Milling, Root Cutting & Descaling
The Heavy-Duty Clean
Standard high-pressure water jetting is fantastic for clearing soft blockages like silt, grease, or wet wipes. But sometimes, the obstruction is too tough for water alone.
If your drain is blocked by tree roots, concrete, or hard scale, you need a mechanical solution.
In simple terms: We use specialist robotic tools to safely grind away hard obstructions and restore your pipe to its full bore or diameter.
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Why Drains Need Heavy-Duty Cleaning
Over time, pipes can narrow or become obstructed by things that are too hard to flush away. This is usually caused by:
- Tree Roots: Roots are incredibly strong. They grow through tiny cracks in the pipe in search of water, forming a thick web that catches waste.
- Scale: Just like your kettle, pipes build up hard limescale (especially in hard water areas). This creates a rough surface that snags toilet paper and debris.
- Concrete or Grout: Builders sometimes accidentally wash cement down the drain, where it hardens into a rock-solid blockage.
- Fatbergs: Grease, oil and detergents from the kitchen that has solidified into hard lumps.
- Pitch Fibre Blisters: Old pipes from the 1950s-70s that have started to bubble and deform on the inside.
If you have a blockage that keeps coming back no matter how many times you plunge or jet it, one of these hard obstructions may be the culprit.
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How We Solve the Problem
We use advanced robotic cutters that work inside the pipe, meaning we don’t have to dig up your garden to reach the problem.
1. The Camera Diagnosis – We never cut blindly. We insert a CCTV camera to see exactly what is causing the restriction and check the pipe’s material. This ensures we choose the right tool for the job.
2. Specialist Milling / Cutting – We send a robotic cutter down the drain. Depending on the blockage, we use:
- Blades: To slice through tree roots.
- Chains: To knock off rust and scale.
- Milling Heads: To grind down concrete or pitch fibre blisters. This process carefully removes the blockage without damaging the pipe itself.
3. The Flush – Once the hard stuff has been ground into dust or small pieces, we use high-pressure water jetting to flush the debris out of the system.
4. The Final Check – We send the camera back down to show you the result. You will see a clear, full-bore pipe where the blockage used to be.
When Is This the Best Option?
We typically recommend milling when:
- Standard jetting hasn’t worked.
- The obstruction is solid (concrete or scale).
- We need to remove hard obstructions for drain lining (the pipe needs to be smooth for the new liner to stick).
- You want to avoid excavation (digging up the pipe is expensive; milling happens from the inside).
The Benefits to You
- No Digging: We fix the problem underground without disturbing your driveway or lawn.
- Restored Flow: Your pipe returns to almost 100% of its original capacity.
- Cost-Effective: It is much cheaper and faster than digging up and replacing the pipe.
- Evidence: We record “before and after” footage so you can see exactly what you paid for.
ASL’s Approach
We are committed to honest advice. We only use heavy-duty cutting tools when they are genuinely needed.
- If the pipe is too fragile to mill, we will tell you and recommend a safer option.
- If we cut out roots, we will likely recommend lining the pipe afterwards to stop them growing back.
Our aim is always to restore the customer’s drainage system in the safest and most efficient way possible.
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
“I called at 08:10 hours to report a blocked drain. A little while later, Darren rang to tell me he’d arrive in half an hour. He arrived on time and resolved the problem quickly and without fuss. He was polite and friendly throughout. Within two hours of reporting the blockage, all was well. Thank you.” Customer, Surrey
“I unreservedly recommend ASL. All the glowing reviews of ASL are true. They had to lift paving slabs to fix my drains, and I was concerned there might be unavoidable damage. I should not have worried. Liam and Richard did a superb job. Thanks, ASL” Customer, Surrey
“Darren arrived very promptly and got to work quickly. He did an excellent job and explained what he was doing. We would have no hesitation in recommending ASL Services.” Customer, Surrey
“Very efficient to book them to sort out a sewer drain blockage, and the cost was exactly what they quoted. Called before they arrived with a clear ETA. Got on with the job and sorted it out within the hour. Darren was excellent – very courteous and helpful, did more than we expected to help sort the problem out and was a font of knowledge on all things sewer-related. Given the subject matter (eeew) the whole experience with ASL was an absolute pleasure.” Customer, Surrey
“ASL recently carried out a drain repair at our house. They responded quickly to the call for help, came out and soon diagnosed the problem – tree roots blocking the drain. The remedial work on site was carried out by Lester and George – they worked hard and were very thorough. This is a long-established company that seems to know what they are doing.” Customer, Surrey
Areas we cover
Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, West Sussex and South West London
The ASL Limited HQ is in Guildford, but our operating area is the whole of Surrey and parts of Berkshire, Hampshire, West Sussex and South West London.
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Contact Us
Get in touch today
You can call us on 0800 181 684, email info@asllimited.co.uk or use the form below:
