"gentlegreen" wrote in
message k...
Dear URGlers,

I recently found that the water from my mum's roof was backing up and
taking
an age to get down to the soakaway.

The offending tree has now been removed, but the clay drainage pipe is
still
stuffed with roots.

Apart from diverting the water elsewhere and allowing the roots to dry and
shrink, I wonder how best to speed the process without major excavation.

The gunpowder option has been considered and discounted ;-)

Would Sodium chlorate or ammonium sulphamate expedite the situation ?

thanks ...


Ammonium sulphamate would only work if you don't flush the drain. If you can
get access to one end or the other you could use drain rods with a screw end
which might drill through the fibrous roots, allowing you to drag them out.
Do bear in mind that once the roots have shrunk and died they may leave
holes in the pipe.