Tree roots can cause big problems for the drains in and around your home. These problems can often go unnoticed until serious damage occurs, as drains are hidden underground. Knowing how roots affect your pipes can help you catch issues early and save money on repairs.
Why do roots get into drains?
Tree roots are always searching for water and food. Drainpipes offer both, as they are warm, moist, and full of nutrients. Roots can detect water vapour that escapes from tiny cracks or loose joints in your pipes. They then grow toward these openings, squeeze through, and begin to spread inside.
Some pipes face higher risks; for example, old pipes with many joins give roots more places to enter, and pipes that are close to the surface are easier for roots to reach. Large trees with fast-growing roots cause the most damage. While roots might wrap around good pipes without causing harm, even a small crack lets them inside where they will quickly grow and block water flow.
Finding and fixing root problems
The best way to check for roots is with a CCTV drain survey Coventry from a specialist such as wilkinson-env.co.uk/drainage-services-cctv-surveys-midlands/cctv-drain-surveys/coventry. A specialist can send a special camera through your pipes to see exactly where the roots have entered without digging up your garden.
Signs you might have root problems
As roots grow inside pipes, they trap toilet paper, waste, and other materials. This creates blockages that make it hard for water to pass through sinks, baths, and toilets. You might also notice wet spots or small holes forming in your garden, which happens when roots break pipes and let wastewater leak into the soil. These areas become soft and muddy before sinking into small holes and often smell bad from the leaking sewage. Some parts of your garden might also look unusually green and healthy. When a pipe leaks, it feeds extra nutrients to nearby plants. If one area has much greener grass or faster-growing bushes than the rest of your garden, it might be being watered by a leaking drainpipe.