Options for Eradicating Roots from Pipes

A comfortable home in northern or central Alberta is not just about how your space is arranged and decorated to feel cozy and inviting. Much of what makes a home or any structure intact in its integrity of design and function is how things are working internally, that is, the wires behind the walls and the fittings and pipes under the boards and around the foundations.  You want your hot water on demand when you shower after a hard, long day, so you want to make sure your plumbing system is operating in top form.

Sometimes, the source of a plumbing problem lies underground where roots from ground plants have reached closer to home and have wrapped themselves around sewer drains, effectively blocking them. When this happens, you have an unpleasant problem to deal with. There are basically two ways to handle invasive roots: mechanically or chemically.

Mechanically eliminating roots involves using a powered sewer auger that is sent down the sewer line, and with its rotating spiral head, proceeds to cut the roots through the line.  This, however, only temporarily solves the problem as the roots will grow back in.

Chemicals, on the other hand, will kill the roots, often at the initial application. The dead roots are then flushed from the sewer pipes. The chemicals leave a residue coating in the pipe that can prevent recurring root growth. Some customers prefer a schedule of routine maintenance to keep pipes root-free and to head off any serious or more stressful headaches down the line with their sewer plumbing.