Roots in pipe

Root intrusion is the most common defect we find in lateral and main lines. Roots don't need a broken pipe to get in — they exploit joints, hairline cracks, and worn gaskets, drawn by the moisture and nutrients inside your line. Once they're in, they grow.

Why this hits your bottom line:

Roots start as fine hair-like intrusions that catch grease, paper, and solids. Flow slows. Then a tenant calls about a slow drain, or a restaurant's floor sink backs up during dinner service, or a public restroom goes out of commission during business hours. That's the first cost — emergency plumbing call-outs at premium rates, often after-hours, often recurring every three to six months once roots are established.

Roots grow silently between service calls. A snake or hydro-jet clears the symptom but leaves the entry point intact — the roots regrow, often thicker, within months. Without a CCTV inspection and a graded condition report, you're paying to manage a problem instead of solving it. Most facilities only discover the severity when a pipe collapses.

What grading tells you:

A NASSCO-graded inspection identifies exactly where roots are entering, how severe the intrusion is (Grade 1 fine roots through Grade 5 full blockage), and whether the surrounding pipe wall is still structurally sound. That report is what determines whether you need a one-time mechanical cutting and lining, a spot repair, or full replacement — and it's what protects you from paying for the wrong fix.