You’ve started to notice that your home’s drains aren’t as straightforward as they used to be, and you might think it’s time to schedule sewer and drain cleaning for your Montgomery County home. In some cases, a cleaning may be all it needs, but maybe your sewer and drain specialist come back with worse news than you can imagine: the roots of nearby plants have broken open the pipes.

You might think you have a solution that makes sense, but it’s worth understanding what each of these solutions entails so you can select the right one. Here are some of the main ways the specialists at Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer & Storm manage invasive roots:

Cut Up The Roots

The easiest way to clear the blockage caused by invasive roots is to cut them up. This method involves using a special tool with various rotating blades to make a path through the pipe that would allow your system to operate normally.

The only issue with cutting up the roots is that they will often grow back after a while, so it provides only a short-term solution to the problem at hand.

Water Jetting

One of the most effective ways to cut the roots away from your pipes is sewer jetting. Sewer jetting uses high-powered water streams to make precision cuts on the encroaching roots without causing any damage to the lines themselves. This process allows our team to perform the thorough maintenance checks that you need to ensure you get as much of the roots cut away from your sources as possible.  

Use Non-Caustic Chemicals

Your technician may use a chemical treatment referred to as a foaming agent, which coats the pipes and makes them less attractive to trees and other plant roots to grow in. Your sewage system provides many resources that plants need to grow, making them perfect targets for roots to grow into over time. With a foaming agent, these attractive resources end up being masked behind a coating of chemicals that plants are less interested in coming into contact with.

Do NOT Use Bleach, Lye, or Other Caustic Chemicals 

While it might seem appealing for you to use a DIY method of removing the roots with caustic chemicals you may find in your home, the results will not be the same as with the foaming agent used by your storm maintenance pros. Instead of killing the roots you want targeted, the homemade remedies may flow past the intended targets, congeal, and add to the existing clog. While some homemade remedies might prove beneficial for homeowners, bleach and lye are not the way to go for dealing with tree roots around your pipes. 

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When you have roots encroaching on your sewer pipes, the resulting clogs can prove problematic for your water needs. With the help of Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer, & Storm, we can help provide you with the best solution to your tree root problems. Contact our team to schedule an appointment today!