We’ve all dealt with clogged pipes and problems with our toilets and sinks. It’s one of the most obnoxious things about taking care of a home. And when your sink is draining slower than your Aunt Betsy can walk, you’re not alone if you let out a bad word or two.

Sometimes these problems can be fixed with a clog remover, but if products like this aren’t doing their job, there may be a different issue on your hands than a run-of-the-mill drain clog. 

So, What’s Wrong With Your Drains?

Regular clogs are usually caused by excess toilet paper, hair or greasy and oily materials coating your pipes. But these are not the only things that can cause clogged drains. If you feel like you’ve tried everything, but your plumbing still isn't working great, the answer to your problem might be right outside your window.

Tree roots LOVE pipes. To trees, pipes are a three-course meal. Naturally, tree roots gravitate towards water and heat. And since pipes contain those two things, as well as oxygen and nutrients from the “stuff” you flush, they’re an ideal place for trees to settle down and grow like crazy.

How do I Know if There are Tree Roots Inside my Pipes?

It’s difficult to know for sure if there are tree roots inside your pipes without digging them up and seeing with your own eyes. But having a plumber come in to dig them up can be time-consuming, and having them remove the roots can be costly. Here are some of the ways you can tell if the roots are growing in your pipes without spending oodles of money:

Overflows and slow drainage issues won’t go away with clog removal treatments: This is a warning sign that your problem isn’t just a simple clog and you may be dealing with tree root issues. You might hear gurgling in your toilet or sink, and clogs may be intermittent. If you’ve tried every solution to clear your drains and it hasn’t worked, consider the possibility that tree roots have clogged your pipes. 

Foul odors will not go away: If you have bad smells emanating from your drains that will not go away with drain deodorizers or clog removers, it’s possible that roots have stopped waste from traveling correctly through your plumbing system.

You have a tree within 20 feet of your pipe lines: If the two above factors are true AND you have a tree within 20 feet of your plumbing system, it’s a great possibility that tree roots have traveled toward your pipes, gotten through the cracks and are growing inside.

How to Get Rid of Tree Roots Inside Your Pipes

The Harmful Way

Many people opt for products containing copper sulfate to get the job done. Copper Sulfate kills tree roots effectively, however this chemical can potentially cause damage to pipes. Not only that, but it prevents photosynthesis in plants, making it toxic to all plants it encounters. It also has the potential to kill the entire tree, not just the roots.

The Costly Way

Some people call a plumber to get rid of the problem. A professional can either: dig down into the ground, cut open the pipe and physically remove tree roots. Or they can use a sewer auger with spinning blades all the way down your pipes and pull tree roots out. Both of these treatments cost a significant amount of money and tree roots will likely continue to return again.

The SMART Way

Why spend money over and over on root removal? Why risk damage to your pipes, your plants and your trees? The smarter and safer way to take care of roots inside pipe lines is by flushing a foaming root killer devoid of copper sulfate down the toilet. This product will kill and dissolve tree roots WITHOUT killing your tree, harming your plumbing or costing you a fortune. Because of its foaming formula, it will coat the roots fully and dehydrate them until they die. The brittle leftover roots will then just dissolve away when water is flushed through. It’s such a simple solution that will cost you very little in time or money — and it's safer for the environment.

At Green Gobbler, we understand the importance of using products that are safer while also being strong and effective. Our formula is powerful and offers a friendlier solution to your problem without introducing harsh chemicals to your plumbing system.

Purchase Green Gobbler’s Foaming Root Killer to clear your pipes of tree roots the smarter way.