What That Means for Your Drains

Cape Town’s dry months do more than turn lawns brown and make gardens thirsty.  When moisture in the surrounding soil becomes scarce, tree and plant roots may spread farther in search of water. Unfortunately, underground drainage and sewer pipes can provide exactly what those roots are looking for.   A tiny crack, loose joint or damaged section of pipe can release enough moisture to attract growing roots. Once roots find their way into a drainage line, a minor defect can gradually become a serious blockage.

Here is what property owners should know.

Why Do Roots Grow Towards Drainage Pipes?

Roots naturally grow towards areas where they can find moisture and nutrients.  During dry conditions, moisture closer to the soil surface can become limited. Trees and larger plants may therefore extend their root systems farther through the surrounding soil.  An underground drain or sewer pipe that is cracked, damaged or poorly sealed can release small amounts of moisture into the soil.  To a thirsty root system, that can become a very attractive target.  The pipe itself is not necessarily what attracts the roots. It is usually the moisture escaping from it.

How Do Tree Roots Get Inside Drain Pipes?

Healthy, properly sealed drainage pipes should generally prevent roots from entering.

Problems usually begin when there is already a weak point in the drainage system, such as:

• A cracked pipe
• A damaged joint
• A displaced pipe connection
• Ageing drainage infrastructure
• A partially collapsed section of pipe
• Small gaps around pipe connections

Fine roots can enter through surprisingly small openings.  Once inside, they have access to a continuous source of moisture.  That is when the real trouble begins.

Roots Can Turn a Small Drainage Problem Into a Major Blockage

A fine root entering a pipe may initially have very little effect on drainage.  But roots grow.  As the root system expands inside the pipe, it can begin catching toilet paper, grease, waste and other material passing through the drainage system.  Over time, the combination of roots and trapped debris can dramatically reduce the amount of space available for wastewater to flow.  Eventually you may experience a partial or complete blockage.

Warning Signs of Root Intrusion

Root intrusion often develops gradually, which means there may be warning signs before a drain stops working completely.

Watch for:

1. Drains That Keep Blocking

A drain that is cleared and then blocks again repeatedly may have an underlying problem.

If roots are still inside the pipe, simply removing the immediate blockage may only provide temporary relief.

2. Several Drains Becoming Slow

If one sink drains slowly, the problem may be relatively local.

If toilets, showers, sinks and outside drains begin slowing down at the same time, the restriction may be deeper within the drainage system.

3. Gurgling Toilets and Drains

Gurgling noises can occur when air and wastewater are struggling to move normally through a restricted drainage pipe.

4. Outside Drains Overflowing

An overflowing outside drain or gully can indicate that wastewater cannot move freely through the underground system.

5. Wastewater Backing Up

Water appearing in a shower, bath or another fixture after a toilet is flushed is a particularly important warning sign.

Wastewater may be encountering a restriction further down the line.

6. The Problem Gets Worse Over Time

Roots continue growing.  A drainage problem that starts as occasional slow flow can therefore become progressively worse if the underlying cause is not identified.

Why Simply Unblocking the Drain May Not Be Enough

This is where recurring drainage problems become expensive.  A blockage can sometimes be cleared without identifying why it formed in the first place.  If tree roots entered through a damaged pipe, clearing the debris does not repair the crack or damaged joint that allowed them to enter.  The roots may return.  That is why repeated blockages should be investigated rather than simply cleared again and again.  The drain is not being difficult for entertainment purposes. Something is usually causing it.

CCTV Drain Inspections Can Help Find the Cause

When the problem is underground, guessing becomes expensive.

A CCTV drain inspection allows a specialist camera to be passed through the drainage system so the inside of the pipe can be examined.

Depending on access and conditions, an inspection can help identify problems such as:

• Tree-root intrusion
• Cracked drainage pipes
• Displaced pipe joints
• Collapsed sections
• Heavy internal build-up
• Foreign objects
• Areas where waste repeatedly collects

This can help determine whether the problem requires drain cleaning, root removal, pipe repair or another drainage solution.

Can High-Pressure Jetting Remove Roots?

High-pressure drain cleaning can be useful for removing many types of drainage build-up and obstruction.  The appropriate solution for root intrusion, however, depends on the extent of the roots and the condition of the pipe.  If roots have entered because the drainage line is damaged, clearing the blockage may restore flow but the damaged section may still need attention.  A proper investigation therefore matters.

Are Certain Properties More at Risk?

Root intrusion can occur anywhere, but the risk may be greater where properties have:

• Mature trees close to drainage lines
• Large established gardens
• Older underground drainage systems
• Clay or older pipe materials
• A history of recurring blocked drains
• Pipes that have shifted because of ground movement
• Previous drainage repairs

Properties with large trees should not automatically assume their drains are damaged. Trees and drainage systems coexist perfectly well on millions of properties.

The concern arises when a pipe already provides roots with an entry point.

Dry Weather Is a Good Time to Pay Attention

People often associate drainage problems with heavy rain.  That makes sense for stormwater systems, but sewer and wastewater drainage problems can also develop during dry periods.  If a property has large established trees and drains begin behaving differently during or following extended dry weather, root intrusion is one possible cause worth investigating.  Particularly suspicious is a blockage that keeps returning in the same section of drainage line.

Don't Remove a Healthy Tree Just Because a Drain Is Blocked

Finding roots inside a drain does not automatically mean the tree needs to be removed.

The first question should be:

How did the roots get into the pipe?

If a damaged joint or cracked section of drainage pipe is providing access, repairing the drainage system may be the more appropriate long-term solution.

The correct approach depends on the pipe, location, extent of damage and surrounding vegetation.

Professional Drainage Services in Cape Town

Greenz Plumbing & Drainage provides professional drainage services for residential and commercial properties across Cape Town.

Services include:

• Blocked drain clearing
• CCTV drain inspections
• High-pressure drain cleaning
• Tree-root intrusion investigation
• Sewer and drainage fault detection
• Drainage repairs
• Stormwater drainage
• Recurring blockage investigation
• Emergency plumbing and drainage assistance

If a drain keeps blocking, the goal should not simply be to make the water disappear again.

The goal is to understand why it keeps happening.

Are Tree Roots Affecting Your Drains?

If you are experiencing recurring blockages, slow drainage, gurgling pipes, overflowing gullies or unexplained wastewater backup, Greenz Plumbing & Drainage can investigate the drainage system and help identify the cause.

Call Greenz: 061 947 3369
WhatsApp: 061 947 3369