Blocked drain / roots

[mark.carline]

Just had a nightmare yesterday - Downstairs toilet didnt flush properly and when we checked we had a blocked drain.

To cut a long (and smelly) story short we managed to get it unblocked but the main blockage was some fine roots from a sycamore tree (we have them all down the street).

We have managed to remove the roots (lucky there where around a foot away from one of the inspection holes) and the drains all clear now but my quesiton is what do I do now ?

It seems a bit OTT to dig the drive up, can I use anything to posion the roots (neat glyphosate?). I also have a feeling that there maybe a small joint failure in the pipe - Can this be repaired ?

I was maybe also thinking of calling out one of those specialist drain companies (with CCTV etc) to give me their opionion (but there seems to be alot of cowboys around).

Anyone help ?

 

[Agile]

A powerful pressure jetter can cut fine roots. A domestic one perhaps a little less so.

You might get away with drain rods and regular plunging every month.

On older drains the cement joints have fine cracks which the roots enter in their search for water and they open up the joint further!

Tony

 

[JohnD]

sooner or later you are going to have to dig it up and relay. if the pipes weren't cracked the roots wouldn't be able to get in.

 

[mark.carline]

Cheers - Guess we'll have to have a think.

I suppose its whichever i think is the less of the two evils, regular cleaning or dig the drive up.

There are one or two small holes around the end of the pipe where the concrete seems to have come away and roots are getting in so I might try and cut away / posion the roots and then use water proof PVA and concrete up the holes.

I'll keep an eye on it as it may have been building up over a while as we have been in the house for 6 years now and we have never had the drains cleaned etc.

 

[mark.carline]

I have been thinking about this and have a few more questions....

1) Is a CCTV worth doing ? - I have been quoted £120 for this ?
2) Some people have mentioned that I could have my drain "relined" - Is this any good ?
3) I'm going to check my home insurance but is this kind of thing commonly covered ??

 

[Agile]

You could always take out one of the plumbing household insurance policies and wait a year or two and then see if you can claim!

You might just possibly be covered under your buildings insurance but there is probably a large excess.

I doubt that having a video will be worth £120 as we already know what the problem is in general terms.

Tony

 

[mark.carline]

.....You might just possibly be covered under your buildings insurance but there is probably a large excess.

well I checked and it looks like my household building insurance covers both accidental damage and also damage caused by roots.

My excess was £100 so thats not too bad.

The insurance company just need a quote to fix it and a statement to say that its definatly caused by root damage. I did actually get a torch and a digital camera down there last night and I managed to get a picture which shows the root coming though the join in the pipe

pictures here:

http://s202.photobucket.com/albums/aa35/markcarline/?action=view&current=3.jpg
http://s202.photobucket.com/albums/aa35/markcarline/?action=view&current=2.jpg
http://s202.photobucket.com/albums/aa35/markcarline/?action=view&current=1-1.jpg

 

[JohnD]

Sounds like you've done well!

 

[Agile]

You might just possibly be covered under your buildings insurance but there is probably a large excess.
Tony

Very lucky for that I suggested that!!!

Tony

 

[mark.carline]

Yep cheers !

The only problem I have is that the insurance company need to have proof that the issue is casued by roots and the only way I can do this is to have a CCTV survey done (which costs £100 and the insurance company will not pay for).

So all in all I have to pay out £100 for the CCTV and £100 xs.

They then will pay up to £1000 for any remedial work thats needed so I guess i'll get them to do as much as i can!

 

[Agile]

If you can refine your own pictures, perhaps with better lighting and print off the pictures they MIGHT accept that!

If they are packaged with a local friendly plumber's letter heading that would be even better.

Tony

 

[mark.carline]

If you can refine your own pictures, perhaps with better lighting and print off the pictures they MIGHT accept that!

If they are packaged with a local friendly plumber's letter heading that would be even better.

Tony

Thought about that but to be honest, one of the main reasons now why I think that CCTV would be a good idea is peace of mind. God knows what kind of problems I would have (subsidence etc) if theres another fault somewhere else.

I might have another word with the insurance company as I would argue that if it wasn't for the root damage then i wouldn't be needing the CCTV survey.

The drain guy said that they can sort out roots by using a special root cutter and then resealing the join using an expoxy resin seal - Is this a proper job or should I be looking at alternatives ?