One of the most common problems which drainage engineers face is root intrusion. When a drainage pipe is cracked or damaged roots find their way into the pipe and then quickly multiply. When this happens the waste flowing through the pipe finds it difficult to pass which eventually results in a drain blockage.
If you have a blocked drain, the first thing a drainage company may try is high pressure water jetting. In this method of drain cleaning the drainage engineer will direct a high pressure jet of water down the drain to remove any accumulated debris. This however will not work if the system is blocked by roots. So when drain jetting fails, the drainage experts may suggest a CCTV survey so they can see what is causing the problem. If roots are found to be the cause, they can then suggest a suitable repair.
If roots are blocking a drain, the drain does not have to be excavated and the section of pipe replaced. Instead a spinning root cutter can be inserted into the drain which will trim the roots back to the pipe diameter. To stop the roots re-infiltrating the pipe, a liner can be inserted into the pipe which will seal the pipe and effectively stop further infiltration and hence damage.