Tree Roots in Drains
Fine roots normally enter through an existing gap — often an old clay joint, crack or poor connection — then thicken once they reach the moisture and nutrients inside the drain.
How roots turn into a blockage
A few fine roots may not stop the drain. As they thicken they create a net that catches paper and solids. The eventual blockage can therefore contain far more waste than root material.
Cutting the roots out can get the drain flowing again
Mechanical cutting or specialist jetting can remove the mass and reopen the pipe. If the opening remains, new growth can eventually follow the same route.
Why the roots can come back after clearing
After the roots are cut out, the camera should show where they entered. One open joint may take a local patch; several failed joints may justify a longer liner. If the pipe has shifted badly or collapsed, the failed section may need digging out.
Finding roots does not usually tell you which tree they came from
Fine roots can travel well beyond the nearest trunk, so CCTV rarely identifies the tree responsible. Deal first with the opening in the pipe: if that joint or fracture can be sealed and the drain remains sound, removing the tree may achieve nothing useful.
If roots have entered through several joints along a long deteriorated run, a longer repair may be justified. One small local entry point may call for something much more limited.
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