By Matthew Baring-Gould, Kingscliff-based drainage plumber. Servicing Tweed Heads for 4 years. 5.0 stars across 173 Google reviews. Licensed NSW 383340C and QLD 15036450. ABN 74 605 392 348.
Brisbane stormwater choked with a root mass so dense we could not grab it with the jetter or by hand. Tied the roots to a work vehicle and winched them out. Replaced the broken underground section and upgraded the plastic kerb outlet to a metal adapter.
What the customer called us for
Brisbane owner-occupier with a stormwater line that would not clear. Multiple attempts with the jetter had made no progress.
What we found when we got there
A tree root mass had grown into the pipe through a cracked section and matted itself inside the full diameter of the line. The pipe underneath was damaged. The outlet to the kerb had also been built in plastic, which had been cracked by cars driving over the top of it.
Why we did it this way
On a root mass this dense, you cannot clear and leave — the roots will be back inside the year. The job has to go all the way through: remove the root ball, expose the damaged pipe, cut the broken section out, replace it, upgrade the weak kerb adapter so cars crossing the outlet cannot crack it again.
What we did on site
- Attempted to clear the roots with the hydrojet and the route-ranger attachment. Partial progress but not enough.
- Tied the exposed root mass to the back of a work ute and pulled the full ball out of the pipe.
- Cut the concrete over the damaged section of pipe.
- Excavated and removed the broken pipe.
- Installed a new section of stormwater pipe with proper fall and bedding.
- Replaced the cracked plastic kerb adapter with a metal kerb adapter rated for vehicle load.
- Reinstated concrete and tested flow.
The result
Line flowing clear. Upgraded metal kerb outlet means the same crack-under-car problem cannot repeat.
If you have the same issue
If you have a cracked or missing stormwater outlet at your kerb and cars drive over it, upgrade to a metal kerb adapter the next time anyone is on site. Plastic is only ever a short-term outlet in a vehicle-load environment. Call Matty on 0447 188 394 or request a quote.
Customer names and addresses have been withheld. Individual results vary. Drain Masters Plumbing is licensed in NSW (383340C) and QLD (15036450).
Frequently asked
Why does the plastic kerb adapter crack in the first place?
Plastic kerb outlets are rated for pedestrian loading. The moment a car wheel rides across them, they flex. Over months of flex they crack. The crack lets soil in, soil blocks the outlet, and the whole upstream line backs up.
Can you really pull a root mass out with a ute?
On this job yes. The root ball had bound itself together into effectively a single plug. Once we had a strap on it, it slid out as one. Not every root mass is coherent enough to come out that way.
Does a metal kerb adapter stop future roots too?
Not directly, but it prevents the outlet from cracking under vehicle load. Most root problems at kerb outlets start where the plastic has already failed. Keep the outlet intact and the root entry point never opens up.
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