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Maintenance

Why Tree Roots Keep Blocking Your Drain (And How To Stop It For Good)

Liquid root killer is a short-term patch for a long-term problem. Here's what actually works.

24 January 2025 4 min read

Half the blocked drains we attend in Albion Park, Warilla and Oak Flats are tree-root intrusions in the sewer line. The pattern is always the same: clear it, fine for 6–12 months, back again.

Why roots keep coming back

Old earthenware and cast-iron pipes have rubber-ringed joints every 600mm. Once roots find a damp join, they grow into the pipe and feed on what's flowing past. Chemical root killers shrink the tip — but the entry point is still there.

The permanent fix

  • CCTV the line to map every root entry
  • High-pressure jet to fully clear the roots (not just punch a hole)
  • Reline the affected section with a cured-in-place liner — no excavation
  • Re-CCTV to verify the join is sealed

A relined section typically lasts 50+ years. We provide the before/after footage so you can see exactly what was done.

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