Removing tree roots from your sewer

At a glance

Where roots enter

Clay tile joints, cracked cast iron, old repair couplings

Peak season

Late summer and fall as trees seek water

Cutter types

Root saw, spiral cutter, chain knocker for heavy growth

Follow-up

Camera after cutting to locate the joint

Why roots find the sewer

A sewer pipe carries warm, nutrient-rich water, and the soil around a leaking joint stays damp. Fine roots find that moisture, enter through a hairline gap, and then thicken inside the pipe where there is endless food. Within a few seasons they form a net that catches paper.

• Clay tile laid in short sections with mortar joints was standard in many Etobicoke subdivisions from the 1940s through the 1960s.
• Every joint is a possible door.

Cutting them out

We run a sectional machine with a cutting head sized close to the pipe diameter, so it shaves the roots off at the wall rather than boring a narrow hole. Heavy root masses may take several passes and a change of blade.

• After cutting, we flush the line so the loose pieces travel to the city sewer rather than catching a few metres downstream.

Deciding the next step

A camera pass shows how many joints are letting roots in and whether any section is cracked or offset. One active joint may simply need routine cutting every year or two. Many joints, or a crushed section, usually means a repair is cheaper over time.

• Removing a healthy city tree is not your decision, and it is rarely the answer anyway.
• Fixing the joint is.

Signs to watch for

• Slow drains every autumn
• Gurgling toilets after heavy rain
• Fine root hairs on a cleared cable head
• Lush green strip across the lawn over the sewer
• Large tree within a few metres of the front wall

How the job runs

1. Open the line

   We clear enough to restore flow first.

2. Cut to the wall

   A full-size cutter removes roots at each joint.

3. Flush

   Debris is washed through to the municipal main.

4. Camera and map

   We film each entry point and mark it from above.