Are Growing Tree Roots Hurting Your Plumbing?
Spring is a time for growth. While homeowners might be focused on flourishing trees, shrubs, and flowers around their property, there is other growth occurring. The root systems of trees around a yard can grow throughout the spring, but this can cause many problems if they grow into a home’s underground pipes. This post will explain how tree roots can impact the plumbing, its potential dangers, and solutions to root obstruction.
Intruding Tree Roots
As trees grow, their root systems expand and grow in search of water and nutrients. This may lead them to invade the underground piping, particularly the sewer lines, as they contain the water and nutrients that roots need to fuel growth.
Tree roots can infiltrate even the smallest cracks or gaps in a line or force their way into weaker points of the piping system where pipes connect. After getting into the pipe, the tree roots can continue growing, forming a clog or blockage in the line. So, tree roots can cause clogs, leaks, and other damage to the piping.
Problems From Intruding Roots
Tree roots causing clogs or damage to a home’s sewer line can lead to various problems and dangers for the household. When a sewer line is leaking or damaged, it can cause soggy areas of the yard, which are flooded with sewage, foul odors, and other issues. Exposure to sewage can also lead to health issues, so it’s important to avoid the area and call professionals immediately.
When a sewer line becomes clogged due to tree roots, it can cause many problems, such as water or sewage backups, slow draining throughout the home, foul odors, and other problems. Backed-up drains and puddles of sewage can create a messy and unsanitary situation for a property.
Solutions to Root Intrusions
If homeowners suspect tree roots have infiltrated their sewer line, they must quickly schedule services with a plumber. When professionals arrive, they likely will try to resolve the problem by:
- Performing an inspection: Before performing any repairs, plumbers must first locate and understand the severity of the issue. This can be done with sewer video inspection, which allows them to get a real-time video feed of the inside of the line.
- Clearing the blockage: Plumbers can utilize various methods to clear tree root blockages, such as hydro jetting, which uses high-pressure water to clear clogs, or a drain snake, which is a long, flexible cable for removing clogs.
- Repairing the damage: Once the tree roots are cleared from the line, plumbers can assess the extent of the damage to the pipes and recommend the most suitable sewer line repair solution.
However, households can help prevent tree root intrusion from occurring in the first place. Homeowners can choose trees known for non-invasive root systems when planting trees near the home or install root barriers around existing trees to deter roots from reaching the plumbing.
About Plumb Perfect Plumbing
Plumb Perfect Plumbing has been serving the Fredericksburg area since 2015. They provide flat-rate pricing, neat plumbers, and financing. Call them for plumbing services in Fredericksburg, VA.
