root cutters and pipe lining, our experts are available to quickly address the problem at hand and provide solutions for long-term preventative maintenance. 

Get in contact with our local drain engineers, and we’ll help you get to the root of the problem.