Are your tree roots blocking your pipes?
Trees in outdoor spaces of your home can provide shade and enhance the natural beauty and value of your home. However, tree roots can sometimes grow into your pipelines causing major, expensive plumbing issues. Some signs that a tree root might be causing blocked pipes are:
- Abnormally growing trees – If a tree seems to be growing more quickly or seems greener compared to the other trees, this could be a sign of a plumbing problem.
- Nasty odours – If you smell unpleasant odours around the drain areas in your home, you may be dealing with a drainage problem.
- Backed up sewer – If you notice water draining slowly from the drains or if there is backflow of sewer water in your toilet or shower areas, first, try to clear this with a plunger. If this doesn’t solve the problem, it may be that tree roots are blocking your drains.
- Sinkholes – If tree roots have compromised the structural integrity of the pipelines on your property, you may notice that large areas of the soil in the landscape are saturated with water, creating sinkholes or soft mud and these sunken spots may be more visible in the lawn spaces.
- Gurgling noises in drains – This could be a sign of a blocked pipe. Could be tree root related or a build up of soap scum and hair in the bathrooms. Kitchens can also get a build up of grease and food grime.
Regular maintenance on your drains and pipes will ensure any blockages are detected and prevented. Our top tip is to check your stormwater drains, sumps and downpipes for any blockages. Additionally, clearing your gutters can prevent blockages occurring.
Tree roots in pipe
We recently attended a call out where tree roots had made their way into a broken pipe. The flooding from the broken pipe was only discovered after a big downpour.
What was meant to be an easy drain clean turned into an excavation and repair. With the help of our camera we could identify what the problem was, show the customer and fix it.
Most of the time it is as easy as using an electric drain cleaner to clear the blockage. For trickier problems, and recurring issues we use our other tools, such as the Hydro Jet and Camera/Locator. Our experienced team will determine the right method for the job.
Blocked Pipes
After a storm, leaves and debris can get washed into drains, causing blockages. If you suspect you’ve got an unwanted build-up in your drains, pipes or gutters, call us before the blockage causes serious damage.
Seaview Plumbing cleaning blocked pipes in Adelaide
Debris and leaves in pipes can build up
Make sure you give your drains some love, sooner rather than later. Once the downpours begin, it’s a little too late – and tree roots in pipes are more common than you would think!
If you have any problems with blocked drains, or you’d like us to assist you with maintenance, give Seaview Plumbing a call, email us here: or message us on Facebook here.