Prevention or pipe replacement? – Why should we pay attention to the seals between the channels?

Those who live in a house with a garden know well: they have to pay at least twice as much attention to their home as if they lived in a condominium or panel house. For example, sewage disposal can cause many problems. In addition to ensuring that the sewer is properly laid and maintained, we also need to pay attention to the seals between the pipes. Otherwise, we will face blockages, pipe bursts, and in more serious cases, the safety of the entire building may be at risk…

Problems around the canal

If a blockage occurs in a panel or apartment building, the cause usually lies within the area of the apartment. In most cases, the problem is caused by a blockage in the toilet or sink, which can usually be eliminated by removing inappropriate objects or materials. This is not the case with houses with gardens, where blockages often occur due to the condition of the pipes leading out of the building. If we do not pay enough attention and energy to the garden sewer, sooner or later the drainage of sewage will be hampered. All this will mean a direct path to blockage, and the development of even more serious problems.

Sliding pipes

Basically, there are two problems that need to be solved when it comes to household wastewater. On the one hand, we need to ensure that rainwater is drained, which is done with so-called drain pipes. On the other hand, in our homes, the toilet or the sink We also need to dispose of the grey and black water generated during its use.

The sewage is transported using an underground pipeline located in our garden. channel The material of the pipe plays a big role in terms of its reliability and durability. While the gardens of older houses usually have channels made of concrete or eternit, in more modern homes the pipes are increasingly made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and newer generation plastics (e.g. polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.). Many people even in older homes decide to replace the garden sewer pipe with plastic. These represent more modern technology and offer an environmentally friendly solution than their counterparts made of concrete or eternit, and are also considered much more durable. (For example, eternit contains a large amount of asbestos, a material that is known to seriously damage the environment.)

The „narrow cross-section” of the sewer network is the seals between the pipes. The pipes are connected with rubber ring or glued fittings. If one pipe does not fit the other, the fault must be found in the joint. However, a much more common problem is that gaps form between the pipes due to the fatigue of the seals – in technical terms, expansion joints. Due to the fatigue of the seals, we can expect, among other things, the pipes to slip apart and the canal to break. In addition to all this, the eternit pipe breaks easily, even from a small earthquake, but tree roots can also easily grow into the joints.

In this case, the sewage cannot be properly transported through the pipeline, meaning that instead of flowing into the street pipe, it will soak the soil in our garden. Since a family of four consumes approximately 600 liters of water in a single day, such underground water flows can result in the subsidence of the foundation of the house, or in more serious cases, the entire street (!). Stabilizing a sunken building can be very expensive, and in addition to the financial burden, it will also cause the inconvenience of having to move out of the house during the renovation.

Insidious roots

Another risk of seal fatigue can be the so-called root ingrowth. You wouldn't think it, but trees and bushes in the garden pose a great threat to the integrity of the sewer. Beautiful plants can grow roots up to a meter deep underground, so they can quickly reach the depth where the sewer is located. If they find even a small gap between the pipes, their roots will quickly penetrate the sewer.

Pipes made of concrete or eternit are particularly at risk. Not only because roots can easily get into these materials, but also because these channels are usually of older construction. As a result, the joints inside them are warped, meaning roots are more likely to find their way inside.

Once the root has entered the sewer, it will grow rapidly. This is because greywater and blackwater contain large amounts of mineral nutrients that can promote plant growth. Even relatively thin hair roots can penetrate the pipe network, but larger ones can even burst the pipe. The hair root grows into the pipe and then grows and bursts the pipe!

In such cases, the minimum we can expect is that the sewage will not be able to flow properly through the pipe network. However, the roots can grow completely into the sewer in a surprisingly short time. In more serious cases, they can spread all the way to our house, and the plant parts can drain They will also be visible at the bottom. Which is not only an alarming sight, but also causes serious blockage.

Our situation is not made any easier by the fact that – unlike blockages in the house – the roots can spread insidiously and unnoticed through the underground sewer system. In most cases, we only notice the root ingrowth when the problem is really big and the specialist We need immediate help. However, it is worth paying attention to the telltale signs: for example, damp walls or a constant sewer smell in the house. These are clear warnings that something is wrong with the pipes.

Let's prevent root growth!

However, the best solution is to prevent problems. First of all: pay attention to the alignment of the canal! Always follow the golden rule: do not plant trees, bushes, or shrubs near the canal alignment. It is advisable to plant garden plants at least 50 cm away from the planned canal alignment.

In our garden, we should keep the pipeline at a decent distance, especially from evergreens. Plants that retain their original color even in winter can grow stronger roots than any other tree, which are dangerous not only because of their thickness but also because of their aggressiveness. A meter-long pine tree has such strong and prolific roots that it can grow into the canal at an even greater speed.

At certain intervals – for example, every month or two – it may be worth adding root-killing chemicals to the sewer to prevent the spread of unwanted plant parts. Of course, before pouring any chemicals into the sewer, make sure that the pipes and the seals between them are made of chemical-resistant material.

If root growth has already occurred, it is essential to seek the help of a professional who can use special tools (e.g. root cutters) to stop the spread. However, roots are not only strong, but they also regenerate very quickly. It is a regrettable experience, but once uninvited visitors have appeared around the drain, sooner or later the given pipe section will have to be replaced.

It is therefore worth blockage before the appearance of new pipes, we should consider laying new pipes instead of the old ones. Fortunately, thanks to the development of technology, pipelines with increasingly better seals are now being introduced. The joints of the channels appearing today are essentially hermetically sealed, meaning that they are much less at risk of taking root. Incidentally, the newer generation of plastics are also much less harmful to the environment.

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