When trees pick a fight with your plumbing
Tree roots are patient. They find the microscopic gaps at the joints of older drain pipes — clay tile especially — and send in feeder roots that grow into dense mats, catching everything that flows past. The first sign is usually a slow drain that keeps coming back; the last is a full sewer backup. Mature-tree streets in Toronto, Whitby and Uxbridge keep us busy with exactly this.
How we deal with roots
- Confirm on camera — a camera inspection shows exactly where roots enter and how bad it is, before you spend a repair dollar
- Cut and clear — mechanical root cutting restores flow the same day
- Scour with water — hydro jetting strips the fine root hairs cutting alone leaves behind
- Fix the entry point — lining or replacing the affected section so roots can't return
The honest part
Cutting roots out is a treatment, not a cure — they regrow through the same gaps, usually within a year or two. Some homeowners are happy with a maintenance cut every couple of years; others want the permanent repair. We show you the camera footage, price both paths, and let you decide with the facts. No scare tactics, no pressure.
Keep the tree
Almost nobody has to lose a tree over this. Roots don't crush pipes; they exploit joints that were already imperfect. Seal the pipe and the tree goes back to being the best thing on the street. We like trees. It's the pipe we fix.